Celebrating the 575th anniversary of the creation of Hangeul: vibrant and unifying.

Hangeul was invented by King Sejong the Great with the support of scholars in 1443 and officially promulgated in 1446. Hangeul has become a means of communication, preservation, and dissemination of Korean culture, and is widely used by scholars worldwide due to its scientific, simple, and convenient writing system. October 9th is celebrated annually as a national holiday in Korea, commemorating Sejong's great invention and honoring the cultural heritage of the Korean people. Along with Koreans and those who love the Korean language and culture around the world, Vietnamese students also have their own festival to celebrate this special event. The slogan for this year's event is "Connecting with Love."

Previously, from October 4th to 9th, the Organizing Committee held online competitions attracting participation from students from 13 universities, including: Writing, Public Speaking, Hanbok-themed photography, painting, and video clip creation. The entries aimed to showcase understanding and love for the Korean language and culture, but from the unique perspective, perception, interpretation, and creativity of each individual.

At the event, Mr. Park No-wan, the Korean Ambassador to Vietnam, extended his congratulations to the competition. He stated that in February, the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training issued the Korean Language - Foreign Language 1 curriculum for general education. This is the result of the passion, enthusiasm, and hard work that teachers and students have dedicated to the Korean language. In the future, the Korean language will develop even further in Vietnam. 2022 will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Korea. The students participating in this cultural event will be the future generation contributing to the further development of relations between the two countries in the coming decades.

Mr. Jaejin Choi, Chief Representative of the Korea Foundation for International Exchange in Vietnam, highly appreciated the significance of the event and shared information about the Foundation's mission as an organization responsible for promoting the image of Korea to the world and fostering friendly cooperation between Korea and other countries. The Foundation has made many efforts to enhance the world's understanding of Korea through various activities such as sponsoring educational institutions with Korean studies programs, expanding international cooperation networks, cultural and artistic exchanges, and media activities.

Professor Hoang Anh Tuan, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, shared his joy and appreciation for the University's collaboration with the Korean Embassy and the Korea Foundation in organizing the 2021 Hangeul Creation Day celebration. Over the past few days, social media has been flooded with images of the Hangeul celebration, showcasing the incredible talent and creativity of the students through photos, paintings, and videos. With the message "connecting the world," the activities leading up to the official celebration truly brought together young people with a shared passion for the Korean language and Korean studies, creating a powerful ripple effect in the community.

Despite being held online, the anniversary event attracted over 1,000 interested participants. Engaging quiz games challenging students' knowledge, vibrant artistic performances, and sharing sessions from university students about Hangeul created a lively atmosphere, bridging geographical distances among attendees. Audiences were amazed by the outstanding entries in the competition: beautifully written Korean handwriting, drawings of Korean characters and stories with classic colors and atmosphere, and fluent and emotionally rich speeches in Korean. The young participants demonstrated serious investment, diverse approaches, and dedication in exploring the unique characteristics of Korean culture.

According to the event organizers, besides commemorating the creation of the Hangeul alphabet, the program aims to promote the national image of South Korea; to provide a useful platform for students to experience the Korean language and culture, to further their love for their field of study, and to contribute to the advancement of Korean language and Korean studies education in Vietnam.

Awards were presented at the event.

1. Writing Solution

• First place: Chau Minh Thien - Faculty of Foreign Languages, Hue University
• Second place: Do Ngoc Lan - Hanoi University; Nguyen Quy Duong - Hanoi University
• Third: Le Thi Thu Phuong - University of Foreign Languages, VNU Hanoi; Nguyen Ngoc Diem - University of Foreign Languages, VNU Hanoi; Nguyen Vu Hien Minh - University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU Hanoi
• Honorable Mention: Phan Thi Thuy Linh - University of Foreign Languages, VNU Hanoi; Tran Mai An - Thang Long University
• Best handwriting entry: Trinh Thi Khanh Thien - Dai Nam University

2. Public Speaking Contest

• First place: Tran Huong Giang - Hanoi University.
• Second place: Nguyen Thi Thanh Ly - University of Foreign Languages, VNU Hanoi; Nguyen Tran Nguyen Thu - University of Foreign Languages, Hue University
• Third: Nguyen Kim Minh - Hanoi Polytechnic Industrial College; Vu Mai Chi - Thang Long University; Nguyen Thi Quynh Nhu - Dong A University, Da Nang
• Honorable Mention: Pham Khanh Linh - Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Dang Thi Huyen Trang - Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

3. Hanbok Photo Contest

• First place: Pham Kim Hien - Hanoi University
• Second place: Nguyen Thi Thu Hien - Thang Long University; Nguyen Nhat Le - University of Foreign Languages, Hue University.
• Third: Dang Thi Bich Nga - University of Foreign Languages, Da Nang University; Ngo Thi Kim Trinh - University of Foreign Languages, Da Nang University; Ta Thi Duyen - Thang Long University
• Honorable Mention: Le Thi Thanh Mai - Hanoi University; Nguyen Ngoc Minh Thu - University of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

4. Painting Contest

• First place: Do Thi Phuong - Hanoi University
• Second place: Nguyen Anh Nguyet - University of Foreign Languages, VNU Hanoi; Le Nguyen Quynh Nhu - University of Foreign Languages, University of Da Nang
• Third: Vu Thi Khanh Huyen - Ha Long University; Nguyen Phuong Nam - Hanoi University; Nguyen Thi Hong Hieu - University of Foreign Languages, Hue University
• Honorable Mention: Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh - University of Foreign Languages, Da Nang University; Nguyen Thuy Hien - University of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University, Hanoi

​​​​​5. Solve the video clip

• First place: Nguyen Thi Hien - Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
• Second place: Le Ngoc Minh Thi, Le Ngoc Minh Thu - University of Foreign Languages, Hue University; Chau Minh Thien - University of Foreign Languages, Hue University
• Third: Do Le Nhu Quynh, Nguyen Nguyen Thao Ly - University of Foreign Languages, Da Nang University; Ngo Hoang Viem - Hanoi University of Industry; Duong Thi Truc Dao - University of Foreign Languages, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
• Honorable Mention: Nguyen Thi Viet - Hanoi University of Industry; Dang Thi Bich Nga - University of Foreign Languages, Da Nang University