KSI Center USA Hosts Hangeul Culture
Experience Festival to Celebrate 579th
Hangeul Day

> Over 400 participants, including KSI learners in the U.S., USC students and faculty, and local residents

> Various cultural programs such as Hangeul calligraphy lessons, lectures on traditional Korean stationery, and handwritten frame making

KSI Center USA held the Hangeul Culture Experience Festival from October 7 to 8 to celebrate the 579th Hangeul Day and promote the global spread of the Korean language. The event provided a meaningful opportunity for both Korean language learners and local residents to reflect on the value of Hangeul and experience Korean culture together.

On the first day, October 7, KSI Center USA collaborated with KSI Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles to host a Hangeul calligraphy workshop for KSI learners. Participants took part in The Beauty of Hangeul Calligraphy II, an educational program on Hangeul calligraphy, where they learned about the evolution of Korean script styles and modern calligraphy techniques. They also created their own Hangeul-inspired artwork, including coasters and keychains. In addition, through the lecture The Elegance of Scholars: The Four Treasures of Study, participants learned about traditional Korean writing tools such as brushes, inkstones, paper, inksticks, and water droppers, and practiced writing in Hangeul themselves.

* The Beauty of Hangeul Calligraphy: An educational program run by the National Hangeul Museum for foreigners. Since 2024, it has been offered as a short-term program in countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines, and China, and received enthusiastic responses from local participants interested in Korean culture.

** The Elegance of Scholars: The Four Treasures of Study: An educational program developed by the National Museum of Korea to help foreigners living abroad gain a deeper understanding of Korea’s cultural heritage.
 
 

Scene from the Hangeul calligraphy workshop Participants of the Hangeul Culture Experience
Festival holding their completed
calligraphy artwork

On the second day, October 8, KSI Center USA, KSI Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles, the University of Southern California (USC) Korean Studies Institute, the USC Korean Heritage Library, and the USC Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures co-hosted a Hangeul Day celebration event at the Ahn Family House, home to the USC Korean Studies Institute.

During the event, USC Korean language learners presented short videos they had created on the themes “Why I’m Learning Korean” and “My Favorite Aspects of Korean Culture and My Journey of Learning Korean.” More than 300 students and faculty members attended the event and took part in various cultural activities such as learning Hangeul calligraphy, making handwritten postcards and frames, and creating bracelets using Korean consonants and vowels. Participants also enjoyed hands-on Korean cultural experiences, including stenciling eco-bags, dressing in hanbok, tasting Korean foods such as tteokbokki and gimbap, and playing traditional Korean games.
 
 

USC students taking part
in Hangeul culture experience
activities such as handwritten
frame making

Participants posing with crafts they made during the Hangeul Culture
Experience Festival

Ahn Hyung-mi, director of KSI Center USA, stated, “This Hangeul Day celebration was a meaningful event where local participants could reflect on King Sejong’s vision when creating Hangeul and better understand the value of the Korean alphabet while deepening their appreciation for Korean culture through the experiences.”