Black Koreans in Korean

children’s literature A study of Won You Soon’s book “Please find Chartlon Sunja Kim”

Gina Alexandra Harrysson Kimaryo

Department of Asian, Middle Eastern and Turkish Studies

Stockholm University

Bachelor’s thesis in Korean Studies, 15 hp

Spring 2016

Supervisor: Sonja Häussler

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Abstract

keywords:multiculturalism,multiculturalliterature,Korea,blackKorean

ThepurposeofthisstudyistodepictandexaminetheperceptionofblackKoreansinSouth

Korean children’s literature. This study examines my research questions through four

theoretical frameworks:“cultureand identity”,“post-colonialism,nationalismandracism”,

“blacknessandblackKoreans’portrayal inKoreanmedia”and“multiculturalism inKorea”.

My study raises thequestionhowmulticultural literature canhelpor not promote anew

perceptionofothernessinSouthKorea.

Themethodusedforthisstudyisqualitativetextanalysis.Theprimarysourceofinformation

isaclose-readingofWonYouSoon’sbook“PleasefindCharltonSunjaKim”andinterviews

withtheauthorofthisbook.Thefindingsshowthattherearestillsomestereotypesabout

blackKoreansandblackness thatprevail inSouthKoreansocietyandcanstillbe found in

recentliteraryworks.

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Acknowledgements

IwouldliketothankWonYouSoonwhosentmeherbookPleasefindCharlton-SunjaKim

whenIexpressedinteresttoanalyzeit.ThebookwashardtoacquirebutwithherhelpIwas

abletogetitwithinafewweeks.Iwouldalsoliketothankherfortheinterviews.

Furthermore,IwouldliketothankmysupervisorSonjaHäusslerwhoprovidedmeguidance

whenIwasnotsureinwhatdirectiontolook.Sheprovidedmewithalotofusefulmaterials

andinsightsintonewaspectsthatIhadnotconsidered.

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TABLEOFCONTENTS

1. Introduction.....................................................................................................51.1 Background................................................................................................................................51.2 Aimofstudy...............................................................................................................................71.3 Researchquestions....................................................................................................................7

2. Method.............................................................................................................82.1 Methodologicalapproach.........................................................................................................82.2 Criteriaforbookanalysis...........................................................................................................82.3 Interviews..................................................................................................................................92.4 Validityofresearch....................................................................................................................92.5 Translations.............................................................................................................................102.6 Transcriptions..........................................................................................................................102.7 Personalideologyandbias......................................................................................................112.8 Limitations...............................................................................................................................11

3. Researchliteraturereviewandtheoreticalframeworks...........................113.1 Cultureandidentity.................................................................................................................113.2 Post-colonialism,nationalismandracism..............................................................................123.3 BlacknessandblackKoreans’portrayalinKoreanmedia......................................................163.4 MulticulturalisminKorea........................................................................................................19

4. Bookanalysis.................................................................................................204.1 Authorandherpublications...................................................................................................214.2 Bookanalysis...........................................................................................................................22

4.2.1Generalcontents.....................................................................................................................224.2.2DiverserepresentationofblackKoreans................................................................................244.2.3Qualitymulticulturalliteratureanalysis................................................................................274.2.4Misrepresentations.................................................................................................................28

4.3 Commentsontheartisticmedium..........................................................................................304.4 Commentsontheintendedaudience.....................................................................................314.5 Results......................................................................................................................................32

5. Summaryandimplications...........................................................................355.1 Conclusionandsummaryofstudy..........................................................................................355.2 Suggestionsforfuturestudies.................................................................................................36REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................37

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1. Introduction1.1 BackgroundAstheworldbecomesmoreinterconnected,thenotionofthenation-state,whichconsistsof

peoplewhosharethesameethnicity,beliefs,andculture, isexpectedtodisappear(Hong,

2010: 387). For a long time, South Korea has been known for being one of the most

homogenouscountriesintheworldintermsoflanguage,ethnicityandculture.Koreanshave

maintainedtheviewthattheyareahomogenoussociety.

However,asKoreahasbecomemoremodernizedithasalsobecomeamorepopularcountry

tomoveto.Thecountry isnowexposedtoyearly increasesof foreignerssettlingdown in

SouthKorea,someforworkpurposesandothersfore.g.studyormarriage.Theincreasing

numberofimmigrantshassincethengivenrisetonewsocialissuessuchassocialinequality

expansionandracialdiscrimination(Park,2014:62).

MigrantworkerswhocometoSouthKoreaforworkconstituteoneofthegroupsthatreceive

alotofmistreatmentanddiscrimination.Inapoem,titled“Whatareforeigners?”,oneforeign

workerexpressedthediscriminationthatmigrantworkersexperienceintryingtomakealife

inSouthKorea(ChungandYim,2012).Inonesentence,itreads:“fornotbeingabletospeak,

forhavingskinthat’sadifferentcolor,whycan’tforeignersbemigrantworkers?Whatare

foreigners?”.

ThenotionofKoreabeingone‘bloodcommunity’wasrationalizedbynationalisthistorians

alreadyduringtheJapanesecolonizationofKorea(Park,2014:37).Theconceptisknownas

minjok,whichusedtobethecommonwordof ‘people’but inthattimethewordbecame

equivalenttoa‘family’,whichcandrawalinebetween‘we’and‘others’.Itputsemphasison

a ‘groupbasedonhomogeneousdescent’anda ‘groupsharingcommonterritory,culture,

language,historyandfate’(Ibid.).Inacountrywheretheemphasisonthe‘purityofblood’is

sostrong,howwillSouthKoreamanagenewchallengesofsocialchangesi.e.theconceptof

multiculturalism?Also,whatisfurtherstressedinthepoem,howdoKoreanslookonKoreans

whomaynotlookKorean(e.g.thebiracialpopulation).

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In2008itwasestimatedthat19.000biracialchildrenwereenrolledinKoreanschools.Inan

attempt to solve the issues of racial discrimination, schools have tried to implement

multiculturaleducation.Themulticulturaleducation inSouthKoreahasbeensubjected to

much critic as it is not inclusive of all children but it targets only those childrenwho are

perceiveddifferentlyfrom“ordinary”Koreans(Kang,2010:294).Thusitsignalsastigmathat

“wearedifferentfromyou”.Multiculturaleducationisaimedtohelpchildrenidentifywith

their own culture; it exposes children to other cultures and opens the dialogue on issues

regardingdiversity(Harper&Brand,2010:225).Knowledgeandunderstandingisoneofthe

foundations for social change, which is the ultimate goal of multicultural education.

Multiculturalliteraturecancontributetothatknowledge(Bishop,1997).

The selection of quality multicultural literature should be done on the basis of author’s

“cultural consciousness”. The issuewas first brought up byHarris (1996). Shemeant that

works of culturally conscious literature “provide exceptional aesthetic experiences; they

entertain,educate,andinform;andtheyengenderracialpride”.Therearetwoperspectives

ofwhichmulticulturalliteraturecanbeproduced.Aninsideperspectiveisonethatportraysa

culturalgroupismadefromtheviewofonewhoisamemberofthegroup(Yokota,1993).An

outsideperspectiveistheopposite,wheretheportrayalofaculturalgroupfromtheviewof

someonewhoisnotamemberofthegroup.Thelattergivestheviewofhowothersperceive

theparticulargroup’sbeliefsandbehaviorsandisoftentimesnotasaccurateastheformer.

Many scholars argue that authors who write from an outside perspective often misses

nuanceswhichwouldnotbemissedifwrittenbyapersonfromtheculture(Bishop,1997).

However,therearesomeauthorsthathavebeenrecognizedfortheirmulticulturalliterature,

despitenotbeingfromtheculturethemselves.Inthesameway,itisnotalwaysthatbeing

bornintoaculturalheritageenvironmentgivesonetheexpertisetowriteaboutit(e.g.ifone

hasessentiallylivedoutsidethatculture).Thequestionsthatthisbackgroundbringforthis:

§ Cansomeonefromanethnicallyhomogeneouscountryportrayanaccuratepictureofa

minoritygrouplivinginthesamecountry?

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Thisquestionisquitebroadsoinordertomakethediscussionmoremanageable,thescope

ofthisresearchhasbeenlimitedtotheminoritygroup“blackKoreans”livinginSouthKorea.

Theterm“BlackKoreans”referstoblackmixed-bloodpeopleborn,raisedandlivinginKorea

who were never culturally and socially regarded as Koreans until 1997 when they were

entitledtofullKoreancitizenship(Kang,2015).Thisleadsustothesecondquestion:

§ HastheviewonblackKoreanschangedinliteratureovertime?

Tocircumvent theexistingprejudice towardmixedbloodpeopleasnon-Koreannationals,

whichassumes'thepurityofblood'oftheKoreannation,hereafterIwillusethetermBlack

Koreansorbiracialinsteadof'mixedblood'todenotepeopleofdifferentskin-color.

1.2 Aimofstudy

ThepurposeofthisstudyistoseeiftheavailableliteratureonthetopicofblackKoreansgives

abalancedandfairrepresentationoftheminoritygroup.Ihopetofindpossibleevidenceof

therepresentationofblackKoreansinKoreanliteratureandseehowmulticulturalliterature

canhelppromoteanewunderstandingofothernessinSouthKorea.

