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Korea is a relatively small country, with very limited land for farming. All the food we eat originates from soil of the land. On calculating how much surface area of the land has to be secured for feeding ourselves, you would be surprised to find that we are living in too tiny country. Only the reason we have not fallen into chaos from scarcity of foods is that we are largely importing them from abroad. The quantity of crop import is especially huge for wheat and corn. We usually consume wheat directly in the form of bread or noodle. In the case of corn, we use most of them to feed animal to obtain meat to eat. Korea doesn't have plenty of sources for energy. Most of all, it doesn't have any significant reserve of oil, which is the most required energy source nowadays. Sustaining extremely complicated social system requires large input of energy. As Korea is getting into developed country, consumption of energy per person is rapidly increasing. We heavily rely on import more than ever to keep the supply of the energy needed to sustain our system. Korea doesn't have enough water supplies. Not many of us realize the fact that the only one water-poor nation around Asia is Korea. All other water-poor nations are concentrated in the Middle East. We tend to misjudge ourselves of having plenty of water, because of false impression during rainy monsoon season in summer. Because of this misunderstanding, average water usage per person in Korea is at the top ranking in the world, and keeps increasing.

Look at your clothes or bag. Maybe at least one of your items has characters on it. It is hard to imagine any products without any letters printed on them. Even the tag on your clothes is a result of ‘Typography.’ Not only that; newspapers, book covers and T-shirts use typography for various purposes. We live surrounded by characters, Typography.Typography in Design has more power than merely ‘characters.’ It is full of expression as if it laughs or cries. In the late 19th century, typography was established as design and since then it has changed continuously. Typography is an intensive tool for everyone who communicates through paper and television, not just an art form for a minority. What is Typography?Humans express image through symbolic thinking and communicate through many steps of modification. Among them, humans have used a sign, or ‘character,’ to visualize delivery of information by language. To communicate a larger meaning, people needed to reprint characters, and through this process a word of modern concept, typography, was developed. Typography is rooted in ‘Typo,’ a Greek word. ‘Typography’ was made by combining two words; ‘Typo’ which means letterform and ‘graphie’ which means technique or write. It was used to mean “type printing” and in dictionaries it refers to type printing of embossed character on metallic pieces, including the outcome. However, because of the birth of a new field of study, Design, after the influence of the Industrial Revolution, typography changed its meaning. At this time, the concept of typography changed to mean “a study or technique which uses type for functional and aesthetic phases.” Typography in modern times has a larger meaning than that. Typography is all factors related to design such as image type, graphic, color, layout and design format, and the cardinal point of visual design which manages every product connected to design. It includes all of visual design printing and electronic media: posters, advertisements, identity design, book design, editorial design, newspaper design, homepage design and moving design. So to speak, typography is a superior concept to all those and it charges them as the central axis of many media. In other words, typography is not a mere aspect of media but one distinct genre of design. Originally, typography meant printing by using type, but as printing and delivery media developed, its meaning expanded; from the narrow concept of type printing to every aspect of using type for message delivery. A picture is to be seen and a word is to be read, so the fundamental purpose of typography is to be read easily. Therefore, traditional typography was the simple functional concept of characters which the viewer could read. However, modern typography extends its ranges from functional interest-the ability to read it fast and easily-to the invention of various fonts, enlargement of express methods and pursuit of experimental phases. Function of TypographyTypography plays the role of aiding the viewer to remember the contents by expressing words in visual form. Words were invented to convey meaning, and the shapes of words can be varied in order to be used as formative tools. The basic purpose of typography is to deliver the exact concept of the messenger, including providing aesthetic sympathy to people who read it. Typography has 2 functions; the linguistic function of conveying objective contents and the formative function of viewing in visual form before understanding meaning. 1. Linguistic functionThe linguistic function of typography is a practical function, which means to lay out by using different font styles and sizes in order to create understanding of the intended message. It refers to the use of characters as tools of delivery which make the message easy to read or understand. Therefore, considering the ease of reading through considering adequate font size, spaces between characters, length of lines and spaces between lines is important. Ease of reading is spoken for in ‘Legibility’ and ‘Readability.’ Legibility: the process of perceiving and distinguishing individual charactersReadability: the achievement of the process of reading and perceivingLegibility is related to the perception of characters and words, and the reading of content. Readability understands content and the degree of relative difficulty of reading followed by accuracy of characters, individual interest and ease of reading. When sentences are short and familiar, effective delivery is made. According to the case of legibility explored by John Ryder,() there are ten factors which influence ease of reading: font, font size, spaces between characters, length of lines, spaces between lines, format, print size, blanks, grids and finishing touches. 