LogFAQs > #975182008

They used to write Korean in a mix of Chinese characters and Hangul (a really simple to learn alphabet broke into syllabic blocks). But the Chinese characters were only used for Chinese loanwords and usually only had one correct reading. I think it was a really awesome writing system. Sadly the government abandoned it in the 70s as part of an ethnic nationalist effort to remove any elements of Chinese, Japanese, other foreign influence. This also led to replacing a number of loanwords with native Korean words. I think it's too bad about the Chinese characters, but it does seem to get by fine without them.

So Japanese probably could be written in nothing but kana, I mean that's how kid's books are. But man I wouldn't want it to be. Don't take my Chinese characters away, they're like children to me.