Thisthesisaimstoquestionthecommonbeliefthatonlypeoplefromaspecificethnicitycan

write about a culture. It will review one author’s level of ‘cultural consciousness’ upon

analyzing a work of multicultural literature in South Korea. Thus this study aspires to

contributetoabetterunderstandingoftherecentphenomenaofmulticulturalliteraturein

SouthKoreaandhowitisperceivedinthesociety.

1.3 ResearchquestionsInthechapteraboutthebackgroundofthisstudythereweretwoquestionspresented.These

twoquestionswillserveasthecoreofthisstudy.Thequestionsareasfollowing:

§ Cansomeonefromanethnicallyhomogeneouscountryportrayanaccuratepictureofa

minoritygrouplivinginthesamecountry?

§ HastheviewofblackKoreanschangedinliteratureovertime?

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Furthermore,throughadetailedreviewofpreviousresearchliterature,Iseektounderstand

how past experiences have shaped and influenced the way the Korean society views

multiculturalisminthepresent.

2. Method

2.1 Methodologicalapproach

Thisthesistacklesthequestionofhowminoritygroupshavebeenperceivedinliteraryworks

inrecentyears(inparticularblackKoreaninKoreanliteraryworks).Becauseofthenoveltyof

multiculturalliteratureinSouthKoreathisisanunexploredresearchareawithnotmuchprior

researchonit.Inordertofullyexploretheresearchareathisthesiswillapplyanexploratory

researchdesignandbeofaqualitativenature.Thequalitativeresearchapproachservesthe

purpose of creating a deeper understanding of how concepts should be perceived and

discussed(Ghauri&Grønhaug,2010).

TheepistemologicalresearchtraditionIfollowisinterpretivismandcriticalrealism.Thesetwo

aremostcommonlyusedinqualitativeresearch.Theaimistograspindividualandunique

truthswithanemphasisonunderstanding.Todothis,Iwillconductinterviewswiththeauthor

ofoneKoreanchildren’smulticulturalliteraryworkfollowedbyaclose-readingoftheauthor’s

fictional work. The findings in the literary work will be contextualized with the author’s

answers in the interviews. Due to the restrictions of the study the results will therefore

showcaseacontextualizedandlimitedreality.

2.2 CriteriaforbookanalysisThebookwillbeanalyzedfromthecriteriaofitsauthenticityasmulticulturalliterature.Harris

(1996) argues that quality multicultural books should be written by “cultural conscious”

authors.Shemeansthattheliteratureshouldpresentaculturalexperienceinculturallyand

historically authentic ways. The criteria range of sources informing the selection of

multiculturalliteratureandincludethefollowingelements:

(1) Thetextandillustrationsusehistoricalinformationanddevelopsettingsaccurately

(2) Theauthorportrayscharacterspositively

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(3) Thetextandpicturesaffirmdiversitywithinaculturalgroup

(4) Thestoryintegratesculturalcontentandeventsnaturally

(5) Theauthorportraysindividualsandcommunitiesauthentically

(6) Theworkresistsstereotypingorromanticizingtheexperiencesofminorities

(Ching,2005:129)

However,asscholarsstress, it isnotto forgetthatreading literature,especially fiction,no

matterwhatculture itreflects,oughttobeanaestheticexperience(Bishop,1997;Yokota,

1993;Harris,1996).Thus,criteriashouldbethesameaswhenreadingchildren’sliteraturein

general.Literaryelementssuchasplot,characterization,setting,theme,andpointofview

mustbe interwoven to createa convincing story inanage-appropriatemanner (Harper&

Brand,2010:225)andhencewillalsobeconsideredwhenreviewingthebook.

2.3 InterviewsOne semi-structured interview was conducted with the author of the book. The semi-

structuredinterviewallowedtheauthortospeakmorefreelyandallowedmetoaskfollow-

up questions, add or remove questions throughout the interview (Yin, 1994). A second

interview was conducted through email exchanges. The reasons for choosing to collect

interviewanswersasaprimarysourcewere(1)tocomparetherealityoftheauthor’sreality

tomyownobservations,(2)toestablishtheintentionoftheauthorwritingaboutthetopic

and(3)toprovidevaliditytomyresearch.

2.4 ValidityofresearchToensuretheauthenticityandvalidityofthisresearchtheinterviewshavebeentranscribed

andsenttotheauthor forapproval. Inordertominimalizepersonalbiasand increasethe

credibilityofthestudy,relevantpreviousresearchliteratureonthetopicsofmulticulturalism

in South Korean literary works and media will be carefully reviewed. Using multiple

approaches to the data collection can giveme the advantage of triangulationwhich also

increasesthevalidityoftheresearch.

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Asnuancesintranslationcanaffectthewaysomeoneinterpretsatext,allKoreantranslations

willbereviewedandacceptedbymysupervisor.Inordertoguaranteevalidity,theKorean

sentencesarealsoaddedinthethesis.

2.5 TranslationsWhentranslatingsensitivetopics(e.g.race),Kim-Russell(2015)arguesthatonhastobarein

mind that translations are done for a readership that has its own history and set of

expectations regarding the use of language, sensitivity, and authenticity. She poses the

question whether translators have a responsibility to address depictions that may be

stereotypicalorproblematic(Ibid.).

The fundamentalquestionbehindtranslation, though, iswhether topreserve theauthor’s

wordchoiceasaccuratelyaspossible,ortoadaptthetexttothesensitivitiesofthetarget

readership(Kim-Russel,2015).Whendealingwithliteraturethatismeanttobeproblematic,

arepresentationofahistoricalmomentoraprevailingsentimentofthesociety,thenitmakes

moresensetoproceedwiththeformer(Ibid.).Followingthisargument,thetranslationswill

preserve the authenticity in the author’s word choices. As multicultural literature should

provideanauthenticandtruthfuldepictionofthelivesofanotherculturalgroup,itisinaccord

withthisprincipleofauthenticitytoreviewtheliteratureinregardstolanguageusageaswell.

2.6 TranscriptionsThetranscriptioninthisthesiswillfollowtheMcCune-Reischauersystem,whichisoneofthe

twomostcommonlyusedsystemstotranscribeKoreanintoEnglishscript.Exceptionswillbe

madeforwidelyknownKoreanpersonssuchashigh-rankingpoliticianswhoarefrequently

mentionedinEnglishpublicationsandmedia.ThoseKoreanauthorswhohavewrittentheir

names inEnglish languagepublications inadifferentromanizationsystem,willbecitedas

theirnamesappear in thepublication.Forconsistency,WonYouSoon’snamewillalsobe

given not in the McCune-Reischauer system, but according to the Arts Council Korea

publicationabouther.

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2.7 PersonalideologyandbiasIamfullyawareofthefactthatpersonalbiasesmaybegeneratedbasedonlifeexperiences.

Family,education,socialnorm,culturalvalues,anddiasporaexperiencesmayconstructthese

biases(Sung,2009).Asapersonbornofmixedrace(AfricanandEuropeanorigin)questions

regardingracialidentityandmulticulturalismareintimatelyfamiliartome.Myexperiences,

socialidentityandculturalvaluesmaythereforeaffectthewayIviewparticularquestionsand

mayinfluencethestatementsImakeinthispaper.

2.8 Limitations

Duetoconstraintsoftimeanddistance,Iwasnotabletoconductmorethantwointerviews

withtheauthorofthebook.Naturallythiscannotberegardedtobesufficientenoughfor

gaininga fair impressionofahuman’s lineof thoughts tomakeany final statements. The

Koreanauthor,WonYouSoon,haswrittenahandfulof children’sbooks that fall into the

categoryofmulticulturalliteraturebutasthestudyofthemwouldgofarbeyondthescopeof

thisstudy,theyhavenotbeenmentionedinthisthesis.Itwouldbeworthtoexaminethese

booksinfutureresearchworks,inordertogetafairerdepictionofhowethnicallyKoreans

describethelifeofminoritygroupsinSouthKoreainchildren’sliterature.

3. Researchliteraturereviewandtheoreticalframeworks

3.1 CultureandidentityThetermculturehasbeendefinedinmultiplewaysbydifferentscholars.Themeaningofthe

concept varies depending on different disciplines and contexts. It often refers to the

intellectual,musical,artisticandliteraryproductsofasociety(Harrison&Huntington,2000).

However,Geertz (1994) referred culture to theentirewayof life in a society.He laid the

emphasis on the importance of values, practices, symbols, institutions and human

relationships.InthisthesisthedefinitionofTriandis(1973)willbereferredto.Triandisdefines

culture as “shared attitudes, beliefs, categorizations, expectations, norms, roles, self-

definitions, values andother suchelementsof subjective culture foundamong individuals

whoseinteractionswerefacilitatedbysharedlanguage,historicalperiod,andgeographical

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region”(Triandis,1973).Thisdefinitionwillbereferredtoasitputsemphasisonthecollective

societalfactorssuchassharedlanguage,historicalperiodandgeographicalregion.

Identityisabroadconcepttodefine.Inwhole,aperson’sidentityis,inlargepart,madeupof

social rolesand cultural categories. The self is composedofmultiple identities and roles -

familial,territorial,class,religious,ethnicandgender(Smith,1991).Forexample,oneperson

canbeasister,astudentoraconsumerdependingonthesituation.

