[Launch of Hamanhacheon Movement Headquarters] Writing 'Handwriting' as Naturally as Breathing and Eating... Your Brain Becomes Healthy Automatically

The Charm of 'Copywriting' Transcription
Various Favorite Novel and Poem Phrases
The Easiest Way to Maintain Cognitive Ability

Although communication methods have shifted to digital devices like smartphones and computers, the analog method of handwriting still holds great power. With just paper and a pen, you can engage in a powerful exercise that boosts brain health anytime and anywhere. A representative method is transcription (筆寫), which literally means to ‘copy down’ text. The material for transcription is unlimited?it can be favorite passages from novels or poems, speeches by famous people, old classics, or academic papers. However, instead of using a keyboard, you must hold a pen and carefully write the letters by hand.

The effects of transcription are significant. Learning while writing improves reading speed and enhances the ability to generate ideas and acquire information. Park Su-mil, a classical scholar and research professor at Hanyang University, says, "It makes you smarter, strengthens your thinking ability, and cultivates a calm emotional state." He adds, "Handwriting contains warm emotions and rich learning effects, and it is even more effective when you write aloud while copying rather than just writing silently."

Lee Dong-young is a well-known essayist and a writing instructor with 10 years of experience, recognized through Kakao’s content platform ‘Brunch Story.’ He created a transcription group with acquaintances he met through a book club, aiming to read books, share impressions, and exchange good writing. Unexpectedly, many people showed interest and participated, spreading word of mouth and leading to requests to organize new groups in various places. Last year, Hancom asked for his advice while developing a new version of Hancom Typing Practice. The upgraded ‘Hancom Typing Practice 2023’ program includes not only the traditional typing games where users type given words or sentences quickly and accurately but also a transcription mode where users input their favorite texts or novels.

Artist Dongyoung Lee.
Photo by Dongju Yoon

Many people want to write but find it difficult to pick up a pen. Lee advises, "First, set a goal to complete a certain amount of writing at a fixed time and place every day and try writing." By habituating writing for 20 to 30 minutes daily within a routine, "there will come a moment when writing becomes as easy as breathing or eating."

Gu Bon-jin, CEO and lead attorney at The Kim Law Firm, also realized the charm of transcription early on. With over 30 years of experience in the legal field, Gu is known as Korea’s first graphologist. As a former prosecutor in the violent crimes division, he noticed commonalities in the handwriting of criminals while reviewing their statements and began studying graphology by collecting related research materials and foreign books. Graphology is a method of analyzing handwriting in detail?examining the shape, size, slant, and spacing of letters to understand a person’s personality and inner self. Gu explains that handwriting reveals a person’s inner nature. He says that one can assess a person’s traits and decisiveness through spacing, direction, and the shapes of consonants and vowels. He recommends practicing transcription consistently for about 20 minutes a day. Writing 1,000 characters takes just under 20 minutes, and practicing for 6 to 8 weeks can improve brain health. Choosing a ‘role model’ handwriting style to copy is also a good method. Gu adds, "If you practice a desirable handwriting style or one that reflects the kind of person you want to be, it will improve significantly."

Director Park Jong-jin of the Mannyeonpil Research Institute.
Photo by Yoon Dong-joo

Park Jong-jin, director of the Fountain Pen Research Institute and famous among ‘pen enthusiasts,’ says there is no more enjoyable writing instrument than a fountain pen. The sharp yet smooth touch of the nib felt at the fingertips, the ‘swish-scratch’ sound with each letter, the scent and color of the ink, and the texture of the paper?all these sensations differ every time. His day also begins with transcription at dawn. He carefully writes memorable passages from books he read the day before in a notebook using a fountain pen. He also jots down diary entries or notes for future writing. Park says, "Writing with a fountain pen early in the morning helps organize various thoughts calmly," adding, "Memory tends to decline with age, but writing practice is the safest way to maintain cognitive ability."

Kim Byung-kyu, Deputy Governor of the Gyeongnam Province Economic Department, starts his day at 6 a.m. by transcribing a poem and a daily Bible verse, which he then sends to acquaintances. He selects poems from books on his shelf or from the internet, choosing those he feels are appropriate for the season or his mood. During the spring bloom, he transcribes poems about magnolias, forsythias, plum blossoms, and cherry blossoms. From 6:30 to 7 a.m., he watches stretching videos on YouTube and does stretching and muscle exercises. Around 8:10 a.m., he goes to work, where his day is filled with reports, meetings, local events, briefings, site visits, and consultations with the central government and the National Assembly. Although sometimes exhausting, his morning routine has never changed. Instead, he has adopted a new routine and transcription habit.

Kim Byung-kyu, Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs of Gyeongnam Province.

Kim’s transcription habit began in 2021 when a middle school friend suggested creating good habits in a group chat. From that day, he committed to transcribing a poem and walking 10,000 steps daily. He had never been able to stick to one thing for long, but writing carefully each morning improved his concentration and reduced stress. He said, "After 30 busy years at the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, I had no chance to cultivate sensitivity, but thanks to transcription, I am developing poetic sensibility," adding, "I think I might even write my own poems someday."

Asia Economy delivers carefully selected phrases suitable for transcription daily to readers through its ‘Daily 10,000 Steps, Daily 1,000 Characters’ newsletter.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.