National Hangeul Museum Opens 'Korean Playground Sejonggwan'

Permanent Exhibition for Three Years at Sejong Culture and Arts Center
Introducing Seven New Characters

The National Hangeul Museum, in collaboration with the Sejong Foundation for Culture and Tourism, will open the 'Korean Playground Sejonggwan' inside the Sejong Culture and Arts Center on December 11, 2025. This space will operate as a permanent exhibition for the next three years.

Interior view of the Korean Playground 'Sejonggwan'. Provided by the National Hangeul Museum.

Sejonggwan will, for the first time in Korea, introduce seven new characters from 'The Secret of Malangtongtong Village,' which are based on the principles behind the creation of Hangeul and the philosophy of the Five Elements. In addition, newly produced video content reflecting the unique characteristics of Sejong City will be released.

Young visitors will embark on a journey to find the secret keys of Malangtongtong Village alongside a total of seven characters inspired by Hangeul consonants and vowels: 'Giyeok Tongtong, Nieun Tongtong, Mieum Tongtong, Sios Tongtong, Ieung Tongtong, Haneul Tongtong, and Ddangddang Tongtong.' Through play, children will naturally discover three secrets: Hangeul as a script that can capture all the sounds in the world, as a script that allows for 11,172 possible letter combinations, and as a script that contains vanished letters. The playground is designed to let children experience the sounds, forms, and expansiveness of Hangeul in an engaging way. They can also enjoy a variety of sensory activities, including block stacking, climbing, hanging, speaking and listening, searching, and maze exploration.

Sejong City was selected as a 'Hangeul Culture City' in December 2024 as part of the 'Korea Culture City' initiative led by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Inspired by the region's history and symbols, the museum has custom-produced a video titled 'Shall We Listen to the Sounds of Malangtongtong Village?' The video features the Milmaru Observatory, which offers panoramic views of Sejong City; the Geumgang Pedestrian Bridge Ieungdari, which has a total circumference of 1,446 meters to commemorate the year 1446 when Hangeul was promulgated; the Barota (BRT) bus, a major public transportation system in Sejong; the bluebird, symbolizing the happiness of Sejong citizens; and the peach tree, a representative local specialty of Jochiwon.

Kang Jeongwon, Director of the National Hangeul Museum, stated, "We are very pleased that local residents can now enjoy the 'Korean Playground,' which was previously only available in Seoul. Starting next year, we will expand the Korean Playground to regional hubs through local government contests, so that even more children can experience the joy of Hangeul."

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