The poster for “Hanyangga: An Ode to Seoul” (Courtesy of the National Hangeul Museum)

The National Hangeul Museum nested amid the gardens of the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, September 9, 2023. (Photo by Saul Latham)

The National Hangeul Museum (NHM) will open a special exhibition titled “Hanyangga: An Ode to Seoul” from September 27, 2023, running through to February 12, 2024.

According to the yet-to-be-released introductory comments from curator Ko Eunsook, the exhibition is built around a song written in Hangeul in the late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) depicting Seoul “as an affluent place full of things to see.”

“Hanyangga” (Song of Hanyang) was composed by someone who went by the name Hansangeosa in 1844. It describes various scenes in the capital at the time, including royal spaces, busy markets and state examinations. The song “reflects its author’s affection for and pride in Hanyang and his desire for an ever peaceful and prosperous country. It helped the Koreans of the time to better understand their capital city.”

Hanyang was the name for Seoul during Joseon, Korea’s last dynasty and the one that gave rise to Hangeul during the first of its five centuries of rule. The upcoming exhibition will be held at the Special Exhibition Hall on the third floor of the museum. Further details will be unveiled the day before opening on September 26.

Set up to help visitors experience the city vividly as it was in the 19th century, the exhibition shows stories related to the song and looks at unique Korean words of the time such as professional titles and product names.

“It is hoped that this exhibition will offer an opportunity to enjoy some of Hanyang’s shining moments as conveyed in Hangeul within this song and to think about Seoul’s history as related in Korean,” reads the introductory statement for the exhibition.

Nestled between the grounds of the National Museum, Yongsan Family Park and the bustling streets of Ichon-dong, the NHM stands as a testament to Korea’s unique linguistic heritage and represents the country’s commitment to preserving the unfolding legacy of Hangeul. The museum hosts educational programs, events and exhibitions that highlight the beauty and value of Hangeul. It holds a large collection of historically prominent and rare texts dating back to the beginnings of this linguistic marvel. Visitors to the museum’s permanent exhibition, “Hunminjeongeum, The Design of a Writing System Beyond Millennia,” are taken on a voyage through the script’s evolution.

Originally called Hunminjeongeum among other names, Hangeul was created in the 15th century by Joseon’s King Sejong the Great. Today, it is widely admired by linguists worldwide for the ease with which the alphabet can be learned. A conduit for literacy, education and cultural enrichment, Hangeul has in modern times fueled Korea’s remarkable rise to power as an economic and cultural leader globally. It continues to drive national success through the popularity of K-pop and K-content.

In partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the NHM continues to run the Hangeul Design Project, a global tour promoting the script and Korean culture more broadly. This year the event was held in Poland, Germany, Austria and elsewhere in Europe.

In June, the National Museum of World Writing Systems opened in Incheon. It traces the relationship between writing systems and humanity. This comes at a time when talk of AI and its ever-expanding abilities are stirring excitement, concern and vast changes in many industries and pockets of society, domestically and globally. Discussion of these ideas will take place at the NHM on October 19 and 20 when it hosts the 2023 International Museum Forum under the theme “Writing and Language Museums in the Era of Digital Transformation.”

The local AI industry is hastily exploring and developing Hangeul-based generative AI solutions amid the emergence of revolutionary engines such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and others. This comes as Korea continues to grapple with a balance of Hangeul and English use domestically. Recently, a bill was drafted to influence local restaurants to use the Korean language on their menu cards. On the other hand, some foreign chambers of commerce have called for an increase in the use of English as a way for Incheon to develop its free economic zone and attract more foreign interest and investment.

Immigrants adopting Hangeul usage is another issue facing the country. Korea sees migration as a way to counter the ramifications of having the world’s lowest birthrate – an aging and declining population. It remains to be seen how Hangeul will bind the Korea of the future.

“Hanyangga: An Ode to Seoul” is timed to honor Hangeul Day, which Koreans celebrate on October 9. This one song from the past has inspired a treasure trove of wonder for any admirer of Hangeul or writing systems in general that will be on display at the NHM over the coming months.

Texts featuring Hangeul are illuminated at the National Hangeul Museum’s permanent exhibition, September 9, 2023. (Photo by Saul Latham)

Visitors to the National Hangeul Museum’s permanent exhibition listen to a guide, September 9, 2023. (Photo by Saul Latham)