Therearenumerousdefinitionsofidentitybutadiscussionofthesegobeyondthescopeof

thisthesis.Basically,therearefourrelevantconceptsofidentitythatgoinlinewiththisthesis:

socialidentity,nationalidentity,culturalidentityandracialidentity.Socialidentityisdefined

as “the part of the individuals' self-concept which derives from their knowledge of their

membershipofasocialgroup(orgroups)togetherwiththevalueandemotionalsignificance

attachedtothatmembership”(Tajfel,2010).Nationalismisthe ‘beliefthatcitizenship ina

stateshouldbelimitedtooneethnicity,oneculture,oneidentitygroup’(Park,2014:12).The

nationalidentifyisderivedfromthissharedcitizenshipandunity.

There are two ways of looking at cultural identity (Hall, 1990). The first view takes its

foundationin‘onesharedculture’,meaningacollective‘onetrueself’.Itreferstopeoplewith

sharedhistoryandancestryholdas‘onepeople’(Ibid.).Thesecondviewtakesitsfoundation

inculturalidentitybeingaprocessofconstanttransformation.Itdiscusses“whatwereally

are”contra“whatwehavebecome”(Ibid.).RacialidentityisdescribedbyHelms(1995)as“a

senseofgrouporcollectiveidentitybasedonone’sperceptionthathe/shesharesacommon

heritagewithaparticularracialgroup”.

3.2 Post-colonialism,nationalismandracism

Koreawas colonizedby Japan from1910 to1945. Japanese colonialismpromotedKorean

modernization,butattheexpenseoftheKoreanpeople'swelfareandculturalidentity(Kim,

2007: 30). TheKorean language, history and culturewere largelydistortedbymeansof a

manipulativeideologyofracialinferiority(Kang,2010:288).Infaceofcolonialoppressionand

control, Korean agency developed into organized struggles for national liberation and

freedom. The focus of the Korean people moved to national- and cultural identity. The

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beginningoftheresistancemovementwasmarkedwitharallyinTapgolParkinKoreaon1

March1919(Chapman,2007).Theycarriedonfor35yearsuntiltheendofthecolonialization.

Although the reforms and opposition against the Japanese colonial power were largely

unsuccessful,thenationalisticspiritremainsclearintheKoreansociety.

AfterliberationfromJapanin1945andtheimmediatedivisionofterritoriesandthearrivalof

theUS army in South Korea (Kim, 2014: 10), the notion of national identitywas stressed

further.AtfirstthesoldiershadbeenregardedasthesaviorsfromtheJapanesebutafterthe

“massiveinfluxoffaciallydistinctforeignsoldiers”theforeigners’presencewasregardedas

acrisisforthenation(Ibid.).TheKoreanwarwagedin1950-1953,killingapproximatelythree

millionpeople.Undertheconditionsofnationaldivision,nationalismbecameanimportant

ideologyforthetwoseparateparts.InSouthKoreanationalismhasbeenpromotedasatool

todefeattheenemyanddeveloptheeconomysuchasotherpowerfulnation-states(Kang,

2010).Globalizationhasbeenshapedbytheideologyofethnicnationalismaswellasitsown

specifichistoryofnationaldevelopment(Shin,2006:207).Asaconsequence,immigrantsor

peoplewereperceiveddifferentlyfromthemselvesandnotfully includedinsociety(Kang,

2010).

The issue of mixed-blood children in Korea was already brought up in the 1940s.

Intermarriages, used as an assimilation tool during the colonial period, had been strongly

promoted by the Japanese (Caprio, 2014: 148). This in turn lead to issues of Korean and

Japanese mixed offspring, ethnic discrimination and class-based exclusion. The issue was

further emphasized after the Koreanwarwhen the problemofmixed-blood orphanswas

broughtup.ThisconcernedallchildrenwhowereofforeignoriginmixedwithKoreanblood.

MostchildrenwerebornbyKoreanmothers, sonaturallyonewould think theyshouldbe

consideredKorean.However,accordingtotheNationalityActin1948inSouthKorea,thiswas

notthecase(Kim,2014:23).TheactdefinesKoreansby1)whenthefatherisaKoreancitizen

atthetimeofbirth,2)whenthefatherdiedbeforethebirth,andthefatherwasKoreanat

thetimeofdeath,3)whenthefatherisnotknownordoesnothaveanycitizenship,andthe

motherisKorean,4)whentheparentsarenotknownordonothaveanycitizenship,andthe

childisdiscoveredonKoreanland,babiesfoundonKoreanlandaredeemedborninKorea

(Ibid.).Thepatriarchallawwasamendedin1998.Thisamendmentchangedeverylinethat

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read"father"to"fatherandmother"(Ibid.).

Thus, before 1998 if a Korean woman married a foreign man, the child would not be

consideredKorean.Inotherwords,nationalityorcitizenshipwasdeterminedbyjussanguinis

(therightoftheblood,descentfromapersonofthatnationality).Thisisacommontraitof

ethnic nationalism, which is defined as ‘nations determined by a shared heritage, which

usually includes a common language, a common faith, and a common ethnic ancestry’.

Commonbloodbecomestheconditionformembershipinthenationstate(Park,2014:13).

Inmostcaseswherethechildrenwouldberegisteredineitherastepfather’sfamilyregister

oramaternalsidefamilyregister,thechildwouldtechnicallybeconsideredKorean.However,

inpractice,ifthechildrenwerenotrecognized(e.g.clearbiracialappearance)byothersas

Korean,theywouldnotbetreatedasKoreans(Kim,2014:24).Derogatoryracialtermsupon

discovering biracial children and their mothers were commonly used among the Korean

population(Kim,2014:10).Especially,biracialchildrenbornofblackmenfellvictimtothese

termsbecauseoftheobtrusivelydiscernableskincolor.Theemphasisonthe“problem”in

thesecasesthusgraduallyshiftedfrommixed-bloodtotheblacknessofskincolor.

ThereareclearexamplesofracismtowardbiracialchildreninSouthKorea.Oneispractical

implementation of the KoreanMilitary Service EnforcementOrdinancewritten in 1949. It

statesthenationaldutyofeveryKoreanmantoserveacertainperiodoftimeinmilitary.The

children ofmixed origins, whowere registered as Korean citizens, also abide to this law.

However,inlatethe1960sandearly1970swhenmostbiracialchildrenreachedadulthood

thisbecameaproblem.Ahighlevelofhesitationandtensionwhetherwhomtoincludeinthe

militaryservicearoseandthehesitationwasdirectedtowardthepeoplewhowereracially

perceiveddifferently(Kim,2014:25-26).

In theearly1970s, theMinistryofHealthandSocietyannouncedthat theywouldexempt

mixed-bloodpeoplefrommilitaryduty.Theministryclaimedthattheparticularsituationof

biracialchildrendidnotfittothemilitarybecause"theirbirthandphysicalappearanceisso

differentfrom[Korean]thatitisverydifficultforthemtoadaptthemselvesinto[theKorean]

societyandinthemilitarythereisahighpossibilityofcausinganaccident"(Kim,2014:25).

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Hence,biracialKoreanpeoplewerecategorizedas"improper"andrelegatedto"secondary

citizenmilitary",whichisacategoryforcriminalsandthehandicapped(Kim,2014:26).The

standardofexclusionwasreaffirmedbytheamendmentintheMilitaryServiceEnforcement

Ordinance in 1984. The amendment prescribed that the exclusionwas for those of "clear

physicaldifferenceinappearance"(Kim,2014:23).

Thisclausesetasignificantmarkerindecidinginclusionandexclusioninthenation.Itmade

clearthatbeingperceivedphysicallydifferentautomaticallymeantthattheydidnotbelong

to the nation. Although "bloodmixing" had occurred before in Korea during the colonial

period,ithadmostlybeenbetweenKoreanandotherAsianraces,inparticularJapanese.This

wasthereforenotas“bad”.ThemixingofKoreanbloodwiththatofblackpeople“generated

acolor-linethatsignifieda‘dangerouscrossing’thatshouldnotexistinsociety”(Kim,2014:

27).Visibleblacknessbecamethesymboloftheviolationofnationaldignityandillicitsex.

Anevenharsherformofexclusionappearedasearlyas inthemid-1950s.UnderSyngman

Rhee'sgovernmenttheypursuedthemostvirulentformofracismbysettinganationalpolicy

onmixed-raceorphanchildrentohavethemdeported“back”totheirfathers'land.Notmany

inthosetimeswouldarguethatthesechildrenshouldbeadoptednationally.(Kim,2014:29)

This was because Korean people firmly believed that biracial peoplewould damage their

image of a homogenous nation. The “we versus them”way of thinking,which led to the

deportationofbiracialblackchildren,isnotspecificforKorea.Itcouldalsobeseeninpost-

warGermany.AfterWorldWar2,WestGermanyhada lotofmixed-bloodchildren in the

country.BasedonastilllingeringNaziideologyinthesociety,thepeopleofWestGermany

believed that thebest solutionwas to send the children “back” to their perceived "home

countries"(Kirst,2011).

