Basics of Hangul, the Korean Alphabet
Hangul: The Building Blocks of Korean Language
안녕하세요! That's "Annyeonghaseyo," a common greeting you might've heard your favorite K-pop idols say. Ever wondered what those characters mean? Welcome to Hangul, the Korean alphabet, a fascinating script that's going to make your K-pop journey even more enjoyable!
The Invention of Hangul
Before we jump into the nitty-gritty of how to read and write Hangul, it's crucial to understand its history. Hangul was created in the 15th century by King Sejong to encourage literacy among commoners. Traditional Chinese characters were complex and not easily accessible, so Hangul was developed to be straightforward and easy to learn. Fun fact: Some K-pop idols, like RM from BTS, have praised Hangul's simplicity and ease!
Consonants and Vowels
Hangul consists of 14 basic consonants and 10 basic vowels. Don't worry; you won't have to memorize them all at once! But for the sake of making your K-pop life easier, we'll start by introducing some of the most commonly used ones.
- Basic Consonants: ㄱ (g/k), ㄴ (n), ㄷ (d/t), ㄹ (r/l), ㅁ (m), ㅂ (b/p), ㅅ (s), ㅇ (ng), ㅈ (j), ㅊ (ch), ㅋ (k), ㅌ (t), ㅍ (p), ㅎ (h)
- Basic Vowels: ㅏ (a), ㅑ (ya), ㅓ (eo), ㅕ (yeo), ㅗ (o), ㅛ (yo), ㅜ (u), ㅠ (yu), ㅡ (eu), ㅣ (i)
Syllable Blocks
Korean words are constructed in syllable blocks. A syllable block often has at least one consonant and one vowel.
-
Example 1: 사랑 (Sa-rang, Love)
- Block 1: ㅅ (s) + ㅏ (a) = 사 (Sa)
- Block 2: ㄹ (r) + ㅏ (a) + ㅇ (ng) = 랑 (rang)
- Example 2: 아이돌 (A-i-dol, Idol)
- Block 1: ㅇ (silent) + ㅏ (a) = 아 (A)
- Block 2: ㅇ (silent) + ㅣ (i) = 이 (i)
- Block 3: ㄷ (d) + ㅗ (o) + ㄹ (l) = 돌 (dol)
K-pop Tip: The word 'Idol' is directly borrowed from English but gets its own Hangul spelling!
Hangul in K-pop Culture
You might have noticed that many K-pop idols have their names written in Hangul. For example, BTS's RM is written as 알엠, BLACKPINK's Lisa is 리사, and so on. Now that you know the basics of Hangul, you'll start recognizing these letters!
Quick Practice
Before we wrap up this lesson, let's do a quick practice. Can you recognize any of the following words, commonly found in K-pop fandoms?
- 팬미팅 (Fan Meeting)
- 컴백 (Comeback)
- 앨범 (Album)
And there you have it—your first dive into the world of Hangul. We'll explore this magical script further in the coming days, but give yourself a pat on the back for taking the first crucial step!
Flipcards
Simple Quiz
What is the Korean word for Love?
What is the Korean word for Idol?
What is the Korean word for fan meeting?
What is the Korean word for comeback?
What is the Korean word for fan album?
Ready for the next lesson? Tomorrow, we'll dive into the world of greetings and K-pop lingo. 화이팅! (Hwaiting or Fighting—an expression of encouragement!)