Hello, everyone! Recently, I’ve been working on creating a special Hangul (Korean alphabet) practice notebook designed specifically for foreigners learning Korean.
To make sure the notebook is as helpful and natural as possible, I asked for some advice on Reddit. I shared three different Korean handwriting fonts (numbered 1, 2, and 3 from left to right) and asked learners which one they preferred. The response was amazing, and Font #1 was the overwhelming favorite!
Taking your feedback, I immediately got to work. I used the winning Font #1 to design 20 practice sheets. To see how it feels, I printed them out and personally tested two of the pages myself. The writing experience was great!
To make this notebook even more special, I decided to skip the regular spiral or glue binding. Instead, I bound these practice sheets myself using Ochimanjeongbeop (오침안정법)—the traditional Korean five-hole bookbinding method!
You can watch the process of how I made it in the video below. It turned into a truly fun and meaningful personal project, and I’m so excited to finally share the completed, traditionally bound notebook with you all!
[Update] The Final Result: My Traditional Hangul Notebook!
I’m thrilled to finally share the completed project with you! After testing the fonts and designing the layouts, I carefully bound the pages together using Ochimanjeongbeop. The combination of the textured red cover and the traditional green stitching turned out even more beautiful than I imagined. It took some patience, but feeling the texture of a hand-bound traditional Korean book is incredibly rewarding.
Here is a peek inside. For this page, I chose a comforting phrase for the “Sentence of the Day”:
“괜찮아요, 누구나 처음은 서툴고 어렵습니다.”
(It’s okay, the beginning is clumsy and difficult for everyone.)
Learning a new language like Korean is never easy, and writing Hangul can feel awkward at first. I wanted this notebook to not only help with handwriting practice but also give learners a little bit of warm encouragement every time they open it.
I’m so happy with how this project turned out. What do you guys think of the final look?
If you’d like to create your own traditional notebook, the 20-page handwriting practice PDF is now available at the link below. I hope it helps you on your learning journey!
💌 Messages Waiting For You Inside Curious about what else is in this notebook? To keep learners motivated, I filled these 20 pages with positive and encouraging Korean phrases. Here is the complete list of sentences you will practice:
- 당신의 빛나는 오늘을 진심으로 응원합니다. (I sincerely cheer for your shining today.)
- 매일매일 조금씩 더 좋은 사람이 되고 있어요. (You are becoming a better person little by little every day.)
- 괜찮아요, 누구나 처음은 서툴고 어렵답니다. (It’s okay, the beginning is clumsy and difficult for everyone.)
- 밤하늘의 별처럼 당신의 꿈도 반짝일 거예요. (Like the stars in the night sky, your dreams will sparkle too.)
- 작은 노력들이 모여 마침내 큰 기적을 만듭니다. (Small efforts gather to finally create a big miracle.)
- 따뜻한 봄 햇살처럼 당신의 하루도 포근하기를. (I hope your day is as cozy as the warm spring sunshine.)
- 천천히 걸어도 괜찮아요, 방향만 올바르다면요. (It’s okay to walk slowly, as long as the direction is right.)
- 당신이 환하게 웃으면 세상도 함께 밝아집니다. (When you smile brightly, the world brightens up with you.)
- 맑고 푸른 가을 하늘처럼 당신의 앞날도 쾌청하기를. (Like the clear blue autumn sky, may your future be bright and clear.)
- 포기하지 않는 당신의 모습이 참 아름다워요. (Your unyielding appearance is truly beautiful.)
- 따뜻한 차 한 잔과 함께 여유를 즐겨 보세요. (Enjoy some relaxation with a warm cup of tea.)
- 당신이 품고 있는 그 꿈을 묵묵히 응원할게요. (I will silently cheer for the dream you are holding.)
- 매일 조금씩 성장하는 당신을 진심으로 믿어요. (I truly believe in you who are growing little by little every day.)
- 맑고 투명한 아침 햇살이 당신을 반겨줍니다. (The clear and transparent morning sunlight welcomes you.)
- 깊고 푸른 바다처럼 넓은 마음을 가져 보아요. (Try to have a broad mind like the deep blue sea.)
- 당신의 친절한 미소가 누군가를 행복하게 해요. (Your kind smile makes someone happy.)
- 찬란하게 빛날 당신의 모든 내일을 축복합니다. (I bless all your tomorrows that will shine brilliantly.)
- 봄비가 내리듯 조용히 당신의 마음에 스며들길. (May it quietly seep into your heart like spring rain falling.)
- 넘어지면 다시 일어나서 힘차게 걸어가면 돼요. (If you fall, you can just get back up and walk vigorously.)
- 따스한 위로가 당신의 지친 마음을 감싸기를. (May warm comfort embrace your weary heart.)
