The six-month exhibition “Reinterpreting Hangeul in the Modern Era” examines the relevance and creative possibilities of Hangeul through a series of innovative art pieces.
In 1443, the legendary King Sejong and a selection of scholars invented what many know today as the Korean alphabet, Hangeul (also romanized as “Hangul”). Today, it continues to be the primary writing system for all Koreans. The increasing popularity of Korean culture has led to the alphabet’s proliferation, bolstering its relevance in the modern era as a cultural bridge that connects the country to other nations. In celebration of 75 years of longstanding friendship between Korea and the Philippines, The National Hangeul Museum and Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the Philippines explore this particular role of hangeul through the exhibition Hangeul Design Project – Reinterpreting Hangeul in the Modern Era, which runs from September 6, 2024, to February 28, 2025 at the KCC in Taguig.
“This event will be a meaningful opportunity for cultural exchange between Korea and the Philippines, and we will lead efforts to spread the value of Hangeul and enhance exchanges through written culture,” explains Kim Il-hwan, Director of the National Hangeul Museum, in a statement.
READ ALSO: Hallyu Travels: South Korea To Release Special Visa For K-Culture Enthusiasts
Writing For All
With 28 letters (including eight primary vowels and twenty consonants that took the form of dots, lines, and circles), King Sejong hoped to establish a simple writing system that any Korean could learn or use, regardless of their social status.
Prior to this, Koreans would write using classical Chinese characters (known as “Hanja”). However, writing using another language’s system was a limiting experience that couldn’t capture the grammatical nuances and sounds of the Korean language, which is what made the king’s creation all the more significant.
Even more amazingly, the 1446 manuscript that details how to use Hangeul—Hunminjeongeum, which translates to “proper sounds for the instruction of the people” — remains the only publication in the world that has ever showcased the actual creation of a script, earning it a place in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register and the status of national treasure in South Korea.
A Versatile Form
The simplicity of Hangeul is the reason why even foreigners have easily been able to write in the language, making it a versatile and impactful vehicle for cultural exchange. This has also opened up numerous possibilities for the writing system, allowing Koreans to reinterpret, redefine, and broaden their perspectives of their alphabet while sharing these explorations with the rest of the world.
Reinterpreting Hangeul in the Modern Era is part of the National Hangeul Museum’s international touring exhibition, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism’s “Overseas Cultural Centers Touring Program.” It is a spin on the fourth edition of the Hangeul Design Project, also titled Reinterpreting Hangeul in the Modern Era, which previously took place at the National Hangeul Museum in Korea.
Reinterpreting Hangeul in the Modern Era
The exhibition features key materials such as reproductions of the Hunminjeongeum, as well as the Ahakpyeon, Han-eo Munjeon, and Han-Yeong Jajeon—texts that reflect the challenges of integrating Western languages and scripts that foreigners introduced to Korea’s Joseon kingdom after it opened its ports.
Beyond presenting historical and cultural texts, the exhibition also collaborated with artists from various fields to present the writing system as both an artistic and industrial form of content.
Here, Hangeul is a window to a new world through works such as the glass panel diptych “한HAN글文” by Hwa-young Lee, which portrays Hangeul’s evolving nature; “도챤쇼” (TYO-TCHAN-SYO) by Lee Seul-ki, which uses various ornaments to recreate words from a French book on Korean grammar (Grammaire Coréenne by Félix Clair Ridel); “ME뉴판” (MENewpan) by Yoo Hyun-sun, which reconfigures beloved Korean food names in a street art-style menu format; and “Unfamiliarity, Newness and Fusion” by Lee Chung-Chung, which integrates text from Han-eo Munjeon into clothing pieces, just to name a few.
A total of 11 artworks are displayed, showcasing creative interpretations Hangeul in graphic design, furniture, crafts, and fashion, and in doing so, shedding light on the evolution and experimental capabilities of modern Hangeul in ways that are both innovative and accessible.
Experiencing Korean Culture
The KCC also held a symposium during the exhibition’s launch. Entitled “The New Role and Function of Museums in the 21st Century,” it explored how museums can adapt to an experience-focused era and leverage digital media to increase visitor engagement.
The exhibition launch also featured scintillating live performances of traditional Korean music, featuring the world-renowned daegeum (Korean flute) player, Kim Hyelim, and percussionist Kim Hannah.
The National Hangeul Museum will also conduct a Hangeul cultural experience program titled The Beauty of Hangeul Calligraphy at the KCC. Running two sessions in September 2024, and once a month from October 2024 to February 2025, this program caters to those interested in learning Korean and Hangeul.
During the activities, participants will explore the evolution of Hangeul fonts and use contemporary calligraphy techniques to create their own Hangeul artwork.
The Korean Cultural Center is located at 59 Bayani Road, Taguig City, and is open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Mondays to Fridays, and 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturdays. To learn more, visit https://phil.korean-culture.org/en.
Photos courtesy of the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (unless specified).
