Hangul Day is celebrated annually on Oct. 9 to honor the creation of South Korea’s official writing system. The celebration of Hangul Day allows people an opportunity to remember and celebrate the origins of written language. Many Koreans celebrate by taking a day off and spending time with family and friends. Additionally, in South Korea, many take the time to visit the statue of Sejong the Great, the fourth ruler of the Joseon Dynasty and creator of Hangul.

Originally, Koreans did not have their own writing system even though they spoke it. They used Hanja, traditional Chinese characters for written works. But when Sejong the Great came into power, he developed a new writing system as he wanted the people of Korea to have their own way of writing and wanted to help people from the lower classes who didn’t have a chance to receive a formal education. To not offend China, he developed Hangul in secret and revealed it in 1443. In 1446, it became the official writing system for the Korean language, and in 1970, South Korea recognized Hangul Day as a national holiday.

Today, over 80 million people use this writing system and Hangul Day helps Koreans remember why they are able to communicate with each other and be thankful for it.