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Korean Culture as Portrayed in Young Children’s Picture Books: The Pursuit of Cultural Authenticity

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Abstract

The purpose of the present study is to investigate how contemporary Korea and its culture are portrayed in children’s picture books published in the United States. Our analysis of the representation of Korean culture in text and illustrations was based on a sample of 33 picture books written in English and published in the US between 1990 and 2012. The findings revealed that (1) the nation of Korea was usually described with short sentences focusing on the country’s foreignness and with outdated content and illustrations; (2) Koreans and their culture were primarily presented at the surface level and differences were highlighted by being contrasted with western culture; (3) traditional aspects of Korean culture and the admixing of Korean culture with other Asian cultures were often ascribed to contemporary Korean culture; and (4) books that covered topics on immigration and acculturation commonly included identity-related conflicts the characters faced, in the dichotomous context of keeping one’s original culture or conforming to the new culture. Based on these findings, there is a pressing need for authors and illustrators of children’s books, when introducing a foreign culture, to depict realistic stories and illustrations that reflect current ideology, customs, and everyday life. In order to create high-quality and authentic multicultural literature, it is vitally important to incorporate a deeper understanding of cultural values and diverse viewpoints that are developmentally appropriate for young readers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral Sciences, Purdue University Calumet, 2200 169th Street, Hammond, IN, 46323, USA

    Su-Jeong Wee

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Development, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave. SCI 392, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA

    Soyeon Park

  3. Sunny J. Choi Illustration, 217 18th Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94121, USA

    Joung Sun Choi

Authors
  1. Su-Jeong Wee
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  2. Soyeon Park
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  3. Joung Sun Choi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Soyeon Park.

Additional information

Su-Jeong Wee is an Assistant Professor in early childhood development program in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at Purdue University Calumet. Her research fields are multicultural education in early childhood, cross-cultural study, and teacher education.

Soyeon Park is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Development at San Francisco State University. Her areas of research interest are in cultural and contextual influences on early childhood, emphasizing issues related to parenting and early care and education.

Joung Sun Choi is a children’s book illustrator who recently graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco with an MFA in illustration. Her clients in Korea include Samsung and Dong-A Daily News. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

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Wee, SJ., Park, S. & Choi, J.S. Korean Culture as Portrayed in Young Children’s Picture Books: The Pursuit of Cultural Authenticity. Child Lit Educ 46, 70–87 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10583-014-9224-0

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