2. Formative FunctionThe formative function of typography is not to be used as a tool of message delivery but as visual material. In this case, type and typography factors are expressed more freely and dynamically, which derives mental and aesthetic strain. Therefore it represents an interesting, poetic and philosophical atmosphere. Also, a form of individual type can be a visual symbol. Through various arrangements of type, the typographer can create abstract images. Type can be a material for abstract art. Robert Massin, a graphic designer in France, tried experimental typography by combining type and photography, escaping from ordinary typography which is read and seen. This is a method of expression which accompanies the messenger’s subjective emotions. The use of characters can be formative work when they are used for visual factors, not as a tool of communication. In addition, the designer expresses their personality by using characters for illustration or pictures through the drawing or expansion, reduction and omission of characters. Typography in Our Life1. PACKAGE DESIGN In today’s market of self-selection and self-service shopping, package design delivers the characteristics of a brand effectively and increases its name recognition. Packaging using typography has become important for conveying the originality and reliability of the brand, and ensures fast communication between the brand and the consumer. That’s because if package design is concise and distinct, it promotes the customer’s interest. William J. Stanton(a Republican congressman), said that technique should have marketability or be market-oriented. Package design makes the customer aware quickly, meaning they are likely to choose that product quickly. In package design, typography has many good points; it is symbolic, imformative, reliable and memorable.1. SymbolicTypography contracts the identity of products into a strong brand image because it can place both sides of value-form and meaning-in one character. Therefore, customers can perceive it more simply and with greater readability. 2. InformativeIn the case of package design, typography offers concrete information on the product so that the customer can understand its properties easily and correctly, rather than being used merely as a tool of beautiful decoration. 3. ReliableA product that is unbelievable does not sell. Letters can offer reliability. Package design around typography increases brand name-recognition and allows effective communication based on the reliability of the product.4. MemorableTypography in packaging creates readability and shape by expressing the message visually through designing letters and adjusting the size or arrangement of fonts. Also, it provides ease of discrimination in distinguishing the product, so the customer can memorize the brand easily and for a long time.Typography used in package design plays a role of not just delivering the contents and properties of products but also inducing the customer’s interest by presenting different visual designs in the case of marketing and arousing taste or concern.Characters are tools for communication to be read and used as visual symbols to be seen. The public is now very familiar with the typography of ‘Coca Cola,’ which is in the “New Art” style. It also reminds people of the appearance of the drink in its curved ‘Coca Cola’ bottle and gives an image of freshness. The elegantly bent font is a visual code for recognizing the product. The typography of ‘Malboro’ is a visual code which conjures up the image of tobacco. The typography of ‘Hershey’s,’ which is written in Gothic font on a brown background, is the appropriate way to visualize the solid image of chocolate. Products which have brand power have their own symbols of typography and thus have succeeded in providing a brand image to their customers.2. ADVERTISINGIn an advertisement which has to convey a strong message in a limited time, the proper use of typography is effective and allows correct delivery of meaning. In Korea, it is true that the study and practical use of typography are insufficient compared to other countries. However, the realm and power of typography are increasing gradually. A newspaper-like screen catches people’s eyes on television. TV advertisements which use the characteristics of newspaper concentrate people’s attention. It is a technique of making characters bring the viewer to a stop. When letters appear on the screen, it is sure that audience will read it and the message will come across their minds. Indeed, some sentences may have greater influence than splendid images. Do you remember the advertisement for ‘SKY,’ a mobile phone? It used only two words in bold typography, ‘MUST HAVE.’ When people watched it, they thought that that product was what they had to have and became interested in it naturally. Let’s look at the advertisement for a refrigerator called ‘DIOS,’ starring Kim Hee Ae. DIOS wants to show that by using their product, taste will develop into elegance through a slight change in 2 letters; 맛(taste), and 멋(dandy). The intention and feeling is delivered to consumers by just changing ‘ㅏ’ to ‘ㅓ.’ The core of this advertisement is short and intensive. This could not be expressed without typography.3. MOVIE POSTERSYou can easily see handwriting and calligraphy, which are different forms of typography, in not only packaging but also posters. It can deliver both happy and sad feelings well, and is used a lot in movie posters. That’s because movie posters have to express many features of the movie in just one image. 4. FASHIONIn the fashion industry, typography is one kind of design factor. Most of you have T-shirts with letters printed on them in your closet. In this way, typography appears on various styles in fashion today. By using typography, fashion brands want people to recognize their brand names. For this reason, they invent their logos by using typography and through presenting it on products in order to increase their name-recognition. Letters can also create patterns. In the case of the monogram line of LOUIS VUITTON, the logo which is made of characters has been used extensively as a motif or pattern of design and has remained as a recognizable image in the long run. Lee Sang Bong, designer and calligrapher, has used Hangeul as a design factor for a long time. His creative design made Hangeul popular in the ‘Who’s Next’ show, held in Paris in 2006. His calligraphy is used on cellular phones, home fashion, kitchen utensils and even tobacco. Typography has developed and changed according to the public and culture. We can’t live without characters. For the purpose of delivery of contents or decoration, the use of typography will extend even further. Typography can better convey images or the intention of the messenger than any other image. As the Internet and digital technology have developed rapidly, typography has to be changed. People have to understand it in the face of images which have symbolic and visual functions. Also, many designers will use typography as a tool for effective and economical visual communication.

