by Yoo Kyung Sung, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
This December I want to, literally, take you to a different world of words — more specifically, a world of words in South Korea. Lately, Korean picture books have gotten worldwide attention due to their noticeable growth and uniqueness in styles. (From now on ‘Korea’ refers to South Korea in this post). Publishers, like Kane and Miller, have translated and published large numbers of picture books from Korea. The global attention and recent popularity of Korean picture books has triggered domestic scrambles among publishers in Korea to produce high quality picture books. In the last five years, a number of new book awards have been created. This new movement focuses on encouraging the development of new writers and illustrators by recognizing, through awards, young potential authors and illustrators.
These changes have improved the richness and diversity of children’s literature in genre, illustrations, themes, narratives, etc. As a result, not only picture book publishers, but publishers and authors of chapter books and young adult novels have taken the opportunity to rethink and reevaluate their craft and industry. One of the new powerful themes found in chapter books are the young voices set within Korea’s tragic past. These voices reflect Korea’s unique socio-political journeys, mirroring its national identity portrayed in not only the past, but in the present and future. This is especially meaningful for the growth of children’s literature in Korea.
Following a general introduction on the importance of Korean picture books as global literature, I will share my observations about books set in one of Korea’s darkest historical eras. In the past, historical fiction has been more common in adult fiction while biography has served to fill the niche of children’s historical fiction. New trends have emerged in children’s literature — for both picture books and chapter books. These center around the theme of voices stolen during the WWII Japanese colonization when parents saw their children taken away to serve in the name of Japan, rather than their mother nation Korea.
In the next four weeks, December’s WOW Currents will:
- 1) Discuss Korean Picture Books in the World.
- 2) Highlight the Collaborative International Picture Book Project, 평화그림책 [Peace Picture Books] by Korea, China, and Japan.
- 3) Explore the consequences of the Japanese colonization of Korea during WWII.
- 4) Address the question of “How did you end up living there?” — Voices from Korean diasporas in the past and present involving China, France, and Japan.
Korean Picture Books and Global Recognition
The history of Korean picture books started in the early 1980s, but the actual development of picture books and children’s literature began in earnest in the mid-1990s. Numerous new journals focusing on picture books are indicative of the recent change in Korean picture books (Hyun & Kim, 2005). The Korean book market is now ranked the 10th largest in the world with 40,000 new titles published each year. At the 2009 Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Korea showcased their diverse publishing skills and cultural uniqueness under the theme of “Round and Round in a Circle.” As the number of new illustrators and authors grow, new styles of picture books have been produced and the quality of Korean picture books has received global recognition. Raabe (2009) states, “Recent years have witnessed an impressive comeback of Korean illustration that has aroused attention on both the national and international level.”
The growth of picture books widened its contents and genres. For instance, poetry picture books have revisited different types of poetic expression, such as labor songs and traditional songs, as well as contemporary children’s poems. Nonfiction picture books that promote their accessibility through their resemblance to fiction is new. A solid foundation has been constructed for the further growth Korean of picture books. While traditional fantasy stories are still the most dominant genre that young readers experience in picture books, recent extensions into other genres seems to promise more prosperity for Korean children’s literature.
Next week, I will introduce 꽃할머니 [flower granny] by Kown Yoon-Duck as a significant milestone of giving life to stolen, youthful voices.
Journey through Worlds of Words during our open reading hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To view our complete offerings of WOW Currents, please visit archival stream.
- Themes: historical fiction, Korean Children's Literature, Yoo Kyung Sung
- Descriptors: Books & Resources, Debates & Trends, WOW Currents
In 1980s to early 1990s, there were only 6 Korean picture books dealing with the history of Korea and folktale available in Japan. But recently, a growing number of Korean picture books, approximately 50, has been translated into Japanese and published throughout Japan. The stories are about not only traditional folktales but also people’s contemporary lives in Korea such as children’s school experiences. I think this is very interesting movement in children’s literature in Japan.