With Hangeul Day just around the corner, writing competitions celebrating the Korean language are attracting participants from around the world.
Some 1,500 international students gathered at Dongguk University in Seoul on Thursday morning for a contest marking both the national holiday, which falls on Friday, and the university's 120th anniversary.
Under the theme "Korean language and me," participants shared their experiences learning the language and personal stories connected to it.
"People from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds came together to write, united by their shared connection to Hangeul. Just being there made me happy," a student from India told a local news outlet.
A day earlier, Yonsei University's Korean Language Institute hosted a similar event, attracting some 1,200 foreign nationals and overseas Koreans from more than 60 countries.
The competition was open not only to students at Yonsei's language institute but also to those attending other universities and high schools.
"My favorite Korean expression is 'Have you eaten?' because it feels like a phrase that reflects the warmth and kindness of Korean people," said Mai, 29, from Japan's Saitama Prefecture, who was inspired to learn Korean through BTS.
On the same day in Daegu, some 200 participants, including foreign residents, gathered at Byeongam Seowon in Dalseo-gu to compose five-line acrostic poems in Korean.
cjh@heraldcorp.com