Smartphones 'killing' hand-writing

By Ko Dong-hwan

May has become a strange month in Korea as smartphone-addicted young adults try to hand-write letters or cards for Parents’ Day. Unfortunately, the hand-writing is often terrible.

People write by hand to their parents or parents-in-law on the holiday Sunday to show their affection. But the writing of many smartphone “thumbers”is so bad that they pay expensive fees for hand-writing lessons or for “professionals” to write the letters.

“It costs 30,000 won ($26) an hour and a class requires 10 hours to complete,” said a man, 27, who signed up for an “express” lesson that allows students to complete the course faster than a normal class, according to the Hankook Ilbo. “I think it’s worth the investment.”

Another man, 32, said, “I paid 20,000 won to a professional hand-writer to write a letter to my future father-in-law.”

“I know it’s embarrassing that I have to buy someone to write my mother tongue, but the older generation considers hand-writing to be important, so I have no choice.”

More than the usual number of people sign up for hand-writing classes in May, because the “thumbers” want to honor the tradition of holidays such as Coming-of-Age Day (May 1), Children’s Day (May 5), Parents Day, Teachers’ Day (May 15) and Couples’ Day (May 21).

“Our ancestors believed handwritten letters showed a person’s emotions,” said a spokesperson from a civic association related to Korean linguistic culture.

“But an increasing number of adults, predisposed to the digital lifestyle, have poor hand-writing skills.