KSI Banda Aceh creates a new wave of Korean language in Indonesia by making hand fans with Hangeul!

> KSI Banda Aceh operates cultural classes for Korean calligraphy and ink wash painting
> One step closer to Korean tradition through Korean culture experiences

At KSI Banda Aceh, Indonesia, four cultural classes took place on December 7 and 8, teaching learners about Korean calligraphy, ink wash painting, and hand fan making. Under the guidance of the cultural instructor, the students — many of whom were encountering the brush, ink, and Hanji (traditional Korean paper) for the first time — found the experience fascinating, recalling scenes in Korean historical dramas where aristocrats wrote and painted.

The instructor explained and demonstrated the basic strokes of Korean calligraphy, such as horizontal (ㅡ) and vertical (ㅣ) lines, characters like ㄱㄴㄷㄹㅁㅂㅋㅌㅍ, ㅏㅑㅓㅕㅗㅛㅜㅠ made with such lines, ㅅㅈㅊ with additional diagonal lines and dots, and ㅇㅎ using circles. The instructor emphasized that traditional calligraphy involves cultivating the mind and spirit, starting with maintaining proper posture, and all students immediately straightened their backs in unison.

Some students were nervous to write characters with a brush and ink on Hanji, and some students couldn’t stop smiling with the joy of experiencing Korean culture. With continuous practice, students found themselves momentarily holding their breath as they drew lines with the brush and approached characters with a respectful posture, seemingly getting closer to the hearts of Koreans.

After practicing writing on paper and Hanji, each student was asked to select their favorite Korean phrase and write it on a fan. They thought of different words and presented them. Some thought of the names of K-pop idols, while others wrote words like '사랑 (love),' '기쁨 (joy),' '마음 (heart),' '예뻐 (pretty),' '꿈 (dream),' '꽃 (flower),' '평화 (peace),' '봄날 (spring day),' '바람 (wind),' '행복 (happiness),' '소리 (sound),' '김치 (kimchi).' A high school principal gave the word '여보 (darling)’ for her husband, making everyone laugh.

Afterwards, each student carefully wrote their chosen word on a fan, and painted a picture using ink. The instructor demonstrated the drawing of what is known as the "Four Gracious Plants (sagunja, meaning the four gentlemen)" — which includes plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, and bamboo — explaining the noble spirit life for spring, summer, fall, and winter. Through ink wash painting, students learned about the traditional values pursued by Koreans. The students gained an understanding of Korean traditional values through the symbolism of paintings of the elegant plum blossoms that bloom resiliently in the lingering cold of the late winter, the graceful and noble orchids exuding fragrant scents deep in the forest, the chrysanthemums that bloom the longest in late autumn until winter comes, and the straight and sturdy bamboo with its green leaves, even in winter.

After listening to the explanations, students selected one of the Four Gracious Plants, and by applying changes in the concentrations of ink and water to complement the characters written on the fan, they painted ink wash paintings. The atmosphere transported every student into the world of historical Korean dramas, making them charming scholars and ladies of noble families. The students proudly completed their fans, capturing memorable moments with the instructor by taking photos, concluding the cultural classes meaningfully. We expect that the hand fans with Korean characters and ink wash paintings created by these students at KSI Banda Aceh will bring a new wave of Korean language and culture to Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

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Written by Lee Jeong-hee, Operating Staff (KSI Reporter, KSI Banda Aceh)