When editing Korean in Microsoft Word, you can find several Korean fonts. For those of you studying abroad in Korea, what font do you prefer when writing reports? Have you ever used a font called ‘Gungseo’?
I think that the most unique Korean writing style is probably the 'Gungseo style'. Especially when you visit a traditional market, you can find many signs written in 'gung script'. I think people who are interested in Hangul calligraphy will be able to find many works written in the 'gungseol style'. So this time, I would like to introduce you to Korean calligraphy called ‘Gungseo Font’.
Introduction to palace calligraphy
Gungseo Font is a Hangul font used by women in the palace after the mid-Joseon Dynasty to write Hangul more quickly and flexibly. It is characterized by clear and straight lines, neat and compact, and, like the Chinese character font, there are cursive fonts, semi-cursive fonts, and regular fonts.
Source: Hangul Jinheullim font: Naver blog (naver.com)
The palace calligraphy was learned by the women of Naemyeongbu, and “Queen Inhyeon’s Tale,” “Seogung Ilgi,” and “Hanjungnok” are also written in palace calligraphy. Currently, palace fonts are widely distributed and widely used through computer operating systems, and are divided into bold palace fonts, brush fonts, and Haeseo fonts. Also, in calligraphy, it is on an equal footing with the printed version.
Source: 100 Years of Joseon (chosun.com)
The intellectual property rights of the palace font belong to the Bang Il-young Cultural Foundation, and it is provided free of charge. The palace font is also related to the '100 Years of Joseon Font', which embodies the spirit of the Chosun Ilbo, which preserved the spirit of the nation through Hangul during the Japanese colonial period.
Gungseo Font is a beautiful font that reflects the traditional culture and history of Korea.
Learn palace calligraphy
If you want to learn palace calligraphy, it is best to first learn about the history and characteristics of palace calligraphy. Gungseo Font is a Hangul font used by women in the palace after the mid-Joseon Dynasty to write Hangul more quickly and flexibly. It is characterized by clear and straight lines, neat and compact, and, like the Chinese character font, there are cursive fonts, semi-cursive fonts, and regular fonts. Since the shape of the letters in a palace font varies depending on the position and size of the initial, middle, and final consonants, it is important to align them vertically.
Source: Calligraphy video/Basics of Hangul calligraphy (comprehensive consonants): Naver blog (naver.com)
To practice Gungseok font, fold rice paper vertically to create a space, and prepare ink and brush. You can use a round brush or pen. Adjust the number of folding lines depending on the size of the brush, and practice writing consonants and vowels by attaching the brush to rice paper. Since the strokes of Gung script are characterized by sharp reflections at the beginning and end, it is important to write without shaking the brush.
Tool preparation
To learn palace calligraphy, you will need the following tools:
Rice paper: This is a paper specially used for writing Korean calligraphy. It is folded vertically to create cells. Rice paper can be purchased at stationery stores or online.
Ink: Ink for writing Chinese calligraphy, made by mixing ink and water. The thickness of ink varies depending on the ratio of ink to water, so it is important to find the right consistency.
Source: [Art] 5th-6th grade basic calligraphy (1) activity: Naver blog (naver.com)
Brush: A writing tool for writing archetype calligraphy. You can use a round or square pen. Since the expression of palace calligraphy varies depending on the size and shape of the brush, it is recommended to choose a brush that suits you.
Palace calligraphy workbook: A textbook that helps you learn about the history and characteristics of palace calligraphy, the positions and sizes of consonants and vowels, and the start and end of strokes. It can be downloaded or purchased from the Internet.
Learning the palace script is a great way to experience the beauty of Hangul. You can find many videos and materials teaching palace calligraphy on the Internet, so it will be helpful to refer to them.
