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The Korea Times

By Kwon Mee-yoo
For many Korean children, the careful rolling of kimbap (seaweed rice roll) or the aroma of sizzling kimchi pancakes isn’t just about food – it is a love language passed down through generations.
Now a growing collection of picture books in English is bringing these culinary traditions to life, inviting a broader group of young readers worldwide to explore the magic of Korean cuisine through colourful storytelling.
Whether it is a determined child mastering the art of making kimbap, a mischievous kid obsessed with kimchi or a birthday girl debating between seaweed soup and cupcakes, these stories prove that food is a bridge between cultures, a lesson in family heritage and a delicious adventure waiting to unfold.

Some of the newest releases spotlights popular Korean food such as kimbap and persimmons.
Who Made Gimbap? is written by Jimin Lee and illustrated by Song-i Kim, and tells the heartwarming story of Yuri, who adores her mother’s home-made kimbap and sets out to make it herself as a surprise.
With playful sibling dynamics and a relatable journey, the book captures the warmth of family traditions and the creativity that comes with food preparation.
Lee, a Korean-American author and translator raising bilingual children in the United States, found a gap in children’s literature when it came to stories that reflect Korean culture authentically.
Every Korean has their own memories or stories tied to kimbap and I want my kids to have those memories
Jimin Lee, author of Who Made Gimbap?
“As they grow older, they’ve started to wonder about Korean culture, which they don’t have enough exposure to,” Lee says in an email interview. “I wanted books my kids could truly relate to. That’s when I decided to write my own.”
The choice to centre the story around kimbap came from Lee’s own journey of rediscovering the dish.
“When I lived in Korea, I thought of kimbap as just a convenient, easy-to-eat dish. It wasn’t until I moved to the United States that I realised how much effort goes into making kimbap,” she says.
“As a mum, I’ve come to realise that making food for loved ones isn’t just about convenience or efficiency. Even though you can now buy kimbap at Costco here, it’s not the same as home-made kimbap.

“I believe every Korean has their own memories or stories tied to kimbap and I want my kids to have those memories, too, even though they’re growing up in the US. That’s why I sometimes pack kimbap for them on field trip days, just like my mum did for me when I was young.”
This book is part of Lee’s growing collection of Korean-English bilingual picture books that also includes I Love Pink and Grandma Lives in Korea.
“Recently, I published Today is Seollal: Korean New Year’s Day. This year, I’m planning to write two more books – one about bibimbap and another about [Korean Thanksgiving festival] Chuseok. I hope my books can help share Korean culture with the world,” Lee says.

Hannah Chung’s The Most Perfect Persimmon centres on Joo Hong, a young girl eagerly awaiting her grandmother’s visit, hoping to offer her a perfectly ripe persimmon.
“For my debut as an author-illustrator, I wanted to create a genuine and heartfelt story inspired by my experiences growing up in Korea and the US.
“I’m especially drawn to intergenerational stories because they are rich with history and traditions and explore how love and care are shared across generations in many ways,” Chung says.
“Sharing love through food is a powerful, unspoken language passed down through generations, and I wanted to capture that in my story.”


For Chung, persimmons – especially hongsi, the most ripened soft and juicy ones – have a special place in her heart because of her grandmother.
“Hongsis are mushy, wrinkled and juicy desserts. My favourite memory is enjoying them with her during Chuseok, the autumn harvest festival.
“A few years ago, I spent extended time in Korea with my grandmother, enjoying tea times, sharing stories and going on many walks. I realised how much I longed for such experiences,” she says.
“Joo Hong’s anticipation of seeing her grandmother with her persimmons mirrors those precious moments. I wanted readers to resonate with the emotions of waiting for a loved one who lives far away and feeling the need to present your most ‘perfect’ self because the stakes feel high.”
Beyond the persimmon itself, Chung thoughtfully wove Korean cultural details into the book.

“I added a magpie [kkachi in Korean] – my favourite Korean bird – that loves persimmons. Readers can spot a few Korean ceramics in the living room. In the spread where Grandma shares what hongsis are and their significance, the art shows generations of her family enjoying persimmons and the persimmon tree.
“Their fashion is inspired by everyday hanbok [traditional Korean dress]. I also included doljanchi, a traditional Korean first birthday celebration, for baby Joo Hong,” Chung explains.

