Korean Culture

Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from. But while Unhei practices being a Suzy, Laura, or Amanda, one of her classmates comes to her neighborhood and discovers her real name and its special meaning. On the day of her name choosing, the name jar has mysteriously disappeared. Encouraged by her new friends, Unhei chooses her own Korean name and helps everyone pronounce it—Yoon-Hey.

A Korean American girl celebrates food and family in this cheerful board book about cooking a special meal by Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park. In bouncy rhyming text, an excited and hungry child tells about helping her mother make bee-bim bop: shopping, preparing ingredients, setting the table, and finally sitting down with her family to enjoy a favorite meal. The energy and enthusiasm of the young narrator are conveyed in the whimsical illustrations, which bring details from the artist’s childhood in Korea to his depiction of a modern Korean American family.

“. . . features two young Korean American siblings who take a trip through a magical portal into a land filled with characters from old Korean fables. . . Kim is making a statement about the loss of culture among children of immigrants while also writing a book that returns some of that to them.” —Jay Caspian King, The New York Times Beautifully illustrated and told by debut author Julie Kim, this authentic voices picture book in graphic-novel style follows a young Korean girl and boy whose search for their missing grandmother leads them into a world inspired by Korean folklore, complete with mischievous goblins (dokkebi), a greedy tiger, a clever rabbit, and a wily fox. Two young children pay a visit to Halmoni (grandmother in Korean), only to discover she's not home. As they search for her, noticing animal tracks covering the floor, they discover a window, slightly ajar, new to their grandmother's home. Their curiosity gets the best of them, and they crawl through and discover an unfamiliar fantastical world, and their adventure begins. As they continue to search for their grandmother and solve the mystery of the tracks, they go deeper into a world of Korean folklore, meeting a number of characters who speak in Korean along the way, and learn more about their cultural heritage. This beautifully illustrated graphic picture book is filled with a number of Easter eggs for readers of all ages to discover, and is inspired by the Korean folktales that author and illustrator Julie Kim heard while growing up. Translations to Korean text in the story and more about the folktale-inspired characters are included at the end.

Yoona's Brave Adventure in Korea: A Bilingual Children's Book Fostering Curiosity and Language Learning! Join Yoona on an exhilarating journey to Korea in "My First Trip to Korea"! This beautifully written children's book, designed for ages 4-7, follows Yoona as she learns the value of embracing the unknown and trying new experiences. With endearing characters and captivating storytelling, "My First Trip to Korea" introduces basic Chinese vocabulary and phrases, making language learning an enjoyable adventure. The vibrant illustrations immerse young readers in Yoona's brave escapades, sparking their curiosity about the unfamiliar world.

From Korean American author-illustrator Aram Kim, Tomorrow is New Year's Day follows a little girl sharing the fun customs of Seollal―the Korean Lunar New Year―with her classmates. Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, is Mina’s favorite day of the year. Mina can't wait to share the customs of Seollal with all of her friends at school. She will show her classmates her colorful hanbok, demonstrate how to do sebae, and then everyone will make tasty tteokguk in the cooking room. Yum! Her little brother may even join in on the fun… if he can find a way out of his bad mood. In this joyful book about sharing age-old cultural celebrations with new friends, Aram Kim has created a must-have book for the New Year’s season. A glossary of Korean terms, with pronunciation guide, is included.

A cinematic journey through the Seoul subway that masterfully portrays the many unique lives we travel alongside whenever we take the train. A poetic translation of the bestselling Korean picture book. Accompanied by the constant, rumbling ba-dum ba-dum of its passage through the city, the subway has stories to tell. Between sunrise and sunset, it welcomes and farewells people, and holds them―along with their joys, hopes, fears, and memories―in its embrace. Originally published in Korean and brought to English-speaking audiences with the help of renowned translator Deborah Smith (The Vegetarian), I Am the Subway vividly reflects the shared humanity that can be found in crowded metropolitan cities.

My First Korean Words Series (나의 첫 한국어 단어 시리즈) is a collection of board books in Korean, English, and phonetic Korean that covers early everyday concepts for children. The board book features professional translations and durable pages for little hands, allowing even the youngest of readers to access bilingual learning during their sensitive period for language development. The curated selection of beautiful photographs are inspired by child development research that real pictures help support language development. The books provide families with a beautiful presentation of over 300 everyday words that children can enjoy from their baby years and beyond. Books included in the Series: My First 100 Korean Words (나의 첫 100 한국어 단어들) My First Korean Alphabet (나의 첫 한글책) My First Korean Numbers, Colors, and Shapes (나의 첫 한국어 숫자, 색깔, 도형)

Whether round and crunchy like a kimchi pancake or pinched and plump like a kimchi dumpling, there are so many ways to enjoy this Korean traditional dish. Explore the different ways to eat kimchi in this fun, rhyming tale that also teaches the days of the week. Korean-American author-illustrator Erica Kim shares her pride in her delicious cultural food through her cut paper art technique. The Hanji paper that is used to illustrate the book comes from a paper mulberry tree native to Korea. This beautiful reflection of culture will inspire children to take pride in their cultural foods, too. A Bookstagang Best Read Aloud Book of 2022!

English Korean Bilingual Children's Book. Perfect for kids learning English or Korean as their second language. This heartwarming children's tale revolves around Yuri, a seven-year-old with an insatiable love for gimbap, her favorite Korean dish. Yuri's mom is the designated gimbap expert in their household, but when a special occasion arises, Yuri takes it upon herself to create the perfect gimbap surprise for her mom. As Yuri tackles the challenges of gimbap preparation, she discovers that making this beloved dish is not as easy as her mom makes it seem. With a dash of humor and a sprinkle of sibling silliness, Yuri and her brother navigate the kitchen, turning it into a playground of imagination. Will Yuri succeed in creating a gimbap masterpiece that can rival her mom's culinary magic? The answer lies in the joyous and heartwarming moments shared between family members. Who Made Gimbap? is a charming tale that celebrates the love, laughter, and surprises that unfold in the kitchen. This enchanting story is perfect for young readers and families alike, offering a delightful blend of cultural exploration, creativity, and the warmth of togetherness. Discover the magic of homemade gimbap and the special bonds that make every kitchen adventure unforgettable.

English Korean Bilingual Children's Book. Perfect for kids learning English or Korean as their second language. Celebrate the beauty of being yourself and find your unique color! Do you love pink? I do. Jiho loves pink too. He thinks it's super cool. However, not everyone agrees, and that hurts his feelings. Then, one day, Grandpa comes all the way from South Korea and shares his little secret. Can you imagine what happens after Jiho hears Grandpa's little secret? Told through the eyes of a child, I LOVE PINK exposes the anxieties and joys of being yourself. This heartwarming story shows how challenging and exciting it can be to maintain one's own color, filled with small conflicts and lots of love.

Written and illustrated for 5- to 7-year-olds, this book celebrates grandmas, superheroes without whom none of us would exist, and the cultural traditions they bear that unify and nourish families across space and time. The millennia-old Korean New Year's tradition exemplifies the universal importance of multi-generational family and of immigrant origins.