"Why are we fascinated with Korean language and culture?"

The significantly increasing number of non-Korean speaking Australians opt to learn Korean language and culture, hoping to widen the spectrum of their communication with the rest of the world, according to the Korean Cultural Centre, Australia.

Anthony McMenamin and Quentina Kusuma, Winners of K-Speech competition, and Ms Suah Kim of the Korean Cultural Centre (From left) Source: SBS

Koreans around the world including Australia and the homeland marked the 572nd anniversary of the promulgation of Hangeul with various events highlighting the history and value of the Korean alphabet.

There are around 7,000 languages spoken on the globe but only 40 langues of them are able to be used for writing.

Considered one of the simplest and most logical language writing systems in the world, Hangeul was invented by King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in 1443 and promulgated three years later to replace an older writing system based on the Chinese script. It is the only alphabet which corroborates its inventor and rationale behind the invention.

Anthony McMenamin and Quentina Kusuma , the winners of the K-speech competition hosted by the King Sejong Institute , the Korean Cultural Centre Australia, elucidate what has prompted them to be interested in and learn Korean language and culture.