Kimchi, one of Korea’s most iconic and essential foods, takes centre stage in several picture books, offering young readers a glimpse into its bold flavours, strong aroma and cultural implications.
While its spiciness and fermented nature may be familiar to some, these stories highlight its irreplaceable role on Korean tables and the traditions surrounding it.
Slippery, Spicy, Tingly: A Kimchi Mystery by Yangsook Choi blends humour with cultural tradition as young Keo watches his halmeoni, or grandmother, dig a hole in the backyard, leaving Keo to wonder what secret treasure might be down there.


Kimchi, Kimchi Every Day by Erica Kim takes a fun and lyrical approach, showcasing the many different ways to enjoy this staple of Korean cuisine – from pancakes to dumplings – using paper-cut illustrations.
Stinky Is My Kimchi! by M.K. Lee introduces a mischievous boy whose kimchi obsession fills the story with laughter and warmth, and notes how deeply food is tied to identity and self-confidence, with English and Korean-English bilingual editions available.
No Kimchi for Me! by Aram Kim presents a relatable story about Yoomi, a young girl determined to prove that she is not a baby by learning to enjoy this “stinky, spicy” dish.
Through humour, adventure and traditions, these tales transform kimchi from an unfamiliar dish into a symbol of love, resilience and cultural pride.
Korean food traditions tied to celebrations and milestones also appear in many picture books.
I hope my book encourages children to learn about different cultures
Erin Danielle Russell, author of picture book Seoul Food
Birthday Soup by Grace Seo Chang, with illustrations by Jaime Kim, celebrates miyeokguk, the nutritious seaweed soup Koreans consume on birthdays to honour mothers.
In the story, birthday girl Maia helps her mother prepare this special dish, while also embracing her multicultural background by combining miyeokguk with birthday cupcakes to create new birthday party treats.
The book also includes a miyeokguk recipe from restaurateur and chef David Chang of Momofuku fame, who is also the author’s husband.
Junghwa Park’s Wish Soup: A Celebration of Seollal introduces young readers to tteokguk, the rice cake soup traditionally eaten during the Lunar New Year holiday.
The story follows Sohee, a girl who is determined to eat as many bowls of tteokguk as possible to become an eonni, or big sister, only to learn that maturity is about more than age.
Other picture books explore how food connects people across different cultures through shared flavours and traditions.

Seoul Food by Erin Danielle Russell tells the story of Hana, who blends her black and Korean heritages by creating a dish that combines flavours from both cultures, namely kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) and Southern American gumbo. The book includes a recipe for Hana’s special kimchi gumbo, inviting readers to try it themselves.
Russell, who is black and married to a Korean husband, originally wrote the book as a love letter to her future child before becoming a mother. Now, as a parent to a son who shares Hana’s biracial heritage, the story holds even deeper personal meaning.
“I hope my book encourages children to learn about different cultures, and inspires multicultural children like my own to embrace their unique identities,” Russell says.
Kimchi or Bratwurst? by Wyatt Tuell follows Evanley, a spirited half-Korean, half-German girl who faces a mealtime dilemma – should she choose kimchi, a nod to her father’s Korean roots, or bratwurst, a beloved dish from her mother’s German heritage.
As she explores the history and flavours of both dishes, she realises that her identity is not about picking one over the other but rather embracing the richness of both.
Read the original story at The Korea Times.


From kimchi to kimbap, Korean food culture gets exposure in English-language picture books

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Books and literature

The cover of Who Made Gimbap? by Jimin Lee, one of many English-language picture books promoting Korean food to a global audience. Photo: courtesy of Moonlight Books

Jimin Lee wrote Who Made Gimbap? after realising there was a dearth of authentic Korean cultural representation in children’s literature. Photo: Jimin Lee

A page from Who Made Gimbap? Author Lee says it wasn’t until moving to the US from Korea that she realised how much effort goes into making the dish. Photo: courtesy of Moonlight Books

Hannah Chung, author-illustrator of The Most Perfect Persimmon. Photo: Hannah Chung

The cover of Chung’s book. Photo: courtesy of Astra Young Readers

Chung says she wanted to create “a genuine and heartfelt story” based on her own childhood experiences. Photo: courtesy of Astra Young Readers

Chung features the magpie, her “favourite Korean bird”, in her book. Photo: courtesy of Hannah Chung

Yangsook Choi, author of the Slippery, Spicy, Tingly: A Kimchi Mystery. Photo: Yangsook Choi

The cover of Choi’s book. Photo: courtesy of Carolrhoda Books

The cover of Kimchi, Kimchi Every Day by Erica Kim. Photo: courtesy of Soaring Kite Books

In Birthday Soup, author Grace Seo Chang celebrates miyeokguk, a seaweed soup Koreans consume to honour mothers. Photo: courtesy of Viking Books for Young Readers