Sookmyung University (SMU) became the subject of conversation by announcing that they will manage a ‘Post-Bachelor Program’ targeting graduate students. Nowadays, many graduates have trouble finding employment and there are a number of students who delay their graduation. Under these circumstances, SMU decided to offer additional courses to graduates from 2009. This Post-Bachelor Program has three courses: an intensifying learning course, a career preparation course, and an internship course. The intensifying learning courses provide students with the chance to take three classes for free except for the experimental class. Therefore, students can choose to take lectures which they didn’t study well enough before. The career preparation course provides diverse education. This course is separated into four programs again: general official education, intensifying official education, concentrating on work skills education and career counseling. In the general official education course, there are workshops for future employees which teach presentation skills and solutions to problems, and special lectures are planned to be given twice in March. In the intensifying official education course, students will search for and analyze jobs, and receive education about personnel administration, marketing, finance, public relations and advertising from March to May. If students take the courses in concentrating on work skills education, they will learn about how to prepare a resume through individual counseling and attend five interview clinics. Not only that, but students are offered practical IT education such as the use of Excel and Powerpoint. Also, students can get counseling about their aptitude and skills. The internship course is a program that provides graduates with the experience of being an intern on campus, in professors’ study rooms and business enterprises. When students do internships, they will get some payment. Whenever internship positions are available, SMU will notify students on the school homepage. The ‘Post-Bachelor Program’ enhances the welfare of graduates. This is one of the programs that implement President Young Sil Han’s goal of providing the graduates with “after-services”, namely the Alumnae A/S Project. There has been criticism that it is impossible to execute because of the large budget required, yet President Young Sil Han’s plan that the university should take on the responsibility to care for its graduates is firm, so it has been able to be realized.

On 2008 December 1, at 11 a.m. the contribution ceremony about Crown Prince Yeongchin’s seven remains when he was adult was held in Administration Building. The remains are donated from Cha Gil Jin who is the president of Korean Buddhism newspaper. This contribution President Young Sil Han took part in was hospitably treated. Among seven remains, six remains are clothes which Crown Prince Yeongchin (1897~1970) would wear when he lived in Japan. The contributed remains are a photo album including wedding picture and images of life in Japan, documents related to Lee Wang Gik who was charge in task connecting with Yeongchin in Japan’s Imperial Household Agency, a hat, and formal dress. Whole remains worth are more than 100 million Won. The remains are being exhibited in Sookmyung Women’s University Museum (S.U.M) after December 8. The Relationship between SMU and Crown Prince YeongchinAs Royal Private University, Sookmyung Women’s University was founded in 1906 without any alien funds but only by royal support and native capital. The founder was Qeen Sunheon who emphasized an important of women education. This contribution is more meaningful in that founder, the Queen Sunheon, is the mother of Prince Yeongchin. S.U.M possesses Crown Prince Yeongchin’s remain in his childhood, Sakyusam which he was dressed in his childhood as Ritual Coat for a Child at present so Cha Gil Jin decided donation for Sookmyung Women’s University. Who is Crown Prince Yeongchin?Originally, Qeen Sunheon was Qeen Myung Sung’s court lady. After, Qeen Myung Sung was murdered by Japan in 1895, she had a emperor’s baby and became a queen. The baby is right Crown Prince Yeongchin who has brother, Sun Jong having different mother.In 1907, as Sun Jong, the first born son, became King, he gave a position, Crown Prince, Yeongchin because Sun Jong didn’t have descendants. Then, as soon as Yeongchin became the Crown Prince at 11 years old, he was brought to Japan forcibly. His misfortune was started from this. He had to go Japan to study by pressure of Japan but his mother, Qeen Sunheon and Imperial House worried about that he went to a foreign country alone. Finally, Imperial House accepted this on condition of visiting Chosun whenever vacation. However, Qeen Sunhuen didn’t see his son until she lived this world. Crown Prince Yeongchin’s life in Japan clearly showed that how hard the fall of Chosun’s descendant lived. When Chosun lost national right in 1910 Japan reduce Crown Prince Yeongchin