1. HANGUL (HISTORY) Creation & Early Days:
Korean language is absolutely different from Chinese, but people had to use Chinese characters to record what they want
Dec., 1443: King Sejong the Great (and his scholars in ‘Jiphyeonjeon’ (집현전)?) of Yi dynasty created and promulgated this writing system under the name ‘Hunminjeongeum’ (훈민정음)
The original writing system had 17 consonants and 11 vowls (now Hangul has 14 consonants and 10 vowls)
The aristocrats and many nobles, so called ‘Yangban’ (양반) had been strongly against this writing system.
The ordinaries and females of nobles kept using this writing system, called Eonmoon (언문), Ahaegul (아해글), or Amkul (암클) all of which contain somewhat downlooking meaning

2. Sejong the Great (May 7, 1397 – May 18, 1450, r
Sejong the Great (May 7, 1397 – May 18, 1450, r – 1450) was the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. He is best remembered for creating the Korean alphabet Hangul, despite strong opposition from the scholars educated in hanja (Chinese script). Sejong is one of only two Korean rulers posthumously honored with the appellation "the Great," the other being Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo. (Source: Wikipedia)

4. http://blog. naver. com/PostView. nhn

5. Middle to Late Yi Dynasty
The Hunminjeongeum had been more popular among the lowers and females, due to it’s easiness to learn and use
Number of novels written in Hunminjeongeum appeared
Letters among ordinaries and ladies had been often written with this writing system
16C, Gasa (가사) became a literature genre
17C, Shijo (시조) flourished
1984, It was renamed Gukmoon (국문) and became the official writing system
1985, Elementary school text began to use Gukmoon
1986, Dongnipshinmoon (독립신문) had been established, which is the first newspaper printed both in Korean (and English)

8. David R. McCann (Korea Institute, Havard University)

9. Colonial Rule (1910-1945) After Liberation (1945~)
Japanese became the official language, but Korean language and writing system had been taught and used
1912, Ju, Sigyeong coined the term ‘Hangul (한글)’ for the writing system, established the Korean Language Research Society (조선어학회), and led to reform the orthography of Hangul with a standardized system.
1930, Colonial Reforms, force to rename people’s name in Japanese
1938, Korean Language was banned from school
1941, any of publication in Korean was banned
After Liberation (1945~)
Korean is the only official and native language
1946, definitive modern orthography published
Hunminjeongum society is trying to spread Hangul over the globe
Hangeul Society (한글학회)

10. Assignment
Find any Korean poem ‘shijo (시조)’ translated in English, submit the poem and your appreciation of it.
You may use keywords ‘시조 영문’ in surfing the web
For fun: ‘Gangnam Style’ by Psy