Hideki Noma; Translated by Kim Jin-ah et al; 448 pp., 15,000 won
There have been a lot of eulogistic discussions over the invention of “Hangeul” (Korean alphabet) among Koreans. However, it is exceptional that Hideki Noma, a Japanese scholar, lauds the excellence of Hangeul historically and linguistically.
“The birth of Hangeul is a great incident in East Asian culture and history,” says Noma in this book. The author said that the Korean alphabet was a kind of “cultural revolution.” He researches it through insightful and basic questions of what language and characters are.
This book isn’t just about Hangeul but explores people’s lives before the invention of the characters and the enormous efforts of King Sejong and his scholars to create a new system of letters through creativity and innovation.
The author explains how important Hangeul is in East Asian civilization by comparing other languages and introduces the process of the power struggles between the pros and cons concerning the creation of the Korean writing system during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910).
The book was first published in Japan last year and won the grand prize at the Asia Pacific Awards, selling more than 30,000 copies in Japan.
―Chung Ah-young