From Japan to India and the West, food of temples and monasteries inspires recipe book

A Buddhist vegetarian dish at Japan’s Eihei-ji temple, one of the sacred spaces that inspred the recipes in Jody Eddy’s cookbook Elysian Kitchens. Photo: Kristin Teig

Eddy arrived at Eihei-ji in the depths of winter, which she says was like a fairy tale. Photo: Kristin Teig

Monks in prayer at Eihei-ji, in Japan’s Fukui prefecture. Photo: Kristin Teig

Eihei-ji’s tenzo cooks cabbage for a traditional Buddhist vegetarian dish. Photo: Kristin Teig

Crockery at Eihei-ji. Photo: Kristin Teig

Monks at Thikse Monastery, 3,600 metres up on the Tibetan Plateau in Ladakh, India. Photo: Kristin Teig

A monk opens gates at the Thikse Monastery. Photo: Kristin Teig

Processed apricots at Thikse Monastery in Ladakh, India. Photo: Kristin Teig

Monks enjoy refreshments at Thikse Monastery. Photo: Kristin Teig

A meal at the Maronite Catholic Monastery of Saint Anthony of Qozhaya, in Lebanon’s Qadisha Valley. Photo: Kristin Teig

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Cacio e pepe udon is a dish Chinese-Australian cookbook author Hetty Lui McKinnon grew up on. She is one of many diaspora food writers who express themselves in dishes fusing Eastern and Western flavours and techniques. Photo: Hetty Lui McKinnon

Chinese-American chef Jon Kung, who has a recipe for almond boneless chicken in his cookbook Kung Food. Photo: Johnny Miller

The cover of Kung’s cookbook. Photo: Clarkson Potter

Chinese-Australian cookbook author Hetty Lui McKinnon is at the centre of modern Chinese diasporic cooking. Photo: Arthur Street Kitchen

The cover of McKinnon’s cookbook. Photo: Prestel

Pang (right) with his son and co-author Jeffrey. Pang says food was the “lingua franca” through which he and his parents could communicate without arguing. Photo: Kevin White

The cover of Clarissa Wei’s Made In Taiwan. Photo: courtesy of Clarissa Wei

The cover of Kevin and Jeffrey Pang’s A Very Chinese Cookbook. Photo: America’s Test Kitchen

McKinnon’s fried rice arancini, as featured in her cookbook To Asia, With Love. Photo: Hetty Lui McKinnon

McKinnon’s cacio e pepe udon. Photo: Hetty Lui McKinnon. Photo: Hetty Lui McKinnon

McKinnon’s sheet pan noodles. Photo: Hetty Lui McKinnon

McKinnon’s soy sauce brownies. Photo: Hetty Lui McKinnon

In Art in Hong Kong, Enid Tsui gives brisk account of city’s cultural power and challenges

The M+ museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District is a recent addition to the infrastructure built in recent decades to support artists in Hong Kong. Photo: AFP

Enid Tsui, arts editor of the South China Morning Post and author of Art in Hong Kong. Photo: Antony Dickson

The cover of Tsui’s book.

Hong Kong artist Jaffa Lam. Photo: K. Y.

Artwork Trolley Party by Jaffa Lam on display at Art Basel Hong Kong 2023. Photo: Elson Li

Landscape Behind the Door (2022) by Jaffa Lam. Photo: 10 Chancery Lane Gallery

‘Mysterious’ fish that’s famous in Fukuoka, and why it is sumo wrestlers’ food of choice

Fukuoka chef Kazutaka Hagiwara prepares longtooth grouper. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Ingredients for “chanko nabe” or sumo wrestler’s stew, including longtooth grouper, a fish Japanese call kue which is a speciality of the southern city of Fukuoka. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Kazutaka Hagiwara, chef de cuisine of sushi restaurant Tomozuna on the top floor of the Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk, gets to work on a longtooth grouper in its kitchen. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Hitoshi Hirokawa, executive director of Fukuoka’s Nagahama Fish Market, calls longtooth grouper “the most famous fish in Fukuoka”. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

The sharp teeth of the longtooth grouper make it difficult for sushi chefs to handle. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Dishes prepared using the flesh of the longtooth grouper fish, including sashimi (front). Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

A longtooth grouper at the seafood market in Fukuoka. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Longtooth grouper stew. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Lifestyle

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Books

Through colourful books filled with memories, authors and illustrators are showing the joy of Korean food to young readers everywhere


Through colourful books filled with memories, authors and illustrators are showing the joy of Korean food to young readers everywhere.


South Korea

Food and Drinks

Korea Times