The Korean Cultural Center in Brazil celebrated a historic milestone on October 9, marking the first official Hangul Day in São Paulo, which was recently established by the Government of the State of São Paulo. The evening event drew more than 100 participants who gathered to honor Korea's unique writing system through various cultural activities and educational programming.
The celebration began at 5 p.m. with a popular calligraphy station where participants lined up to receive personalized artworks featuring their names written in traditional Korean calligraphy, known as soye, by artist Sung Ju Na. This interactive element allowed attendees to experience Korean culture firsthand while taking home a meaningful souvenir of the occasion.
The opening ceremony featured a captivating musical performance by soprano Yara Cabral Seixas, a student at the Korean Cultural Center, who was accompanied by Daniel Lee, conductor of the Sejong Choir. The audience was particularly moved by their rendition of "Welcome to Hangul," which received an enthusiastic standing ovation from the crowd.
Following welcoming remarks from the directors of both the Korean Cultural Center and the Korean Education Center in São Paulo, guests enjoyed a specially themed coffee break. The refreshments included unique Hangul-shaped cookies that were specially prepared by Jaqueline, another Korean Cultural Center student, adding a creative culinary element to the cultural celebration.
The evening's main educational component was a thought-provoking lecture delivered by Professor Ji Yun Kim from the Department of Korean Language and Literature at the University of São Paulo (USP/FFLCH). Her presentation, titled "Why Do Koreans Speak Like That? What the Korean Language Tells Us About Koreans," explored the deep connections between language, culture, and identity in Korean society.
During her lecture, Professor Kim highlighted how the structure of the Korean language reflects unique aspects of Korean thought and cultural values. She explained to the audience that "in Korean, the focus lies on the relationships among things in the universe at a given moment and place. Thus, the individual is the result of these complex interrelations, not an essence." This insight provided attendees with a deeper understanding of how language shapes cultural perspective.
The diverse audience, composed of students from the Korean Cultural Center's Korean language program, the Korean Education Center in São Paulo, and the University of São Paulo, actively engaged with the lecture content. Participants shared insights, asked questions, and reflected on both the similarities and differences between Korean and Portuguese languages, creating a dynamic educational environment.
Through this inaugural celebration, the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil demonstrated its ongoing commitment to promoting Korean language and culture in South America. The event successfully brought Brazilian audiences closer to understanding the origins and deeper meanings of Hangul, which represents one of the most important symbols of Korea's rich cultural identity and linguistic heritage.
