Joseon-Era Hangeul Letters

by Robert Koehler on October 9, 2008

On Hangeul Day, netizens have been circulating hangeul letters written by King Jeongjo, King Hyojong and Empress Myeongseong.

The image above is a letter written by the future King Jeongjo when he was but a wee tyke.

{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }

1 kerplunk October 9, 2008 at 4:56 pm: I’m confused, what date exactly did Korea invent crayons?
2 Won Joon Choe October 9, 2008 at 7:57 pm: “Empress,” my arse.
3 Robert Koehler October 9, 2008 at 8:07 pm: I suppose in 1874 she wasn’t an “empress” yet.
4 Sperwer October 9, 2008 at 9:22 pm: I suppose in 1874 she wasn’t an “empress” yet.

I don’t think that’s the problem WJC was invoking. )
5 FD October 10, 2008 at 1:22 am: There’s a lovely book of the empress’s letters.

http://www.aladdin.co.kr/shop/wproduct.aspx?ISBN=8958172045
6 NewYorkTom October 10, 2008 at 2:47 am: Is it me or does Jeongjo’s letter sound a bit like NK dialect when read out loud?
7 CactusMcHarris October 10, 2008 at 3:02 am: #6,

I can read a few words but I was never very good at reading letters written by Koreans to other Koreans…if you have time, could you write it in standard Hangul?

Thanks much
8 MrMao October 10, 2008 at 3:24 am: What is that in the bottom right corner? The Cheshire Cat? A man sitting on a mushroom? Was Kojong on shrooms?
9 NewYorkTom October 10, 2008 at 4:19 am: Cactus #7,

The original article has it standard Hangul.
10 CactusMcHarris October 10, 2008 at 5:58 am: #9,

Thanks much. If it were written with northern Korean flava, do you have a particular province/city in mind?

I had a teacher at DLI that hailed from North Hwanghae. I seem to recall his speech as rather sharp, probably like the winter winds there.
11 bumfromkorea October 10, 2008 at 6:20 am: @MrMao

Looks like a flower to me, but perhaps you’re expecting too much from a letter written by a little kid.
12 Won Joon Choe October 15, 2008 at 2:50 am: Sperwer has read my mind. There is perhaps no Korean historic personage I despise more than Min bee, with the possible exception of Kim Dae Jung (and in both cases, I feel they have been the beneficiary of undeserved praise–if not outright apothesis). Perhaps we think alike on Korean issues so much because of the Bloom influence