My Calli-co

 Childish laughter and soft consideration welcome the trainees in our calligraphy class. Later, she teaches me how to make full use of my brush pen. She teaches everyone. Encouraging words here and there from 10:10 to 11:25 in the morning.

A sunny presence, she sympathezies with all of us in our confiding conversations on calligraphy progress. And she always talks to us in spritely staccato.

"Is there sth / sb waiting for you at home?" She said kindly and jokingly, laughing as I hastily nodded to her goodbye one morning.

 

 Where my heart is, there's calligraphy. Ever since I found an assignment on paper stuck in the entrance of my school library where I went to secondary school in the UK from 1993 to 1994, whose hand-writing in italic font was all there in meek, bright blue, calligraphy has been my heart's desire. On my mum's advice, I enrolled at the local "Culture Center" in Dec. 2023 at the Culture Center of Lotte Mall connected to Seongbok Station, in Yongin Si.

And I met her. In summary, I am lucky and happy to have her as my calligraphy teacher. On our first meeting, I said what I really wanted to learn was English calligraphy and she was a bit taken aback, for she doesn’t specialize in English. But she soon recovered from this revelation and went on teaching me Korean calligraphy with dedication.

 Her name is Han Eun Seon – And if you wish to tutor yourself with all sorts of viable calligraph skills, such as line-drawing exercise, and if you want to be good at calligraphy very fast, she's the first person to study with. Quick as lightening she creates another gem!  The classroom is studded with bits of the teacher’s useful calligraphy writing advices for each pupil, catering to every needs.

 

So what do we do in classes? The beginners go from practicing lines to more difficult lettering and handwriting businesses. The veterans make much use of watercolour palette and colour pencils to decorate their already perfect handwriting and the teacher restlessly flies from one flower to another. Within that group, some are always trying to find calligraphy tutor jobs in schools. Nearing the end of the course, we are to find not only our skill surge, but to be able to go on socializing much ALSO WITH OUR HANDS. We often see the upper group laughing and working and chattering about their works throughout, complimenting each other.

She has provided for a little sum, at the beginning of the course, material such as a sketchbook made for croquis, a brush pen and an ordinary pen (both in black) and lots of white paper to write formally on.

There are just two of us beginners and two and a half month into the course we’re having a eye-opening time. The other beginner is a born calligrapher with lovely slender lettering style, and our teacher delights in her work.

And she gives out things! One morning, in the midst of January, the gift to bring home was a deep picture box. before that, white postcards and envelopes also were presented (written by us) with gorgeous curves and lines of hangeul created. Worth getting to that stage with my trembling hands!

 

In all cases, we are sure to get honest, detailed feedback from the sunny soul and the classroom is a powerhouse awaking every week! If you love to write hangeul and are proud of speaking reasonable Korean, you can contact Han via the Culture Center on 2nd floor of Seongbok Lotte Mall at 031-5174-2590, or visit yourself to discuss next course details with the staff.