Kim Ae-ran and Chung Serang's Cherished Korean Words... Kyobo Book Centre Holds Hangul Day Exhibition

[Financial News] A Hangul Day exhibition is being held to explore the Korean words cherished by writers and allow visitors to write and share sentences they like. The event offers opportunities to encounter the Korean language and writing through books, exhibitions and household products inspired by the forms of Hangul.
Kyobo Book Centre said on the 29th that the "2026 Hangul Day Project," commemorating the 580th anniversary of the proclamation of Hunminjeongeum and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Hangul Day, will take place both online and offline through October 31.
Hangul Day originated with Kagyanal, an event organized in 1926 by the Joseon Language Research Society and Shinminsa to mark the 480th anniversary of the proclamation of Hunminjeongeum. The commemorative event launched that year reaches its 100th anniversary this year, and it has been called Hangul Day since 1928.
The online "Writers' Wordbooks" project features seven writers—Kim Ae-ran, Eun Hee-kyung, Chung Serang, Choi Eun-young, Bak Jun, Ahn Hee-yeon and Bora Chung—along with Paju Typography Institute (PaTI). Each participant selects a Korean word, explains the reason for the choice, introduces a sentence containing the word and recommends a book to read alongside it.
Writer Chung Serang selected "norae," meaning "song," while poet Ahn Hee-yeon chose "balmambal," a word describing the act of walking slowly, one step at a time.
The "Readers' Sentence Notebook" is also available for public participation. Readers can copy a writer's sentence onto manuscript paper displayed on the screen and leave a sentence they like, which will then be shared on the online "Sentence Wall."
Books on Hangul, language, writing and design have also been assembled. Professor Na Min-ae's "Words Worth Keeping Close," published as a special project book, explores the words and sentiments found in Korean literature over the past 100 years. PaTI participated in the cover and interior design.
The exhibition also presents notebooks featuring the forms of Hangul and bookmarks that allow users to rearrange individual letters. Other items include book covers embroidered with the shapes of the words "book" and "record," as well as book bags incorporating the letterforms of the word "love."
The Gwanghwamun Branch will display the words and sentences selected by the writers, along with their recommended books. Separate bookmarks featuring the writers' words and the project's graphics will be distributed free of charge at the Gwanghwamun and Gangnam branches.
Related books and products will also be introduced sequentially at the Jamsil, Yeongdeungpo, Sejong and Kyobo Book Centre Daegu branches starting October 1.
A Kyobo Book Centre official said, "We hope this will give customers an opportunity to discover the beauty of Hangul and keep it close in their everyday lives."

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