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Encouraging Foreigners to Appreciate Hangeul

Hangeul is a source of pride for Korea and its people. Hangeul Day, which is observed on October 9, was designated to commemorate the proclamation made by King Sejong the Great, on this date, to announce the creation of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. In addition, it is also intended to promote the excellence of Hangeul, pay tribute to the notable achievements of King Sejong the Great, and encourage Hangeul-related research and education. However, it seems that the significance of Hangeul has seen a gradual decline since the status of Hangeul Day was changed from a national holiday to a commemorative day in 1990. Nevertheless, a noteworthy event, Hangeul Festival 2007, was held to help foreigners better understand and appreciate Hangeul.

Appreciation of Hangeul
To commemorate Hangeul Day, the festival was held under the theme of ‘Hangeul, To the World, I Love Hangeul!’ at the Gallery Nuri of the Korea Foundation Cultural Center, on October 3, which included the participation of foreigners residing in Korea, in particular those studying the Korean language. Jointly organized by the Korea Foundation Cultural Center and the Korea Foundation Volunteer Network (KFVN), the event also celebrated the second anniversary of the opening of the Korea Foundation Cultural Center.
As the 11:00 a.m. hour approached, the start time of the festival, foreign participants steadily streamed into the gallery, many with a look of anticipation or bemusement. Upon receiving a small ball-like pouch and a commemorative necklace at the entrance, the foreigners seemed to have high expectations about the event. Along a side of the gallery, some foreign participants had their face painted, with various brightly colored symbols of Korea. To get matters underway, KFVN President Cheon Seong-ok delivered greeting remarks to open the proceedings. In particular, she briefly explained the history and meaning of Hangeul Day. The foreigners applauded vigorously when she stated: “We have prepared entertaining activities and fun games so that you can discover the joys of Hangeul. At this festival, which represents an all-volunteer effort, I hope everyone has a rewarding experience and great time.”
The first event was a game to open a gourd, which students in Korea would play on an autumn field day. The foreigners beamed with amusement as they threw the small pouches, which they had received earlier, at the gourd. When the gourd burst open, a banner with a congratulatory message and confetti were released, getting the festival off to a rousing start. This was followed by a B-boys performance, which further ratcheted up the festive atmosphere. The audience applauded the initial moves, while being utterly astounded at their more difficult maneuvers, which were smoothly executed. Indeed, the B-boys’ remarkable agility served to invigorate everyone in attendance, foreigners and Koreans alike.



Participation of Foreigners
Previously, the Korea Foundation Cultural Center has hosted Hangeul Day events on a smaller scale, which included the attendance of students enrolled in the Korean Language Classes offered by KFVN. However, the Hangeul Festival 2007 represented an expanded endeavor that welcomed foreigners residing in Korea to participate in a variety of Hangeul-related activities.
Events in the morning included essay-writing and penmanship contests, which was followed by a sandwich-and-beverage lunch break, and various activities in the afternoon, such as calligraphy writing, dressing in hanbok, quiz game on Korean artifacts, making an invitation in Korean, and word puzzles. A foreign participant in a Hangeul game remarked: “Hangeul is difficult, but playing the Hangeul games made me more familiar with the language. I think I will be able to learn it with ease.”



As every aspect of the Hangeul Festival 2007 was prepared and implemented by volunteers, the festival was especially meaningful for the foreign participants as well as the volunteers. Volunteer Oh Myo-sun, a middle school teacher of Korean, who presided over a map game, named “Beautiful Korea,” noted: “Volunteer activity might not be for others but its great for me. I think a true volunteer activity is not when you contribute your leisure time, but gladly take time out of your busy schedule.” She also went on to add: “We really did not know what to do at first. But after exchanging ideas and discussing matters with each other, we finally presented a really nice festival. It was a wonderful project to work on.”
At the conclusion of the festival, everyone took a group photo and promised to meet again at next year’s event. The foreign participants, who enjoyed the festival activities and also learned more about Hangeul, returned home with a renewed interest in studying Korean.

Interview
Fulfillment through Volunteer
Activities Cheon Seong-ok, President, Korea Foundation Volunteer Network

Q: ‘What motivated you to offer the “Korean Language Classes” at the Cultural Center?
A: In June 2004, I learned that Japan operated a volunteer system to teach Japanese to foreigners. So I thought it would be a good idea to have this kind of program in Korea. I started to offer Korean language classes to foreigners in Korea in July 2004. There were three classes initially, but today there are 11 classes.

Q: What are your thoughts about the all-volunteer Hangeul Festival 2007 event?
A: I am pleased with the efforts of all the volunteers, who enjoy helping out people. To me, the enjoyment that comes from volunteer activity is the most satisfying. I was pleased during the planning and preparations, and I am delighted with the outcome. It gives me fulfillment to help foreigners learn Hangeul, which I hope to continue to do.

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