Korean did not originally have its own writing system. For centuries, scholars used Classical Chinese (한문) for writing. Hangul was created in 1443 by King Sejong the Great. It was published in 1446 as 훈민정음 (Hunminjeongeum). Hangul is considered one of the most scientific writing systems in the world. Its shapes are based on how…
Tag: North Korea
(Not So) Fun Fact: When Kim Jong-Il Had a Girlfriend Dumb Enough To Cheat on Him
Kim Jong Il had a mistress named Woo In-hee. She was a married actress in North Korea but had a romantic love affair with the North Korean dictator in secret. She made the mistake of having an affair with another man besides him, which granted her the death penalty where Kim had her executed in…
(Not So) Fun Fact: American Spy Ship Captured By North Korea
The USS Pueblo was captured in 1968 by North Korea and almost escalated into a war between the communist country and the United States of America. Men returned home but not without being tortured first. North Korea still has possession of the spy ship today and made it part of a museum collection.
(Not So) Fun Fact: James Joseph Dresnok Defected to North Korea
James Joseph Dresnok was an American soldier who defected to North Korea in the 1960s after several instances of trouble with his military career and a cheating wife. North Korea eventually embraced him and casted him in propaganda movies. He was well taken care of, even when North Korea suffered an extreme famine in the…
Fun Fact: Umchina in Korea
Umchina is a word in Korean used to describe a hypothetical perfect child. The word translates as “my mother’s friend’s son.”