At 10 a.m. on the 17th in front of Gwanghwamun in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Foreign tourists took repeated photos with Gwanghwamun as the backdrop. Tourists in hanbok posed in front of the gate guards and the haechi stone statues. The signboard reading "光化門" was not left out of the shots.
When asked foreign tourists about the idea of presenting a Hangul signboard together with the current Chinese character signboard, opinions were divided. Wynn Davison (13) from Canada said, "History is important, but we should also cherish today's Hangul," expressing support for introducing a Hangul signboard.
By contrast, Ivan Yoll (51) from France said, "France also has buildings left from Germany (the Nazi era) in the past, but we do not erase the traces," adding, "There is a past that should be preserved even when times change."
◇On the day the world watches a BTS concert, a push for a "Hangul signboard"
Calls to hang a Hangul signboard at Gwanghwamun have resurfaced. The catalyst was that BTS will hold a comeback concert for its fifth studio album, "Arirang (ARIRANG)," on the 21st with Gwanghwamun as the stage.
As BTS's comeback performance will be broadcast live worldwide via Netflix, some are calling to put Hangul front and center. On the other hand, many argue that the matter should be approached cautiously because it could damage the historicity of a cultural asset. The concert will be streamed live in 190 countries, and about 50 million people are expected to watch.
The "National Group for a Gwanghwamun Hunminjeongeum-style Hangul Signboard" held a press conference on the 12th and proposed, "Let's install a Hangul signboard temporarily for just one day on the day of the BTS concert."
The group argued, "People around the world will see Gwanghwamun through the performance, and it is difficult to fully convey the identity of the Republic of Korea with only a Chinese character signboard."
The Korea Heritage Service drew a line, saying it is not appropriate to replace the signboard because of a concert. With little time left until the performance, installing a Hangul signboard is effectively off the table.
However, discussion continues on presenting both Hangul and Chinese characters at Gwanghwamun. One idea is to keep the existing signboard while adding a Hangul signboard under the eaves.
People who visited Gwanghwamun that day showed a positive response to a Hangul signboard. Office worker Son Eun-taek (29) said, "These days I find Hangul signs very beautiful," adding, "It would be nice to make a Hangul signboard."
Terry Oh (50), a dual citizen of Canada and China, said, "History is important, but the opinions of people living in Korea now may take precedence," adding, "If it is a society that uses Hangul, there is a need to consider change."
Some said it should be used as an opportunity to better promote the value of Hangul. A person surnamed Park (51) said, "In addition to the building called Gwanghwamun, it is a chance to show a symbol of Korea to the world," adding, "There is concern that to foreigners unfamiliar with Chinese characters, Gwanghwamun could be mistaken for a Chinese building."
◇"Gwanghwamun is history"… concerns about damaging the value of a cultural asset
On the other hand, many said the current Chinese character signboard should be kept. College student Park Tae-ho (28) said, "The name Gwanghwamun contains the meaning 'to become light,'" adding, "We should respect the meaning that can be expressed because it is in Chinese characters."
Ao Yuri (26) from Japan said, "Chinese characters are also part of Korean history, so it doesn't seem necessary to change it."
Some said the historical value of the structure itself should be prioritized. Lu Shuo (48) from China said, "Modern values and historic buildings should be separated," adding, "Hanging a Hangul signboard would damage the value."
Stefan Panait (31) from Greenland said, "I understand the opinion of changing it to Hangul, but considering the historical value, it may not be desirable," explaining, "If it does not mar the aesthetics, dual presentation might be possible."
◇From Park Chung-hee's handwritten signboard to a gold-leaf signboard, the debate repeats
This is not the first time for the Gwanghwamun signboard debate. After the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War, a Hangul signboard handwritten by then-President Park Chung-hee was hung at Gwanghwamun, which was restored in 1968.
However, as criticism arose that Gwanghwamun was out of its original position and skewed from Gyeongbokgung's central axis, a project to "restore Gwanghwamun to its original form" restarted in 2006. Advocates of keeping the Hangul signboard clashed with those saying a Chinese character signboard was needed for accurate restoration. At the time, the Cultural Heritage Administration (now the Korea Heritage Service) chose a Chinese character signboard under the principle of "restoring it exactly as it looked when rebuilt."
Only three months after the new signboard was unveiled, cracks appeared, reigniting the restoration issue. After multiple research commissions, a Chinese character signboard with a black background and gold leaf was selected. This signboard has been hung since 2023 to the present. During this process as well, there were calls that Gwanghwamun, a representative landmark of Seoul, should have a Hangul signboard.
As the Gwanghwamun signboard debate continued, the Korea Heritage Service also left open the possibility of adding a Hangul signboard in addition to the Chinese character signboard. An official at the Korea Heritage Service said, "If public sentiment and expert consensus form on presenting Hangul and Chinese characters together, we can consider it."