Anyone Can Learn Hangeul: The Origin of the Korean Writing System

Every year on October 9, South Korea celebrates “Hangeul Day.” For many, this means a day off of work or school; others see it as a day to celebrate the legacy of the Korean language and the work of King Sejong the Great. 

King Sejong the Great and the Creation of Hangeul

Before Hangeul was created, Korea used Chinese characters called “Hanja” for their reading and writing system. These characters were very difficult to learn, and you would need to attend school to learn to read and write them. Because of this, only the upper-class Koreans were able to read and write. The lower and middle class were left struggling to learn on their own or never learned at all. This led to widespread illiteracy throughout the kingdom. 

King Sejong the Great, the 4th King of the Joseon Dynasty, was the one to find the answer to this widespread illiteracy. He personally spearheaded the creation of a new writing system alongside a team of scholars. He began this process in 1443 and it was formalized and announced in 1446. The writing system was called the Hunminjeongeum (훈민정음) or “The Proper Sounds for Instructing the People.” King Sejong received a lot of push back from the Korean elite during this time because some believed the creation of a universal writing system would devalue the Korean language. King Sejong strongly believed that it was necessary for all Korean people to know how to read and write. Because of King Sejong’s invention, the literacy rates for Korea skyrocketed.

Hangeul Explained

Hangeul is made up of 21 vowel sounds and 19 consonant sounds, a total of 40 sounds that can be combined for every sound needed in Korean.  

To write words in Korean, you use Hangeul to form syllable blocks with vowels and consonants. These blocks are then formed together to make words. The blocks are always made up of at least one consonant and one vowel; however, they sometimes are made up of three or four letters that can be a little trickier for first-time learners. 

When reading syllable blocks, these are some of the ways you could see them combined and the order you read the pieces in. This is fairly similar to other written systems in that it is read left to right and top to bottom. 

The Legacy of King Sejong

As the creator of the Korean language, he is regarded as one of the most important figures in Korean history. He is immortalized on the back of the 10,000 Korean Won bill (around $10 USD). There is also a statue of King Sejong that sits in front of Gyeongbokgung in Seoul. His reign during the Joseon Dynasty is considered a golden age. 

In 1989, UNESCO created the “King Sejong Literacy Prize,” which is given to one person or group every year that helps fight illiteracy throughout the world. 

In 2012, several Korean government organizations partnered together to create the King Sejong Institute Foundation. This foundation was made with the purpose of helping those who want to learn Korean and experience Korean culture around the world. As of 2019, there are 216 institutes in 76 countries. You can read more about the King Sejong Institute here.

Final Thoughts

King Sejong saw a problem in his kingdom and created a solution that would become known as one of Korea’s greatest inventions. The intention behind the creation of Hangeul is one that makes the writing system so special, as well as the fact we know the exact creator and the date it was created. Take the time to learn how to read and write Hangeul, and you are already one step closer to learning how to speak Korean.