When Hangeul becomes art: the legacy of Pyeongbo Seo Hee-hwan

For those of you in Seoul looking for things to do indoors away from the heat wave this weekend, there's a new exhibition that portrays Hangeul as more than just a language but as a powerful form of visual art.

Byeon Ye-young tells us more.

Geometric beauty and fluid structure, materialized in black ink.

Korean Calligraphy, or Hangeul Seoye, is an art form rooted in rhythm, balance, and the expressive power of the written line.

Hangeul offers a unique aesthetic language of its own, one that is now being rediscovered as a distinct art form.

A new retrospective at the Seoul Arts Center shines a spotlight on this very tradition through the work of a master who dedicated his entire career to breaking away from the better-known Chinese characters and elevating Hangul calligraphy into high art: 'Pyeongbo' Seo Hee-hwan.

"Master Seo Hee-hwan's artist pseudonym, Pyeongbo, meaning 'to walk steadily without rest,' was given by his teacher, Son Jae-hyeong. It reflects the idea that even slow progress leads to mastery, as long as you don't stop."

Although he was the first artist to receive the Presidential Prize for a work of Hangul calligraphy, his work also drew criticism for resembling his teacher's style.

Seo accepted the critique and embarked on a journey to find his own voice.

That journey began with a return to the roots of Hangeul.

In a section titled "Deep-Rooted Tree," we see how Seo turned to early printed texts from the time of King Sejong.

"This is Seo Hee-hwan's interpretation of , or Songs of the Moon's Reflection on a Thousand Rivers.

Originally compiled by King Sejong, the creator of Hangul, it's a Buddhist hymn book dedicated to his late wife, Queen Soheon.

The interpretation by Seo Hee-hwan shows around 10,000 Hangeul characters on a single folding screen."

By studying the typeface-like panbonche styles from early Joseon, Seo grounded himself in the fundamentals of Hangeul and gradually shaped a calligraphic language that was uniquely his own.

He explored more artistic styles as well, like this piece where the brush naturally flows into the next character.

Commemorating 30 years since Seo's passing, the exhibition runs until mid-October at the Seoul Calligraphy Art Museum Gallery, and there are also programs where visitors can try their hand at Hangeul Calligraphy.

This retrospective gives visitors the chance to see upfront that Hangeul seoye is more than just writing.

It's visual art where each stroke carries emotion and history.

Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News