The Birth of Hangul — 한글의 탄생

The Korean alphabet, "Hangul" (한글), is a truly rare existence among the world's writing systems. This is because it is one of the few scripts for which it is clearly recorded when, by whom, and why it was created.

In 1446, King Sejong promulgated the new writing system, consisting of 28 letters, under the name "Hunminjeongeum" (The Correct Sounds for the Instruction of the People). The preface states: "Feeling pity for the ignorant people who cannot express what they wish to say even if they have something to say, I have newly created these 28 letters."

The greatest feature of Hangul is its scientific design. The consonant letters are modeled after the shapes of the vocal organs—the tongue, mouth, and teeth—while the vowel letters were created based on the philosophy of the "Three Realms": Heaven (・), Earth (ㅡ), and Man (ㅣ). This rationality and originality are highly acclaimed by linguists around the world.

The Charm of the Korean Language — 한국어의 매력

The Korean language has a sentence structure (Subject + Object + Verb) that is very similar to Japanese, making it one of the easiest foreign languages for Japanese speakers to learn. Additionally, the two languages share many words derived from Chinese characters, with many terms like "Yakusoku" (promise / 약속), "Kazoku" (family / 가족), and "Toshokan" (library / 도서관) sounding nearly identical.

On the other hand, Korean also contains rich, unique expressions that do not exist in Japanese. "Jeong" (정) refers to a deep emotional bond or attachment in human relationships, a concept rooted in Korean culture that cannot be simply translated as "feeling" or "affection." Similarly, "Nunchi" (눈치) refers to the "ability to read the room," reflecting the nuance of human relationships in Korean society.

Korean Aesthetics and Hair Care — 아름다움

Rooted in the Confucian value that "one's body, hair, and skin are a gift from one's parents" (신체발부 수지부모), Korea has long held a culture of cherishing one's hair. During the Joseon Dynasty, women would braid their long black hair and wear it in styles like the "Jok-meori" (chignon) after marriage; hairstyles served as an important indicator of social status and life stage.

In modern Korea, influenced by K-pop idols and Korean dramas, hairstyles have become a crucial element of fashion. Simultaneously, there is a very high level of interest in hair condition itself, with world-class dedication to scalp care and treatments.

Korean Food Culture — 음식 문화

Korean cuisine is rooted in the concept of "medicine and food share the same origin" (의식동원), based on the belief that what we eat forms our body. The culture of daily intake of fermented foods is said to improve intestinal health and have a positive impact on skin and hair health.

In Korea, the phrase "Did you eat?" (밥 먹었어?) is used as a standard greeting, indicating how central food is to life. This phrase contains the warm sentiment, "I care about your health," and is a symbol of the deep-hearted nature of the Korean people.

The History of Hangul — 역사