BecauseofthismisconceptionofblackKoreanchildren,theSouthKoreangovernmentactively

promoted international adoptions toward the Americans. The image of black mixed race

children awaiting help often appeared in Americanmedia. At the same time, the Korean

governmentinstitutedtheirpolicybyhighlightingthegoodlifethemixedchildrenwerehaving

intheir“homecountries”.ThiswasinattempttoappealtotheemotionalsideoftheKorean

people. Newspapers often published long, detailed articles describing the good lives the

16

childrenledintheirclaimed“father’sland”.

3.3 BlacknessandblackKoreans’portrayalinKoreanmedia

ThefirstrecordofblacknessknowntohaveappearedinKoreanliteraturedatesto1598.(Kim,

2015:212).AccordingtoChosŏnWangjoSillok(theannalsoftheChosŏnDynasty),ageneral

from theMing dynasty brought anAfricanmercenary fromPortugal. Hewas probably an

AfricanslavetakenbythePortuguese.Itisdescribedinthehistoricalannalsthatthekingof

Chosŏnhadbeenverypleasedbytheblackman'sbravery(Ibid.).However,later,theconcept

ofblacknessinliteraturedrasticallychangedattheendofthe19thcentury.AsKoreacameto

beconfrontedwiththreatsfromneighboringcountries,itbecameclearthattheyneededto

staytogether.WhenKoreanbordersopenedfortheoutsideworldbecauseoftheJapanese

intervention, Koreawasnaturally exposed tonewWestern ideal andpolicies. The ideaof

SocialDarwinismwhichhadappearedatrendinWesterncountriesquicklyreachedKorea.

Darwinism isabiological theoryabouthownewspeciesare formedandexistingonescan

become extinct (Hawkins, 1997). Following this theory, Social Darwinism involved the

assumptionthathumans’socialexistence(e.g.allaspectsofculture-religion,ethics,political

institutions,theriseandfallofempiresandcivilization)alsoisdeterminedbytheemergingof

newspeciesandtheeliminationofothers(Ibid.).Inbroadertermsthismeantthatifanation

failedtomodernize,itwasjuxtaposedwiththefailureofrace.

UndertheinfluenceoftheseWesternideasYuKiljun,whowasapromisingKoreanintellectual

of the times, wrote in 1895 that "lazy Native Americans (the Reds, in his words) do not

appreciatewhitecivilization,andtheblacksdonotknowhowtousetheirnaturalresources

andwouldbeextinctsoon".Theintentionwastorefertotheseracesas“lowerraces”while

propagandizingwarningsignalstowhatcouldhappentotheKoreans(Kim,2015:212).

IntimesofturmoilitbecamemoreimportantfortheKoreanpeopletocreateastrongnational

identity. Although they regarded the Japanese as a threat to their nation, they also felt

comfortabletobeclassifiedinthesameracialcategory,theso-calledyellows,astheJapanese

andChinese.ThiscanbeseeninanarticlepublishedbyHaejoSinmunin1908,atimewhen

allsignsindicatedthatKoreawouldbecomecolonizedbyJapan.Thearticletitled‘Lookback

at your home country’, complained “howmortifying it is thatwe could gradually become

17

extinct, liketheAmericanRedsandAfricanblacks"(Kim,2015:213). Itclarifiedthatfalling

intothesamestatusastheblacksandredswastheworstthingKoreanwouldhavetoexpect

for in the future (Kim, 2015; 9). After the colonization, Koreans despite of their status as

colonizedpeople,sawtheircountryasasacredlandwithahistoryof500yearsandoneethnic

peoplespeakingthesamelanguage,differentfrombarbaricandignorantAfricanorAmerican

blacks(Kim,2015:214).

AftertheKoreanwartherepresentationofblackKoreansinpublicmediawasverylimited.As

aneffectofSyngmanRhee’spolicyofinternationaladoptionofmixed-racedchildrenthere

wereinstancesinmediaweretheywouldportraythechildrenlivinghappilywiththeirnew

familiesinanothercountry.Therewerealsonewspaperswritingonsimilartopics.Asidefrom

thattherewerenotmanycaseswhereblackKoreanswerementionedinpublicmedia.Instead

theylivedalmost“invisible”inKoreansociety.Onlyonspecialoccasions,especiallyifthestory

invoked“astoryofsuccess”theywerefeatured(Kim,2014:6).Otherwisetheywouldalmost

alwaysbeportrayedastroublemakersbythemedia.

ItwasnotonlyblackKoreanswhoreceivedbadrepresentationinKoreanmedias.Blackpeople

(mostlyblackAmericans)havealsobeenlabeledabadreputation.Han(2001:30)statesthat

it is usually the black American soldiers who abuse women in Korean literature. Other

representations of blackness in Korean literature often describes black people as having

“animalistic”and“barbaric”features.Theyarealsooftendescribedassavagesorbeasts.

An early example of this can be found in Yŏm Sang-sŏp’s “The case ofWestern Cookies”

publishedin1948.Thebookcomparesaprostitutewhohasblackcostumerswithaprostitute

whoonlyhaswhitecostumers.Theprostitutewhohasblackcostumersisdescribedasalmost

nauseatingcomparedtothe"clean"and"pretty"prostitutewhoonlytakeswhitecostumers

(Kim,2014:12).

Kang(2014)bringsforthyetanexamplefromanothernovelwrittenbyChuYosŏpin1947.

Thenovelistitled“Mixedblood”.Thenoveldiscussesavillagewomanandherillicitsexual

relationshipwithanAfrican-Americansoldierwhichresults inababywhowasburiedalive

soonafter itwasborn.Theauthorhighlights the issueofmixed-bloodand focuseson the

18

effectsofit.Basedontheallegedly“scientific”evidenceofatavism,hemeansthatblackblood

canbecomevisibleinlatergenerationsandbecauseofthisthebabymustbeburiedalive.He

continuestosaythattopreventsuchatragedy,killingthebabywasnotabadidea(Kang,

2015:11).

Inthispassagethere isastrong,specialemphasisonthe“tragedy”whichwillhappenand

havelongtermeffectsinKoreansociety.Theauthorexplainsthetragedyastheshockthat

ethnicalKoreanparentsmayexperiencegenerationsaheadwhentheygivebirthtoablack

child.However,theunderlyingmeaningoftragedyinChu’sstatementisevendeeper.Itrefers

tonotonlytoanindividualoracertainfamily’scasebutittouchesthedestinyoftheKorean

nationasawhole.Thepreventionoftragedyisdescribedastheverypreventionofanincrease

ofblackmixedbloodintheKoreanbloodasthebiracialchildbecomesolderandeventually

givesbirthtochildrenofhis/herown.Infact,thereisadirectcorrelationbetweenChu’snovel

andtheperceptionofKoreansinreallife.Historicalevidenceshowsthatitwasnotuntilblack

Korean children reached adulthood that they came to be regarded as a serious societal

problemandathreattosocietywhichwasreflected in i.e. theamendmentofthemilitary

serviceordinance.

Partofthereasonforthedistortedrepresentationofblackpeople(andotherminoritygroups)

inliteratureisbasedonpowerdistributioninthesociety.Thegroupsofindividualswhodo

not reflect the characteristics of the dominant group or culture are often subject to

misrepresentation or misunderstanding, leading to being marked as out-group members

throughcomplexstrategiesofothering(Sung,2009).

DespitebadviewsofblacknessinKoreanliterature,theimagepossessedsomeambivalence

inpost-liberationpopularcultureandfilms.In1949thepopularstagemusical“Porgy”was

reproducedbyaKoreanproducer.Hechangedthetitleto“ANegroisSad”andfromthistitle

itisfairtoassumethattheemphasison‘black’and‘sadness’wastoexposehiddenracism

againstblackpeopleinSouthKorea.Themainattractionoftheplay,however,wastheskin

colorofblackpeople,ratherthantheirsorrow(Kim,2014:4).

Afilmversionwasreleasedin1955.Thefilmhighlightedboththehardshipsofthemother

19

andthechild.Thestoryrevolvedaroundthemotherwhofellinlovewithablacksoldierbut

afterbeingridiculedbypeopleforbeingaprostitute,sheaskedthemantoleave.Hegranted

herwish and left but soon after she found herself pregnant. She raised the child despite

hardshipsandintheendofthestorythemanreturns.Hereturnsasasuccessfulmanandhe

isportrayedinapositivelight.HebringsthechildbacktotheUnitedStatesaftertheyagree

thatitwasforthebest.Thestorysympathizeswithboththemotherandalsothechild.Itwas

usedforpropagandapurposesunderSyngmanRhee’spolicyofsendingchildrenawaytotheir

“father’scountry”.

3.4 MulticulturalisminKorea

TheforeignpopulationinSouthKoreahasmassivelyincreasedinthepasttwentyyears.Inthe

beginning,theforeignpopulationwasmainlycomposedofoverseasKoreanswhocameasjob

seekers.However,thecompositionofforeignersslowlystartedtodiversify.Itwasnotonly

jobseekerswhocamebutoftenpeoplecameforotherreasonssuchastravel,study,marriage,

etc.In2007,thetotalforeignpopulationofSouthKoreareached1million(Park,2014:52)

andby2014,almost1.8millionforeignerslivedinSouthKorea,constitutinga14.1%increase

fromthepreviousyear(KoreaImmigrationService,2015).Thesechangeshavetriggeredthe

discussionwhetherSouthKoreaisbecomingmoremulticultural.

