Special Online Lecture Series – Hangeul (Korean Alphabet)

Education

Lecture 1: Learning the Korean Alphabet / Lecture 2: Hangeul - The People’s Alphabet

Hangeul Day (한글날 – 9 October) marks the invention and proclamation of Hangeul by the Joseon Dynasty’s King Sejong. This national holiday is a celebration of the Korean alphabet and so this year we have two special events for those who are interested in learning the Korean language and more about the history of Hangeul.

Special Online Lecture Series – Hangeul (Korean Alphabet)

Lecture 1: Learning the Korean Alphabet

This lecture is suitable for anyone who hasn’t studied the Korean language yet but wants to start to learn it from the beginning. During the lecture, we will cover how to write and read the Korean alphabet and some basic greetings. After the session, you should be able to read and write your name in Korean.

Venue: ZOOM Webinar (Online) *You must be 16 or over
Date: Thursday 8th Oct 19:00-20:00
Lecturer: Dr Cholong Sung (SOAS Language Centre and Hammersmith and Fulham Education Centre)
Available Seats: 40
Entrance Free - Booking Essential

Lecture 2: Hangeul - The People’s Alphabet

This talk explores the motivations and historical background behind the creation of Hangeul, where the creation of the alphabet stemmed from a reaction to the domineering behaviour of the Yangban (Korean upper class) literati during the Joseon period who misused their privileged and exclusive access to Literary Chinese writing.

The common people of the Joseon dynasty experienced a great injustice as a result of having no means of written communication. This struggle for the monopoly of linguistic capital and the suffering it caused ordinary people were the motivations behind King Sejong’s invention of the script Hangeul. King Sejong (1397-1450), otherwise known as Sejong the Great, is possibly the most famous King in the history of the peninsula. He is known for ushering in the cultural renaissance of the Early Joseon, the most impactful aspect of which was his invention of hunminjeongeum (訓民正音, “Proper Sounds for the Instruction of the People”) in 1443, the writing system we today refer to as Hangeul. By presenting the history behind the invention of Hunminjeongeum, together its linguistic principles, this talk demonstrates the King’s determination to improve the lives of ordinary people by giving them an accessible means of written communication.

Venue: ZOOM Webinar (Online) *You must be 16 or over
Date: Friday 9th Oct 19:00-20:00
Lecturer: Dr. Jieun Kiaer (Associate Professor in Korean Language and Linguistics, Oriental Institute, University of Oxford)
Available Seats: 80
Entrance Free - Booking Essential