to the lower rank and didn’t allow visiting Chosun not correspond with promise. Ten years later, by Japan’s forcible demand, he married to Nashimoto Masako who had Korean name Lee Bang Ja. Although he already was engaged to women in Korea Japan broke off his engagement. Japan found the women who couldn’t conceive a child because they wanted not to leave Chosun’s offspring. In1945, when Japan got defeated, all of his property was confiscated by the state. He really wanted to return to his fatherland, government of Lee Seung Man refused his entry into a country. He came back to home in 1963 but that time, he already had amnesia that lost memory and was aphasiac, loss of speech. After return to father country, spending seven years on being in sick, he ended his life. The story of returning to Sookmyung by Cha Gil JinThe man named Kishikenji who comes of a decent family in Japan visited me (Cha Gil Jin) with a woman in October, 1999. She is the seventeenth generation of Dokugawa Iyeyas family. They ask me the way of how to Princess Masako become pregnant saying they researched about me for two years. I attached the condition, “If Princess Masako successes to be pregnant, please build a memorial tower on Geumgangsa in Nagano. Geumgangsa is the temple that soothes the departed Korean spirit who was sacrificed in construction site during World War II. “ The reason why I suggested this condition is that I thought Princess Masako didn’t conceive because of retribution for the deeds committed during World War II.Kishikenji nod approval about my condition. Cha Gil Jin believed Kishikenji kept promise so I performed a memorial service for the dead in Seoul. Two month later, the news about Princess Masako’s pregnancy. However, Kishikenji, exactly saying, Japanse royal household didn’t kept the promise. If Japan kept the promise, they could not be justified about their conduct in World War II. In result, Princess Masako had a miscarriage for not providing nutrition to a fetus.In 2000, this time a Japan’s archbishop invited me. A condition was changed. He said “To build memorial tower is so difficult, instead, we hold a memorial service for the drafted Korean victim.” In fact, I wanted to build memorial tower but the most important thing is Japan’s apology. I agreed this suggestion, and nest year Masako gave a birth baby. Instead of Tower, they performed the memorial service so instead of son, they had a daughter. In return for this event, Japan’s archbishop arranged meeting with government official. They presented Crown Prince Yeongchin’s album, clothes and so on for me as a mark of appreciation. It was very thankful event but I think I just keep these remains for a while. Sookmyung Universuty said, concerning this contribution “This contribution ceremony is meaningful in that Crown Prince Yeongchin’s remains are contributed to our school which founded by Chosun Royal House-hold. S.U.M possesses Sakyusam which is Ritual Coat for a Child and clothes of Lee Gu (1931-2005) who is the last royal grandchildren so this contribution has deep meaning.” Also, the president Cha said, “As sun finds her mother, Prince Yeongchin’s remains are returned to Sookmyung Women’s University which founds his mother, as he became in his mother’s arms, Sookmyung Women’s University also makes its influence as reputation royal university.” As the president Cha’s speech, Sookmyung’s further leap is expected in 2009 also.

On January 5, students from Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU), one of our sister schools, visited SMU to take part in the ‘Seoul Study Tour’ program, which went on for five days. On the first day, they met with SMU buddies and enjoyed a welcome dinner and party held in a restaurant. HKPU students attended lectures on Korean history, culture and language and appreciated a NANTA performance over a period of two days. In the lecture about language, they learned about Hangul and practiced basic Korean conversation. On the third day, they experienced cooking Korean food for three hours in a Korean cooking class instructed by the Korean Food Institute at SMU. After having made Bibimbab and Kimchi, they all had lunch together. Besides these programs which went on within SMU, there were also outdoor activities such as visiting the national folk museum and Kyongbok Palace accompanied by an English tour guide, as well as Dora Observatory in which people can see a city in North Korea and going to Everland in Yongin. One student said “It was so pleasant because SMU arranged an interesting program with the greatest care. The most impressive thing was the NANTA performance; I’ve never seen such an exciting and special performance.” Another student said “I remembered the experience of making Bibimbab. Unlike it looks, it was really hard and demanded many preparations to make, but it tastes spicy and delicious to me. I like Bibimbab, so in my country, I’ve eaten it several times.”

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