Who comes to mind when you hear the word “Hangeul”?
Commemorating both Hangeul Day and the museum’s fifth anniversary, the
National Hangeul Museum presents this special exhibition introducing the heroes
of Hangeul, including both lesser-known personages and notable figures suggested
in a survey. Some attempted to protect the country in a time of national crisis
using Hangeul, some promoted its use in the face of social prejudice, and others
pioneered new types of communication with Hangeul.
The National Hangeul Museum surveyed visitors and other Koreans and
non-Koreans to choose five great heroes of Hangeul. The museum also selected
seven personages who may be relatively less well known among the public, but
who made a significant contribution to the development of this alphabet. Thanks
to the sincere efforts by these great figures toward their respective goals,
Hangeul has been able to survive and develop since its invention by King
Sejong.
In this special exhibition commemorating the legacy of King Sejong,
please reflect on the value of Hangeul that was established and enhanced by
these heroes from its history and discuss how we could shape its future.
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1
People who protected the country using Hangeul
When Korea lost its sovereignty to Japan at a time of competition between
world powers, some tried to protect the country using Korean language and
Hangeul. Here we present the heroes who struggled in their respective fields in
the belief that Korea could someday restore its national sovereignty by protecting the Korean language and Hangeul as a foundation of the national spirit.
2
People who fought social prejudices using Hangeul
During the Joseon dynasty, the ruling class continued to use classical Chinese
characters as a primary means of written communication even after King Sejong
the Great invented Hangeul in 1443. Here we present people who contributed to
promoting the use of Hangeul despite the social prejudice in favor of Chinese
characters.
3
People who pioneered a new era through Hangeul Some experts explored ways to promote the use of Hangeul, the grand legacy of
King Sejong the Great, in their respective fields. Here we present innovators
who spearheaded the development of Hangeul.