However,SouthKoreahasproceededinmodernstatebuildingwithanambivalentsenseof

nationalidentity(Kim,2007:6).Asaconsequence,inpartoftheethnocentricnationalpride

inone’sowncultureandhistoryimmigrantsarenotfullyincludedinsociety.Thisnaturally

goesagainstthenotionoflivingindiversitythatmulticulturalismpromotes.

However,theKoreanethnicnationalismiscontextualandbroughtaboutduringcolonialism.

Thedualethnicbiasbasedonethnicexclusivism isalsoknownas“whitecomplex”among

Koreans(Kang,2010:289).Thereisasympatheticorientationtowardpeoplefromadvanced

countries, and theother is anantagonisticorientationagainstethnicminorities from less-

developedcountries (Ibid.).Thus it implies thatcertainethnicminoritiesarediscriminated

uponbecauseofthestatusoftheirhomecountry.Theseminorityimmigrantsofteninclude

peoplewithdarkerskinlivinginAsia,AfricaandLatinAmerica.

20

In2005,43000multiethniccouplesweremarried inSouthKorea,constituting13.6%ofall

marriages(Hong,2010:389).ManyofthespousesarefromforeigncountriessuchasChina,

Vietnamand the Philippines. The growing number ofmixedmarriages lead to integration

challenges,especiallyinschools.Inrecenttimes,Koreanschoolshavebecomemoreethnically

diverse,andthishasforcededucatorstoconsidertheincorporationofmulticulturaleducation

intotheirprogramsandpractices(Ibid.).Aspreviouslymentioned,theKoreanmulticultural

education system has been criticized for their exclusive methods. Instead Kang (2010)

suggested an inclusive approach to Koreanmulticultural education by getting all children

involvedequallyinsociallife.Bishop(1997)alsodenotedthatitisimportantforallstudents

toparticipate inmulticultural education.Bishopmeant all studentsneed to recognize the

diversitythatdefinestheirsociety, learntorespect itandsee it inapositive light (Bishop,

1997:3).Multiculturalliteratureisanotherwaytoteachchildrenaboutdiversity.

4. BookanalysisThebookthatwillbereviewedinthisthesisis"KimCh'alt'onSunja-rûlch'ajajwŏyu(Please

findCharlton-SunjaKim)"writtenbyWonYouSoonin2010.Thebookwasprintedthreetimes

andapproximately10000copiesweresold.ThebookcanbefoundinmostlibrariesinSouth

Korea(Y.S.Won,personalcommunication,June6,2015).

AlthoughthesalesnumberswerecomparativelylowforaKoreanpublication,thereactions

towardthebookwereverypositive.Thebookwasmuchmentionedinnewspaperssuchas

Seouldailynewspaper,KookmindailynewspaperandMunhwadailynewspaperetc.and it

wasalsostronglyrecommendedbyreadersandreviewers.ThebookalsowontheSocheon

Children'sLiteratureAward2010whichisoneofthemostrespectedchildren'sbookawards

inSouthKorea.Thebookhasalsobeenatopicofmulticulturaldiscussionsindifferentbook

clubs.TheStudyofChildren'sbookswhichisacritic'sgroupofchildren'sbooksisoneexample

of theseclubswhichhaveusedWonYouSoon’sbookasa topic.TheReadingTeachersof

Children'sBooksisanother(Y.S.Wŏn,personalcommunication,June6,2015).

21

4.1 AuthorandherpublicationsWonYouSoonisarespectedauthorofChildren'sbooks inKorea.Shehaswrittenover70

children's fictionandstorybooks.Herworks includefamoustitlessuchasHipongLaundry

(2012),describingasonwhosemotherisaVietnameseimmigrantwhomarriedaKoreanman.

Anotherofherbooks,TreesthatEatColors(2008)exploresthejourneyofchildrenwhoseek

theirnationalidentity.Lastbutnotleast,CatchMeIfYouCan(2013)isanomnibuseditionof

shortstoriesaboutthedamagesoftheecosystem.

Beforebecominganauthor,WonYouSoonworkedasaprimaryschoolteacherformanyyears.

SheobtainedherPhDinCreativeWritingattheprestigiousDankookUniversityinSeoul.Now

sheworksfull-timeasawriterofchildren'sliterature.WonYouSoonbasesmostofherwriting

inherlong-termexperienceofworkingasateacher.Whileworkingasateachershegained

first-hand experience of the hardships that children of both Korean nationality and other

nationalities living in Korea can encounter growing up. Her writing is mostly set in

contemporaryKoreansocietyandaccuratelyreflectschildren'sstruggleandpain.Throughher

childprotagonistssheaspirestohelpchildrenovercometheirownhardships.

InaninterviewonNovember24,WonYouSoonwasaskedaboutherintentionsofwriting

multicultural literature.Sherepliedthatworkingasa teachershehasseenmanyunhappy

childrenfrommanydifferentnationalitiesandthereforeshewantstohighlighttheirstories

(Y.S.Wŏn,personalcommunication,November4,2014).Previouslytheauthorhadexpressed

herintentionofwritingmulticulturalliteratureinoneofherbookstitled“U-riŏmma-nŭnyŏja

Pŭllangk'a(ThewomancalledBlanka)”.ThebookisaboutamixedVietnameseandKorean

childwhoseVietnamesemothermarriedherKoreanfatherandmovedtoSouthKorea.The

bookcentersaroundthechildandhermother’shardshipslivinginasocietywheretheyare

differentfromthenorm.Intheauthor’snoteattheendofthebookWonYouSoonwritesa

chaptertitled“U-risŏ-rochonjunghamyŏsarayo”whichtranslatesas“Let’sliveinrespectof

oneanother”(Wŏn,2005).

22

Theintentionoftheauthoriswritteninthelastsentencethatreads“나는이동화를쓰면서

지구 위의 모든 사람들이 차별받지 않고 서로 존중하며 살았으면 좋겠다고 생각했어요”

InEnglishthissentencetranslatesto“AsIwrotethisbook,Iwasthinkingofhowniceitwould

be to live inaworldwherenobody isdiscriminateduponandeverybody lives together in

respect”.

4.2 Bookanalysis

4.2.1Generalcontents

The book Please find Charlton-Sunja Kim is a book of 179 pages. It revolves around Kim

Minjŏng,aregularmiddleschoolstudent,whosedreamistobecomeasinger.However,her

fatheropposesherdreamtosing.Minjŏng isathirdgenerationblackKoreanandherskin

colorisabitdarkerthanthenorm.ThebookfocusesonthehardshipsofMinjŏng’sfamilyand

Minjŏng’sownquestionsof identity.Thebookbrings forthcasesofdiscriminationagainst

black Koreans in different generations. The hardships of Minjŏng’s great-grandmother’s

motherareexplainedbyhighlightingtheisolationshefacedinsocietyupongivingbirthtoa

firstgenerationblackKorean.

Thehardshipsofthegrandmother,Charlton-SunjaKim,arethemostelaboratedandtheyare

revealedinearlyschooldiaries.Thediscriminationandisolationthegrandmotherhadfaced

isclearlyshowninherwritings.Inthebeginningofthebook,Minjŏngshowednointerestfor

leaningaboutthehistoryofheridentity.Shedoesnottrytounderstandthereasoningofher

fatherwhoopposesherdreamtobecomeasinger.Thefactisthathehadalsooncetriedto

becomeasingerbutbecauseofhisskincolor,hewaslookeddownupon.Minjŏngalsodoesn’t

trytounderstandhergreat-grandmother.Insteadofappreciatingthetimeshehaswithher,

she thinksofhergreat-grandmother’spresenceasanannoyance.This isbecauseMinjŏng

neverencountereddiscriminationtowardherselfinthesamedegree.Minjŏngstatesherself

that she has not facedmany instances of discrimination, or at least as she says “nothing

enoughtoleaveascar”(Wŏn,2012:84).

It is not until her great-grandmother dies thatMinjŏng by chance finds the diaries of her

grandmother. As she reads about the struggles against discrimination and isolation her

23

grandmother had faced, she finally understands the hardships that both her great-

grandmotherandfatherhadgonethrough.Shestartstosympathizewithherfatherandhis

decisiontogiveuphisdreamtobecomeasinger(althoughshestilldoesnotgiveuponhers).

Shealsoregretsnothavingspentmoretimewithhergreat-grandmother.

In schoolMinjŏng is known for being a star. Themoment she goes on stage to perform

everyoneshoutshernameasifshewasanidol.ThisisthemomentMinjŏnglivesforandthe

reasonwhyshewantstocontinueherdreamtobecomeasinger.Inschoolthereareafew

charactersofimportance.Thereisapotentialloveinterest,aboynamedSŏngminwhoshe

hadknownsinceshewasyoung,andwhoattendsthesameclass.Thereisalsotheclassical

antagonistwhichisagirlinherclassnamedChŏngawhocontinuouslyquestionstheidentity

ofMinjŏnginquestionssuchas“너보고 하프블러드라고 말하는 게 아니야. 그렇지만 넌

분명히 흑인의 자손이잖아[…]자기뿌리를모르는건부끄러운일이잖아”whichtranslates

as”People[usually]donotsayyou’rea’half-blood’.Butyou’redefinitelythedescendantofa

blackperson[…]It’sashametonotknowyourownroots.”Thereisalsoanotherchildwho

has foreign background.Her name is Ina and hermother is Vietnamese andher father is

Korean. The author has used the character Ina to highlight differences between her and

Minjŏngandtheiridentities.

