[Hello Hangeul] Sharing the Korean alphabet with the world

King Sejong the Great invented Hangeul in 1443 with the goal of increasing literacy among commoners who had few chances to learn the logographic hanja, or Chinese characters. Out of respect for the king's democratic intention and love for humanity, several projects were launched from the late 1990s onward to share the Korean alphabet with ethnic minorities in Asia, Africa and South America that did not have their own writing systems. Without a script, their languages were at the risk of disappea

April 2, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] Upgrade needed for teaching 'advanced' Korean

The soaring popularity of South Korean pop culture has fueled a boom in Korean language learning using songs and dramas in recent years. With the help of the media and internet, foreign learners are putting their best foot forward to get a better grasp of Korean colloquial expressions, new words and slang used by younger Koreans. Some learners also improve their linguistic knowledge by taking Korean language classes. Teachers often find introductory Korean courses easier to teach, but they often

March 26, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] Korean language teachers persevere to help learners around globe

Korean used to be a language spoken only on the Korean Peninsula and by nearly 10 million Koreans overseas. But in recent years, it has become one of the fastest-growing choices for foreign language learners around the world, thanks to the sweeping, universal appeal of Korean dramas, shows and pop music. Behind the rapid increase of learners are committed teachers with the passion to help earnest young people pursue their dreams despite various predicaments. Their pay depends on the country or t

March 19, 2023

[Newsmaker] [Hello Hangeul] Korean adoptees discover lost identities through language

The following series is part of The Korea Herald’s “Hello Hangeul” project, which consists of interviews, in-depth analyses, videos and various other forms of content that shed light on the stories of people who are learning the Korean language, as well as the correlation between Korea’s soft power and the rise of its language within the league of world languages. -- Ed. When John Tae-shik Ha, a Korean adoptee to Sweden, first learned his Korean name some three decades ag

March 12, 2023

[Newsmaker] [My Hangeul Story] Sujan Shakya’s journey from Korean beginner to TV personality, author

Sujan Shakya is most likely the first and only Nepalese national who has authored a Korean-language bestseller in Korea. Born and raised in Nepal, he arrived in Seoul for his first study abroad experience in 2010, with very little knowledge of the local language. He was studying Korean as a beginner at Dankook University that year. Twelve years later, in 2022, his book, “Utmost and Personal Nepal,” about his native country, co-authored with Hong Sung-kwang, landed among the top 20 be

March 5, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] Does it pay off to become fluent in Korean?

Mastering a foreign language requires a long-term commitment that can take years. Without the promise of it becoming a valuable asset to your professional or personal life, it can be difficult to stay committed. What are the rewards for attaining fluency in Korean? Will the time and energy learners put into learning the language pay off in some way other than being able to watch K-dramas without subtitles? To explore the benefits of learning Korean further, The Korea Herald spoke to four non-Kor

March 5, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] The linguistic divide of Korea: the legacy of 'Malmoi' and decades of separation

Choi Seol, a North Korean defector, entered a stationery shop to purchase a stapler. She asked for "chaekjjipkke" -- which literally means bookbinder – as it was the only word she knew to refer to the stationary item. The store clerk was puzzled, and Choi left the store empty-handed after a few minutes of explaining what she wanted. Later, she learned that South Koreans refer to staplers as "hotchkiss," a Japanese loanword. She also recalls a conversation with a colleag

Feb. 26, 2023

[Newsmaker] [Hello Hangeul] Tale of a script: From invention to widespread adoption

In the winter of 1443, Korea’s native writing system called Hunminjeongeum, which means “the correct sound that teaches the people,” was born. Three years later, a book of the same name was published under commission of the king to explain how the novel writing system works and how it was created. Nearly six centuries have passed, and the writing system, now called Hangeul, is credited for South Korea’s near-100 percent literacy rate, with many taking pride in the scienti

Feb. 19, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] Western missionaries did not just spread the gospel, they spread Hangeul

Although Hangeul was created and adopted as the official writing system in mid-15th century, it took nearly 400 years for it to become widely used by the general public. Chinese script was still prevalent, as the ruling elites rejected King Sejong’s invention as a vulgar language of the underclass people. In the late 19th century and during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule of Korea, interest in Hangeul was renewed on the back of growing nationalist sentiments, and it was Western Christ

Feb. 18, 2023

[Newsmaker] [Hello Hangeul] Yonsei vs Sogang: A closer look at decades-old rivalry in Korean language education

Among those considering coming to Korea for language study, two university-run language institutes have long been considered the best options. Associated with and located on the main campuses of Yonsei University and Sogang University, they take pride in providing the “most immersive learning experience.” Here’s a closer look at the archrival language institutes, whose competition for reputation has brought about benefits to not just learners but the field of Korean language

