Korean cuisine's ‘unspoken language' shared with world via picture books
Published: 9:45am, 19 Feb 2025
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. Jimin Lee wrote Who Made Gimbap? after realising there was a dearth of authentic Korean cultural representation in children's literature. Photo: Jimin Lee
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.
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