Hangul Day 2022

Today’s Doodle, illustrated by Seoul-based guest artist Joonho Brian Ko, celebrates Hangul Day (한글날). This holiday honors the advent of the modern Korean alphabet (Hangul), which dramatically increased literacy rates across Korea.

Before Hangul, Koreans did not have a written form of their native language. Instead, they used a complex mix of characters from Chinese and other writing systems—which made it difficult for less-educated people to learn to read and write.  

With the goal of improving literacy, a modern alphabet was created with 24 letters, 14 consonants and 10 vowels. The letters consist of simple strokes and sounds that reflect the spoken word. Today’s Doodle artwork depicts a workshop with women from the Joseon dynasty, who have been known for popularizing Hangul after it was developed.

To encourage its use, popular poems, verses and proverbs were translated into Hangul. This efficient writing system allowed Koreans of all ages and classes to learn to communicate through text and significantly boosted literacy.  Korea’s nationwide literacy rate is nearly 100% today! 

Koreans celebrate the holiday by taking the day off of school and work to reflect on this writing system. One way they do this is by exploring the National Hangeul Museum, where exhibits showcase Hangul letters and their impact on the country. 

Happy Hangul Day, Korea! 

Guest Artist Q&A with Joonho Brian Ko

Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Seoul-based guest artist Joonho Brian Ko. Below, he shares his thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:

Q. Why was this topic meaningful to you personally?

A: Korean traditional culture has always been my inspiration and Hangul being one of the biggest parts of Korean culture is what made this topic so interesting to me. Working on an illustration related to the letter itself has never been on my idea list oddly enough but working on this Doodle has helped me reflect on the effort that went into its creation and how it has enriched my life.

Q. What were your first thoughts when you were approached about working on this Doodle?

A: As an illustrator, my focus until now was on creating visual content that helps the audience to understand the context I mean to convey (generally in the absence of text). Since this project is centered around the “Google” letters, I was excited and nervous at the same time! 

Q. Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle? 

A: Jiphyeonjeon(집현전) is the place where Hangul was invented by the scholars of Joseon Dynasty, so this was my initial inspiration for the scene. But even the greatest things don't last unless there are people who find value in it and use it. Doodle Art Director (Thoka Maer) and I progressed the designs to focus more on the people.

Q. What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A: I see a lot of division in the world these days. Working on this project, I felt that many of the things that enrich our lives now came from harmony between people of all classes, places, and ideologies. I hope everyone will simply enjoy this painting and feel what I felt while creating it.