January 2025
Annyeong Hangeul
The title “안녕한글,” Annyeong Hangeul, blends Korea’s warm greeting annyeong, meaning “hello,” with Hangeul (the Korean alphabet), creating a welcoming title for our cover story. The cover design features the Hangeul Balancer, a creative design by “be formative” studio that celebrates the artistic beauty of Korean letters.
Hangeul is a unique script meticulously crafted to serve the Korean language. It is the only writing system in the world consciously designed by human intent. Despite its relatively brief history, Hangeul wields immense cultural significance and influence.
한글은 한국어를 표기하기 위해 설계된 독특한 문자 체계이다. 또한 전 세계에서 유일하게 뚜렷한 목적을 가지고 창조된 문자이기도 하다. 현재 한글은 짧은 역사에 비해 강력한 문화적 영향력을 선보이고 있다. 한국을 대표하는 상징이자 한국 문화로의 관심을 이끄는 매개로서, 그 자체의 아름다운 형태로서 사람들의 마음을 사로잡고 있다.
Hangeul has already spread around the world through K-pop, food packaging and so on, and now it’s getting the artistic treatment, which is drawing even more global attention.
Interest in Hangeul and the Korean language, the foundations of Korean culture, continues to grow worldwide.
Hangeul is a scientific yet original writing
system. This script, which originated in Korea, holds value beyond mere letters as it remains closely connected to Korean life while building bridges to the world.
Pyeongchang-gun County
Winter in Pyeongchang-gun County (hereinafter Pyeongchang), Gangwon-do Province, offers a magical landscape blanketed in pristine snow.
Just a 90-minute KTX ride from Seoul Station, Pyeongchang perfectly captures the essence of Korean winter. Visitors can admire the stunning snow-capped mountains while enjoying winter sports and seasonal festivals. For those who have never experienced winter before, Pyeongchang promises unforgettable memories in a snow-covered wonderland.
Without soybeans, Korean cuisine would look very different, but without fermentation, it would be almost unrecognizable.
While Koreans are famous for using salt to ferment various ingredients, fermenting soy products has created a vast array of Korean pantry essentials. Many of these can be stored for months without refrigeration, with doenjang being a standout.
Often translated as “savory fermented soybean paste,” this term is somewhat misleading, as other Korean soy products are also savory pastes. Doenjang stands out with its strong aroma, light brown color and its role as a base for countless soups, stews and condiments.
Gangdoenjang Ssambap
