Review of The Korean Alphabet of 1446
Abstract
Perhaps the most noteworthy product of Korean civilization, han'guil is a source
of pride among Koreans: not only does it embody a sense of national uniqueness, but
it is also a valuable tool against illiteracy. While this great cultural achievement has
merited considerable attention in Korea, detailed English-language accounts of
han'guil are scarce. Most prominent among this small body of work is Gari Ledyard's
1966 dissertation, "The Korean Language Reform of 1446," since republished (with
modest revisions) in 1998. Two recent volumes about the Korean script are now
looking to claim space alongside Ledyard's text: The Korean Alphabet of 1446, by Sek
Yen Kim-Cho, and The Korean Alphabet, edited by Young-Key Kim-Renaud.
Although both books seek to further our understanding of what makes han'guil
unique, only Kim-Renaud's edition merits the attention of serious Korean language
scholars; Kim-Cho's contribution, in contrast, falls short what one would expect of a
sound academic inquiry.