The Korean alphabet day, known as Hangul Day in South Korea, is a day of remembrance for the entire Korean nation. It commemorates the creation of Hangul, the Korean alphabet, by King Sejong in the 15th century. This day is celebrated on October 9 in South Korea and January 15 in North Korea. Hangul Day has been a national holiday in South Korea since 1970.
In Debrecen, more than a hundred dancers, singers, chefs, performers, and artisans awaited lovers of Korean culture, gastronomy, history, and language on Saturday, October 4. The event, held for the first time at the Kölcsey Center, attracted 1,500 -1,600 visitors, with programs running simultaneously at six indoor venues.
The Korean language and culture have a long tradition in the city, as the King Sejong Institute, operating under the auspices of the Debrecen Summer University, has been organizing Korean language courses in Debrecen for five years and for ten years as part of the Summer University. Currently, about 100 people are learning Korean in beginner to intermediate level classes, four of which are specifically advertised as elective courses for students at the University of Debrecen. There has been enormous interest in Korean among the lesser-known languages for years, which can be explained by the language's uniqueness and the diversity of its culture.
Péter Szaffkó, director of the Sejong Institute and executive director of the Debrecen Summer University, expressed his delight that after four years, the city of Debrecen had embraced the event and that the Kölcsey Center was hosting Hangul Day.
In his welcoming speech, Deputy Mayor István Puskás spoke about the many similarities between the traditions of the two peoples, as Hungarians also celebrate Hungarian Culture Day on January 22; just like the Korean people, Hungarians also value their native language and the preservation of their traditions.
At the opening of the event, Ha Yuyong, director of Eco Pro BM Hungary, which sponsored the event, welcomed the Korean and Hungarian guests.
At Korean Culture Day, visitors could learn about traditional Korean calligraphy, play Korean games, try out traditional Korean musical instruments, make small Korean-style souvenirs, view an exhibition of traditional Korean paintings, try on Korean clothing, taste kimchi prepared by professional chefs, and learn K-pop dances.
The varied and authentic program also featured performances by the choir and percussionists of the Szedzsong Király Institute in Debrecen, and the audience was treated to K-pop dances, a taekwondo demonstration, a musical performance by the Mindeulle ensemble, Korean dances by the Nawoul and Manwol dance groups, and performances by a Korean and a Hungarian guest singer at the Kölcsey Center. Mózes Csoma, head of the Korean Department at Károli Gáspár Reformed University, gave a lecture on legendary Korean heroes, and the day ended with a spectacular improvisation and a joint K-pop dance.
Press Centre
