Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, was created in 1443 under King Sejong (1397~1450), the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty.
One can read King Sejong’s love of the people in the preface of the
Hunminjeongum in which he says he decided to invent a new simple writing
system since he came to realize that the common people find it
difficult to learn written Chinese due to structural differences with
the Korean speaking style. Could he ever have imagined his affectionate
invention would receive worldwide attention 500 years later?
Hunminjeongeum Haeryebon (Explanations and
Examples of Correct Sounds to teach the people) was created by King
Sejong in the 15th century (photo: Yonhap News).
The excellence and originality of Hangeul has been well received throughout the world. Following the designation of Hangeul as National Treasure No. 70, the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize
was created in 1989 to honor government or private organizations for
their contributions to spreading literacy. The academic world was no
exception in recognizing the value of Hangeul. In
East Asia: The Great Tradition,
a textbook used at Harvard University in 1960, Hangeul was described as
“the most scientific writing system,” while British historian John Man
said that the ‘Korean alphabet shows how far can a writing system
evolve and where are its boundaries, and this is why it should be
closely observed” in his book
Alpha Beta.
Aroused by Korean dramas
and K-pop culture, the interest and curiosity in Korean culture was
transferred onto Hangeul. The number of people who use or learn the
Korean language reaches 80 million, and the number is on the constant
rise. The topic of globalization of the Korean language has come to the
forefront these days.
The growing popularity of the Sejong Institute,
an overseas Korean language education center, provides good evidence of
the fact. Korean language classes in Southeast Asian countries such as
Thailand and the Philippines, and also some European nations including
France, experience a shortage of seats before the registration deadline.
To meet the demand for Korean classes, the Korean government announced
the establishment of 14 additional Sejong Institutes by the end of this
year, adding up to a total of 90 institutes spread through over 43
countries across the globe.
14 new
Sejong Institutes will be opened by the end of this year in response
to the growing number of foreign students who have taken an interest in
learning Korean (photo courtesy of KCCLA). Song Hyang-geun, president of the International Korean Language Foundation,
says it still has a long way to go in achieving the globalization of
the Korean language. “There are more than 4,000 textbooks on the Korean
language around the world, but still it is difficult to pick the right
book for students to meet the educational demand,” he explained during
an interview with the Korea Herald. “A recent study revealed that most
students are taking the class for their personal interests so that they
can understand more about Korean dramas or send fan letters to Korean
stars. This means the level of programs shouldn’t be too academic.”
His dream came true. The
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in partnership with
Korea Broadcasting Advertising Corporation,
announced their plan to introduce an easy and entertaining way of
learning the Korean language. The lessons make use of content from K-pop
music programs and hit Korean dramas that played a central role in
leading the Hallyu craze such as
A Tale of Autumn,
Winter Sonata, and
Dream High through which foreign audiences can understand more of Korean culture, especially youth culture.
Korean
hit dramas have become a primary part of Korean language courses as a
fun and helpful tool for foreign learners (photo courtesy of KBS). The
traditional way of lessons was a bit too academic, considered difficult
to catch up for foreigners. The renewed type of lessons, however,
center on expressions for daily use, captured from scenes of Korean
dramas and music shows. In the lesson’s beginning, a Korean announcer
gives a brief and simple explanation about the selected grammar
structures or vocabulary and then replays the scenes several more times
to help the audience get familiar with it. As well, students can take
advantage of indirectly learning about cultural aspects of Korean life
by watching how Koreans have conversations with each other, what they
eat, and where they live in the programs.
Starting in October, the new lessons will be aired across the globe via KBS World and Nuri-Sejonghakdang, an online affiliate of the King Sejong Institute.
By Lee Seung-ah
Korea.net Staff Writer