Minjŏng’smother is Korean.Minjŏng looks up to hermother and shementionson a few

occasionsthatshewishesshewasmorelikehermother.Minjŏng’sfatherisatrouble-maker

whoshiftsworkeverynowandthenbecausehegetsfired.Hehasatemper,whichisbecause

ofhistroubledpast.Minjŏngdoesnotlookuptoherfatherinthesamewayastohermother.

Shealsodoesn’tunderstandwhyheopposesherdreamtobecomeasingerandfeelslikeitis

unfair.

ItistowardtheendofthebookwhenitappearsinanannouncementinthenewsthatInSuni,

ablackKoreansinger,willhaveaconcertinNewYork.Thewholefamilyrejoices.Theyare

surprisedthatablackKoreanisgoingtoperformonaworldstageandthefatheradmitsthat

theworldischangingnow.HealsofinallyagreestoletMinjŏngpursueherdreamtobecome

asinger.

24

4.2.2DiverserepresentationofblackKoreans

ThebookwillbeanalyzedaccordingtothestepsthatChing(2005)proposed.Thetextwillalso

be reviewed in regards to how well the author understands the characters. This will be

reviewedbasedon facts supported by empirical research literature regarding the identity

buildingofbiracialchildren.

Herring (1992) denotes that biracial children are particularly vulnerable to differential

treatments by their parents and relatives, social rejection by their peers and ambivalent

attentionintheirschoolsandcommunities.TheKoreanauthor,WonYouSoon,apparently

hastakenthis intoconsiderationandhighlights the interactionsbetweenMinjŏngandher

peers.Theseinteractionsplayanactiveroleintheidentitybuildingofthecharacter.When

Minjŏngisaskedthequestionaboutwhereherrootsarefrom,ittriggersaninternaldebate

onheridentity.Itreads:

내 고향이 어디냐고? 뿌리가 어디냐고? 나는 한국에서 태어났고

분명 한국 사람이다. 아빠도 흑인 혼혈이지만 한국에서 태어난 한국

사람이다. 한 번도, 단 한 번도 그렇지 않다고 생각한 적이 없다.

그런데 뜬금없이 아프리카라니… 겨우 30 에서 25 퍼센트 정도의

흑인 피가 섞여 있을 뿐인데 말이다[...](Won,2012:43).Ittranslatesto:“Whereismyhometown?Wherearemyrootsfrom?IwasborninKoreaand

certainlyIamKorean.Myfather,too,isaKoreanborninKoreaalthoughheismixedblack.

NotevenoncehaveIeverthoughtdifferently.ButallofasuddenmentioningAfrica..Scarcely

25-30%ofmybloodismixedwithblackblood”.

The notion of identity building gives the reader a chance to imagine Minjŏng’s life and

thoughts.Theauthorprovidesatruthfulandauthenticportrayalofthecommunityandthe

miscommunicationwhichmayhappenbetweenchildren.Thispassageisoneofmanyandthe

authorwritesthebookinawaythatisthought-provokingforbothpeopleinsidethecultural

groupandpeopleoutsideoftheculturalgroup.

25

Inotherexamplestoo,theauthorhasfurtherprovidedacorrectportrayalofMinjŏng’sway

ofthoughtandreasoning.Herrings(1992)describedthatbiracialchildrenhaveproblemsof

identificationwiththeminorityparent.InthebeginningofthebookMinjŏngismoreinclined

to sympathize with her mother and cast aside the history and the struggles of her

grandmother and her father.One example reads: “나는가끔내가왜엄마를닮지않고

아빠를닮았는지속상하다[...]”.Thistranslatesas“SometimesIgetupsetbecauseIammore

alikemyfatherthanmymother”(Won,2010:68).Anotherexamplecanbefoundonpage80

whereitreads:

나는혼혈3 세여서아빠와는사정이많이달랐다.우선외모도아빠만큼

혼혈 냄새가 팍팍 나지 않는다. 흑인 특유의 곱슬곱슬한 머리는 매직

파마로 풀면 되고, 그렇게 하지 않더라도 곱슬곱슬한 머리의 장점을

최대한살려서멋을내면된다[...](Won,2010:80).

Thistranslatesto“BecauseIamathirdgenerationblackKorean,mycircumstancesarevery

differentfrommyfather’s.Firstly,frommyappearanceitisnotsoobviousthatIammixed

blackasmyfather.Icandealwithmyblackfeaturessuchascurlyhairbyfixingthemthrough

straighteningpermsevenifIwouldnotdoso,I’llhavemycurlyhairtolookcooler.”

Another point that the author highlights is the ordeals Minjŏng’s family have endured

throughout theyears. Familiesofbiracial childrenoften strugglewith concerns like family

approval, community acceptance, job discrimination and social isolation (Herring, 1992).

Systematicallyandhistoricallyaccurate,theKoreanauthorexplainsthestrugglesofthefamily

andshesuccessfullybringsforthsomeofthecommonproblemsofbiracialfamilies.

ThefirstexampleisfromMinjŏng’sgrandmother’sdiaries.Itnarrateshowtheneighborhood

ladiesgatheredto teachthegreat-grandmothera lesson. Itdescribeshowboththegreat-

grandmother and the grandmother had been beaten and the ladies had called the great-

grandmother’양갈보[yanggalbo]’,whichisaderogatorywordfor’foreigner’swhore’.

26

ThisparagraphservesasaproofofthehistoricalhardshipsthatblackKoreanshavefaced.The

authordoesnotromanticizetheeventsbut insteaddescribestheminanauthenticway. It

presentstheproblemofexclusionthatblackKoreanshavefacedinthepast.

Theauthoralsomentionstheproblemsofracismthatprevailsinsocietyinpresenttime.Itis

mentionedintheschoolsetting.TheEnglishteacher,anAmericanwhitefemale,announces

thatshewillquitbecausesheisgettingmarriedandmovingbackhome.Shebringsherfiancé,

whoisblack,toschool.Thechildrenareallcuriousas it istheir firsttimetheyseeablack

person. Ina, the Vietnamese Korean, expresses her hopes that the fiancé will become a

teacherinKoreatoo.Chŏngarepliesthatitprobablywon’tbeeasybecause“themothershate

blackteachers”(Wŏn,2012:95).

AnimportantaspectinthispassageisthefactthatitisaVietnamese-Koreanwhoexpresses

her acceptance andwelcoming to the foreign fiancé. On the other hand, Chŏnga,who is

Korean,expressesskepticismatthethought.AnotheraspectisthattheteacherisAmerican

andnotKorean,whomarriesanotherAmerican.Thisindicatesthattheauthorcannotbelieve

thataKoreanwomanwouldmarryablackpersonsosheintroducestheideathroughanother

foreignperson.

ThesamewayofthinkingregardingintermixedKorean-Blackmarriagescanbefoundinthe

description about Minjŏng’s parents who are also not married. How the parents met is

describedas:

엄마는 스무 살에 아빠를 만나 불 같은 사랑에 빠쪘단다. 아빠와는

동갑내기였다. 엄마는 말했다. 지독하게 외로웠다고. 외로워서 죽을 것

같았다고. 그때 아빠도 엄마만큼 외로웠다고. 외로운 사람끼리 서로

보듬어 주니 그 외로움이 훨씬 줄어들었다고. 그랬는데 덜컥 임신을

했다는 거다 (Wŏn,2012:79).

Ittranslatesas“Mymotherwas20yearsoldwhenshemetmyfatherandfellinlove.My

fatherwasthesameage.Mymothertoldmethatshewasterriblylonely,solonelyshe

wantedtodie.Atthattimemyfatherwasjustaslonelyasmymother.Anembracebetween

27

twolonelypeopleimmenselydiminishedtheloneliness,shesaid.Itwaslikethatbutthen

unexpectedlyshefoundherselfbeingpregnant.”Thepassagecontinuestoexplainthatthe

motherwashappyattheideaofababybutMinjŏng’sfatheropposedtheidea.Hewas

worriedthatthebabywouldhavetogothroughallthepainshehadgonethrough.Inthe

endthemothersecretlygavebirthtoMinjŏngandthenfoundthefatheragain.Whenthe

parentsmetagaintheystilldidnotmarryasthefather’sworriesweretoostrong.Usuallyit

isthemotherwhoopposesgivingbirthtoachildormarryingwhenthecircumstancesare

notsogood.However,inthiscaseitwasthefatherwhowasagainstit.Thispassageshows

howstrongdiscriminationthefatherhasenduredandhisdisappointmentinthesociety.

Contradictorytotheteacher’ssituation,whoisanAmericanwhomarriesanotherAmerican,

Minjŏng’smotherisnativeKoreanandMinjŏng’sfatherisablackKorean.Itisexplainedin

thebookthatMinjŏng’sfatherwassubsequentlydiscriminateduponsothefactthathe is

lonelyisexplainedwell.However,themother’slonelinessisnotelaboratedatall.Thisimplies

that theauthor couldnot imagine theparents’meetingunless itwasunderextraordinary

psychologicalconditions.Theauthoralsoexplainsthatitwasimpossibleforthetwotomarry.

