By Honorary Reporter Volga Serin Suleymanoglu from Turkey
Photos = Volga Serin Suleymanoglu

Hangeul Day is an occasion to celebrate a unique alphabet and holds a special place in the hearts of Koreans. Observed on Oct. 9 as a national holiday, it commemorates the adoption of Hangeul in 1446 as the official writing system of the Joseon Dynasty.

Before the arrival of their alphabet, Koreans used Chinese script in writing, a complex system that required extensive education. Recognizing the need for a more accessible writing system, King Sejong the Great embarked on a mission to create Hangeul.

Me, my mother and my grandmother writing Hangeul.

To commemorate this day, my family and I organized a Hangeul calligraphy activity and photoshoot. Each of us drew the best Korean letters or words we could on a single piece of Korean rice paper to create a collaborative artwork. After completing our masterpiece, we took photos of it.

During this activity, I introduced Korean culture to my mother and my grandmother, discussed the invention of Hangeul and explained why this day is important for Koreans.

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article was written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.