Feb. 12, 2023

[My Hangeul Story] Korean has given me great opportunities: K-pop fan-turned-Korean teacher

Nura Ezzatie is a social media influencer with at least 182,400 followers on TikTok. Outside the social media world, she is a secondary school teacher in her native country of Malaysia. Neither of the two would have been possible, had she not embarked on a journey to teach herself Korean more than a decade ago. In 2010, then at age 18, Ezzatie discovered the world of K-pop through Super Junior. Watching all kinds of Korean TV shows starring the idol group almost every day, she decided to learn

Feb. 12, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] What not to do to keep Korean culture, language attractive

If countries were people, Korea would be the quiet, hardworking kid who had little chance to show what an interesting person he is, until he started writing great songs and tales that made people cry, laugh and think. If he continues to excel by getting better at understanding others and making himself understood, he will gain influence, or “soft power.” A term coined by American political scientist Joseph Nye Jr., soft power is defined as the ability to affect others to get what y

Feb. 6, 2023

[Herald Interview] TTMIK CEO on upgrading online Korean learning

For English speakers, mastering Korean can sometimes feel like an impossible feat to achieve without taking classes at schools and academies -- as the language's vastly different word order and characteristically diverse colloquial language render it as one of the hardest languages to study. However, a Korean language educator says attaining fluency in the Korean language can be facilitated with help from diverse online platforms. Sun Hyun-woo, CEO of Talk To Me In Korean or TTMIK -- one of

Jan. 29, 2023

[Newsmaker] [Hello Hangeul] Hangeul is just a few clicks away

Ana Perez, a graduate student living in New York, was ecstatic when she got her first “golden owl” in Korean on the popular language education app Duolingo. The golden owl is a trophy given to users who complete a certain set of skills in the language of their choice. "As there are so many levels here, that took me about four months to get. I feel proud of myself, or jarang seu reo weo," said Perez, adding the word for "proud" in Korean to emphasize her language s

Jan. 29, 2023

[Newsmaker] [Herald Interview] Hangeul as more than just a hobby: KSIF chief

The following series is part of The Korea Herald’s “Hello Hangeul” project of interviews, in-depth analyses, videos and various other forms of content that shed light on the stories of people who are learning the Korean language and the correlation between Korea’s soft power and the rise of the language within the league of world languages. – Ed. The ever-growing popularity of Korean content has sparked a boom in Korean language learning worldwide. Standing at the v

Jan. 16, 2023

[Newsmaker] [Hello Hangeul] 'Hangeul education is basic right for multicultural students'

Publicly offered Korean language education for children from immigrant and foreign families is necessary because they are entitled to learn the language as part of their human rights, said Seoul City's education chief, stressing the need to expand quality high-level classes currently limited to adults. “Students of multicultural backgrounds should be given a chance to learn the Korean language as a basic human right that they are entitled to,” said Cho Hee-yeon, superintendent

Jan. 15, 2023

[Newsmaker] [My Hangeul Story] Hollywood actor Thomas McDonell's accidental affair with Korean language

American actor Thomas McDonell, best known for his role as Finn Collins in the US television network CW’s post-apocalyptic series “The 100,” has a rather peculiar presence on Twitter. One day in 2017, he made his first tweet in Korean. At that time, he was into tweeting in various languages to reach out to people from all over the world who were looking at his profile. His tweets are usually simple expressions -- "I'm bored," "Is this for real?" -- in

Jan. 8, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] The complications of the 'one-inch' barrier

The following series is part of The Korea Herald’s “Hello Hangeul” project which consists of interviews, in-depth analyses, videos and various other forms of content that shed light on the stories of people who are learning the Korean language and the correlation between Korea’s soft power and the rise of its language within the league of world languages. – Ed. Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho made headlines by using his acceptance speech at the 2020 Golden Glo

Jan. 8, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] A snapshot of Korean language now

The following series is part of The Korea Herald’s “Hello Hangeul” project which consists of interviews, in-depth analyses, videos and various other forms of content that shed light on the stories of people who are learning the Korean language and the correlation between Korea’s soft power and the rise of its language within the league of world languages. – Ed. Korean has 81.7 million speakers around the globe, although most of them are found on the Korean Peninsula

Jan. 2, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] Common language, diverse goals

The following series is part of The Korea Herald’s “Hello Hangeul” project which consists of interviews, in-depth analyses, videos and various other forms of content that shed light on the stories of people who are learning the Korean language and the correlation between Korea’s soft power and the rise of its language within the league of world languages. – Ed. South Korea’s thriving popular culture has been drawing an increasing number of curious young pe

Jan. 2, 2023