4.2.3Qualitymulticulturalliteratureanalysis

Theauthorbringsupsocietalproblemsinaninteresting,thought-provokingmannerinthis

book.Eventhoughshewritesabouttheculturethroughanoutsideperspective,itisclearthat

theauthorhasdoneresearchbeforehand.Theeventsareexplainedinasystematicorderand

the feelings of the characters are believable. The book iswritten in away that is easy to

understandandfollowwhileatthesametime itdoesnotoverlookunpleasanteventsand

situations.Itisalsoclear(perhapsbecauseofherbackgroundasateacher)thattheauthor

understandschildrenandthewaytheythinkandact.

TherearemanyinstancesinWonYouSoon’sworkprovingthattheworkqualifiesforquality

multiculturalliterature(seeabovein4.2.2).Theauthoraddressesthecriteriawithsuccesse.g.

(1)thetextandillustrationsusehistoricalinformationanddevelopthesettingaccurately.(2)

Theauthorportraysthecharacterspositively.(3)Thetextandpicturesaffirmdiversitywithin

aculturalgroupand(4)integratesculturalcontentandeventsnaturally(5)andtheauthor

portraysindividualsandcommunitiesauthentically.

28

However,thereareinstancesinthebookwhichdonotsatisfythefinalcriteriaforwhatChing

(2005)denotedascriteriaforselectingqualitymulticulturalliterature,i.e.thattheworkresists

stereotypingorromanticizingtheexperiencesofminorities(6).Theseoccurrencesinthetext

willbereferredtoas“misrepresentations”.Amisrepresentationiswhensomethingisfalsely

described,thetermisveryfittinginthiscontext.

4.2.4Misrepresentations

Inmany cases the book successfully describes the experiences of the characters without

romanticizingorstereotypingit.Theauthorinformsthereaderofhardshipsofboththefather

and the grandmother in a natural historical and cultural authentic fashion. It highlights

discriminationandordealwithoutromanticizingtheexperiences.

AnexampleofthisistheepisodewhenMinjŏngfindsoldschooldiariesdescribingthelifeof

thegrandmother.Theentrydescribeswhenhergrandmothersitsnearbyariver,washingher

handsandfacewithastoneinthehopeofwhiteningtheskin.Thetextreads“아무리박박

때를밀어도하야게되지안는다[...].피가났다.피는빨가다.그래도까만건하야게

안된다.”, which translates as “No matter how hard I scrub it doesn’t whiten [...]. Blood

appears.Thebloodisred.Buttheblackdoesn’tbecomewhite.”(Won,2010;142).

Thetextiscorrectedby,whatappearsto

bethegrandmother’steacher,inredpen

but the revision only concerns

typographicalerrors.Theteachergivesno

other comment on the grandmother’s

desperate situation (Ibid.). There are

many reports on black Korean children

during the time to have acted similarly

(Kim, 2014: 22) thus this is a fair

29

representationofhistoricalandculturalauthenticity.

AnotherexampleisthepassagewhereMinjŏnginformsthereaderaboutthehardshipsher

fatherexperiencedwhentryingtoliveouthisdreamasasingerinthe1980s.Theexample

reads:

[…] 첫 음반을 냈을 때, 사람들의 관심은 아빠의 노래가 아니라 아빠의

개인사에 쏠렸다. 지나치게 꼽슬꼽슬한 머리, 까만 피부, 두툼한 입술,

새하얀 눈자위에 커다란 눈동자, 그리고 선 굵은 쌍꺼풀…., 아빠는

흑인 혼혈이었다. 노래보다 흑인 혼혈에 대해 가지는 관심을 아빠는

소름 돋도록 싫어했다. 그래서 아빠는 가수의 꿈을 접었다. 아빠는

사람들 앞에서 웃음거리나 심심풀이 오징어 땅콩처럼 질겅질겅

씹히는 주전부리감이 되기는 싫었을 것이다(Won,2010:26).

Theparagraphtranslatesinto“[…]Whenthefirstrecordwasreleased,peopledidn’tfocuson

myfather’smusicbutrathertheylookedathispersonaltraits:hisexcessivelycurlyhair,his

blackskin,thicklips,purewhiteeyeballsandbigpupilsandbolddoubleeyelids…,myfather

wasblackmixed-blood.Hehatedthefactthatpeoplefocusedmoreonhimbeingmixed-blood

ratherthanhisprofession.Becauseofthis,myfathergaveuponhisdreamofbecominga

singer.Hehatedthethoughtofbecomingalaughingstockorsomeonepeoplewatchedjust

tokilltime,likesomeonewouldsnackonsquidorpeanuts.”

Boththeseexampleshighlightthehardshipsandsorrows ofthecharactersinatruthfulway

providingthereaderwithinformationthatishistoricallyandculturallyauthentic.However,in

thecasesofbothMinjŏngandMinjŏng’s father, theirdreamwastobecomeasinger.The

stereotypethatallblackpeoplearegoodatsingingisaglobalstereotype,soitisnotparticular

forKorea.However,asKim(2014)denotedinherthesis,therehavenotbeenmanyinstances

of black Koreans appearing inmedia but only on special occasions, especially if the story

invoked“astoryofsuccess”.TheparticulardreamofbothMinjŏngandherfathertobecome

asingerconsolidatesthestereotypethatblackKoreanscanonlyachieverecognitioninsociety

iftheyinvokea“storyofsuccess”.

30

Another example of stereotyping can be found when the mother explains the story of

Minjŏng’s great-grandmother and how she had been raped by an American soldier. It is

historicallyaccuratethatthereweremanyinstancesofrapeduringandafterthewarinSouth

Korea.This isanunfortunatebutcommonoccurrenceduringwartime.But thequestion is

howsuchanincidentisdescribedinWŏn’sbook.Literallythewordingis:“돌아보니시커먼

짐승…[torabonishik'ŏmŏnchimsŭng…]”(Won,2010:110),whichtranslatesto”Assheturned

around, a black-jet beast…”. As mentioned previously, this is a typical example of how

blacknessisportrayedinKoreanliterature.Theexampleencouragesthestereotypethatblack

peoplehave“animalistic”and“barbaric”features.

4.3 Commentsontheartisticmedium

The illustrations in Please find Charlton-Sunja Kim are created by Pak Yun-hŭi. When

examiningillustrationsandpicturesforauthenticityinmulticulturalliterature,elementssuch

as (1) representationof diversepopulations, (2) representationwithin cultural groups, (3)

realisticandgenuinerepresentationofcharacters,(4)avoidanceofreinforcementofsocietal

stereotypes,and(5)demonstrationofrespectforotherculturesareofimportance(Harper&

Brand, 2010). Realistic elements in the illustration are instrumental in children’s ability to

comprehendtextandmakemeaningfulconnectionswiththetheory(Ibid.).

Theillustrationsareaestheticallyappealingandcharactersareportrayedinatruthfulway.

The illustrations also refrain from reinforcing societal stereotypes. However, some

illustrationsofnativeKoreanpersonscansometimeshaveveryneutralfeatures,notimplying

theirethnicbackground.Thisisthecaseforsomesituationsbutnotinothers.

31

Ethnicallyneutralfacescanbeseentotheleft.Onthepicturetotherightmore“Korean”featurescanbeseen.

Anotherdifferenceintheillustrationsisthedepictionofthefather.Inmostillustrationsthe

colorofthefather’sskinismediumbrown.However,inoneillustrationwhentheparentsare

inafight,theskintoneofthefatherisdistinctivelydarkerthanitusuallyis.Italsoappears

thatthedarkerskincolorwasaddedonlyafterthemediumbrowncolorwaspaintedon.

Thepicturetotheleftshowsthenormalskincolorofthefather.Inthepicturetotherightthedistinctivelydarkerskincolorofthefathercanbeseen.4.4 Commentsontheintendedaudience

The intendedaudiencefor thisbookarechildrenaged8-12yearsold (Y.S.Wŏn,personal

communication,November6,2014).Inmyopinion,thethemeandtopicspresentedinthe

bookare suitable for thisagegroup.Thebook iswritten ina language that isadjusted to

32

childrenatthisage i.e.simpleEnglishphrasesareromanizedtoKoreanscript.Thiscanbe

foundonpage91whentheEnglishteacherwalksintotheroomandsays“hieveryone”.When

morecomplicatedEnglishwordsarementionedtheywillstillbewritteninKoreanscriptbut

inbracketstheEnglishequivalentwillalsobegiven.Thiscanbefoundonpage40wherethe

Englishword“half-blood”ismentioned.

In regardsof fair representationof theculturalgroup inquestion, thisbook issuitable for

childrenbothintheculturalgroup(whomayseehisorherowncharacteristics,interactions,

and feelings reflected and affirmed in a character) and children outside it (who have the

opportunity to view and appreciate the life of a person from another inherited cultural

background).

4.5 ResultsThebookhasbeenexaminedbylookingatsixcriteriathatqualifyabooktoberegardedas

quality multicultural literature. Both text and illustrations have been considered while

reviewing the book. The first step to reviewing these criteria is to look at the aesthetic

experience thebookgives the reader.Thebook isan interesting readandbecauseof the

historical and cultural authenticity of the characters the events in the book easily invoke

interestinthereader.

The book depicts the characters in a positive light although the themes and events can

sometimesbeunpleasant.Theauthordoesnotromanticizetheeventsbutrathersheputs

themtolight inahistoricalandculturalaccurateway.Thesettingdescribedinthebookis

mostlyinMinjŏng’shomeorinschool.WhileMinjŏngisinschoolthetextismostlygendering

conversationbetweenMinjŏngandclassmates.AccordingtoChing(2005)schoolsettingare

usuallywrittenaboutinmulticulturalchildren’sliteratureasthesespheres“teachchildrento

workcollaboratively,tocultivateinterethnicfriendships,andtoseeeachotherthrougheyes

of care rather thanhate” (Ching, 2005: 135). The authorhasused the school setting as a

strategicadvantage.Intheschoolsetting,oneofthereoccurringthemesisthetopicofidentity.

One of the reoccurring themes while in school is the topic of identity. The author

demonstratesinthissettingthatsheisawareoftheissueofblacknessassheusesacharacter

33

from anotherminority group (Vietnamese-Koreanmixed) to highlight the differences and

similaritiesbetweendifferentminoritygroups.Thisisanothersmartmoveoftheauthorto

portray individualsandcommunitiesauthentically.The textprovidesagood frameworkof

what quality multicultural literature should be. The illustrations further strengthen the

culturalconsciousnessoftheliterarywork.

In the home setting the focus ismostly on the hardships and the struggles of the family

members.ThefamilyisunderagreatdealofstressasMinjŏng’sgreat-grandmother,wholives

with them, is dying. Because of the stressful situation,Minjŏng’s parents often fight. The

reasonsforthefightsarenevermentionedbutrathertheauthorjumpsrightintotheheated

conversations. This suggests that the topics of the fights are not themain point, it is the

underlyingreasonsforthefightsthatareimportant.Minjŏng’sfatherisunderagreatdealof

stressandheisconstantlyfiredfromhisjobsafterhegetsintoargumentswithcolleagues.

Discriminationatworkisdescribedtobethereasonforthefights.

In the biggest fight between the parents explained in the book, the parent’s history is

explained. The father expresses his worries that Minjŏng will have to endure the same

hardshipsashim.InallfightsbetweenthefatherandMinjŏng,thesameworriesareexpressed.

Allfightstakeplaceinthehomeenvironmentanditsuggeststhattheauthorhasusedthe

homesettingasawaytoputfurtheremphasisontheeverydayhardshipsforblackKoreans.

Anotherapproachthattheauthorhastakenistoputemphasisonthestrugglesofthefemales.

Womenandchildrenareoftenportrayedinmediawithhumanitarianismandempathy.The

author has taken this approach and showcased most of the tragic stories of the great-

grandmotherandthegrandmotherthroughschooldiariesfromwhenthegrandmotherwas

young.Theauthorhasalsochosennottofocusonthemalecharacters.Therearepassagesin

thetextwhichfocusesonthestruggleofthefather(e.g.hissorrowsfornotfindinghismother

andhisdreamtobecomeasinger)howeverthespotlightisnotputonthefatherbutrather

thegrandmother’sstruggles.AsidefromMinjŏng’sgreatgrandfather,whowasportrayedas

abeast,hergrandfatherisalsonotmentionedonce.Thisfurtherprovesthestrategyofthe

author to appeal to people’s emphatic side by highlighting the hardships of women and

children.

34

Towardtheendofthebookitisexplainedinoneoftheschooldiariesthatthegrandmother

wenttoAmericatofindherfather.ShechangeshernametoCharltonafterafamousmale

actorasshehopesthatherfatherwillbeapersonsimilartohim.Thetravelservesasabig

stepforthegrandmother.ThegrandmotherdoesnotonlygotoAmericatofindherfather

butshealsogoesbecauseshehasrealizedherhalf-Americanside.Herchangeofnamefurther

impliesachangeofidentity.

Althoughtheauthorhaswrittenagreatworkfromanoutsideperspective,therearesome

aspectsthathavetobecriticallymarked.Aspreviouslymentionedthereareinstanceswhen

theauthorstereotypestheculturalgroupe.g.Minjŏng’sdreamtobecomeasinger.Asthese

stereotypesdatebacktothe1950s(Kim,2014:36),itispossiblethatthesestereotypesare

so deeply rooted in theway Korean society, that the author did not notice that itwas a

stereotype when she wrote it. However, if this book had been written from an inside

perspective,fromsomeoneinsidetheculturalgroup, itmightbeassumedthatthiskindof

stereotypingprobablycouldhavebeenavoided.

Another example is the representation of blackness in Korean literature where African

featuresareoftenportrayedas“animalistic”or“barbaric”.Thisreferstothepassagewhen

themotherspeaksaboutthegreat-grandmother’sexperienceandshereferstotheAfrican

American soldier as a “beast”. In regards to the flow of the story, it fitswell as theman

committedanactwhichwasworthyofsuchatitleandthemotherexpressedherangerinthe

wordchoice.However,asblacknessistypicallyrepresentedinKoreanliteratureinthisfashion,

itcanalsobeseenasacaseofstereotypingintheauthor’swordchoice.

However, as five out of six criteria were successfully realized in this book, the book is a

remarkablypositive step in thedirectionofqualitymulticultural literature inSouthKorea.

Despite a fewmisrepresentations, the book provides a good insight in the lives of black

Koreans.

35

5. Summaryandimplications

5.1 Conclusionandsummaryofstudy

Thestudyraisesthequestionthatthestrongfocusonnationalismversusmulticulturalismin

SouthKoreainrecenttimesmaycausepossibleproblemsofglobalizationinSouthKorea.The

studylookedatthisproblemthroughananalysisofaSouthKoreanmulticulturalchildren’s

bookwiththeintentiontoanswerthefollowingtwoquestions:

§ HastheviewofblackKoreanschangedinliteratureovertime?

§ Cansomeonefromanethnicallyhomogeneouscountryportrayanaccuratepicture

ofaminoritygrouplivinginthesamecountry?

Thechildren’sbookwasanalyzedfromfourtheoreticalframeworks:

§ Cultureandidentity

§ Post-colonialism,nationalismandracism

§ BlacknessandblackKoreansportrayalinKoreanmedia

§ MulticulturalisminKorea

TheauthorofthebookPleasefindCharltonSunjaKimhighlightsthestrugglesandhardships

ofblackKoreansthroughouttheyears.BlackKoreanshavelivedalmostinvisibleintheKorean

society until recently and the author of this book reminds us of their existence. She also

authenticallyexplainstheirhistoryandtheirstrugglesinSouthKorea.Theauthorbringsforth

ahighlyrelevanttopicinlightsofasocietythatisgraduallybecomingmoreglobalizedand

multicultural.

Theauthordescribes the livesofblackKoreansbut italso toucheson the topicofbiracial

children and identity questions in general. Therefore, this book is relevant not only for

understandingthestrugglesofblackKoreansbutforanyonewhoisperceiveddifferentlyfrom

thenorminSouthKorea.Theauthordescribesissuesnotonlyrelatedtoaspecificethnicity

but theycouldbeapplicable toanyonewho isperceiveddifferently (e.g.questionsasking

36

where ones’ roots are from). The book successfully tackles the issue of how otherness is

perceivedinSouthKorea.

However,findingsofthebookreviewalsoindicatedthattherearestillproblematicaspectsof

howblacknessandblackKoreansareportrayedinKoreanliterature.Theauthorhaswritten

thebookforapositivepurposetodescribethesituationofanotherculturalgroupbutstill

workswithsomestereotypes.SomeprevailingstereotypesintheKoreansocietyaboutblack

Koreanswerefoundintheanalyzedbook(e.g.thedreamtobecomeasinger).Therewere

alsoimplicationsthatblackmenshouldnotmarryKoreanwomen.

All theseaspects include thepotential tocontribute toa stepback in thedevelopmentof

multicultural literature in South Korea. When authors write about different cultures it is

importanttotakeallnuancesintoconsiderationsotheirworks’descriptionsdonotnegatively

portraytheculture.Thiscanbeespeciallyimportantinchildren’sliteratureaschildrenarethe

targetedgroupandchildrenaremoreeasilysubjectedtowhattheyread.InthecaseofPlease

find Charlton Sunja Kim there are still some aspects that could be improved for further

developmentofmulticulturalchildren’sliteratureinSouthKorea.

5.2 SuggestionsforfuturestudiesInamoreextensiveresearchofWonYouSoon’schildren’sliterature,moreofherbookscould

be reviewedand compared. Examplesof theauthor’sworks are listed in “4.2Author and

publications”ofthepresentthesis.

TherecenttrendofmulticulturalisminSouthKoreahasleadtoanincreaseofchildren’sbooks’

authors focusingon the topic.Multiculturalismcanbe found inall literature: fictionaland

factual.Itcanalsobefoundinliteraturetowardallagegroups.Inamoreextensivestudyof

multicultural literature in South Koreamore literaryworks fromdifferent authors and for

differentagegroupscouldbereviewedandcompared.

37

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