Why Is the London Underground in Korean Textbooks? [Korean, a Global Language]

④ Repeated Illustration Errors
Depictions Inconsistent with Context and Grammar
Omission of Ulleungdo and Dokdo on Maps
Even Minor Errors Cause Confusion for Learners

'New Century Korean (新世紀韓國語) Beginner Level Upper' introduces Korea with photos of the London Underground.

Illustration errors in Korean language textbooks for foreign learners have been repeatedly pointed out. Visual materials created to aid learning are, in some cases, hindering understanding or conveying inaccurate information.

The beginner textbook 'Nerve War Korean 1' (新經典韓國語 1), published in 2020 by the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in China, is praised for its abundance of illustrations, but some images do not align with the grammar explanations. The illustration for 'below' on page 114 is drawn in a way that could be mistaken for 'in front of,' and the illustration for 'opposite' also does not match the context.

In the scene on page 250 about finding directions to Gwanghwamun, the main character of the conversation is depicted excessively small, making it difficult to grasp the context, and the actual destination, Kyobo Bookstore, does not appear. In the grammar exercise illustration on page 327, the elements needed to infer the correct answer are shown in small black-and-white images, making them hard to distinguish.

Similar issues appear in other textbooks as well. In Shandong Foreign Languages University’s 'New Century Korean (新世紀韓國語) Beginner Level Upper,' images of an old computer and a CD are included, which are out of touch with modern learning environments. In 'Nerve War Korean 1,' the abbreviation 'PKU' for Peking University appears on a movie ticket, which may confuse some learners. There is also a case where a photo of the London Underground is used to introduce Korea.

In 'Nerve War Korean 1,' the main character of the conversation is drawn small in the upper left corner. In the center, two unrelated tourists are taking pictures of the statue of King Sejong with their cameras.

Domestic textbooks are no exception. In 'Sejong Korean 1,' the illustration explaining 'I am sorry' is presented in a scene that does not match the situation or the expression. In the map illustrations of 'Fun Korean for Foreign Workers' and 'Sejong Korean 4A,' Ulleungdo and Dokdo are omitted. These problems were pointed out during the National Assembly audit, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism promised to correct the errors. The King Sejong Institute Foundation conducted a comprehensive review, found nineteen errors, and took corrective action.

Errors have also been found in textbooks produced by overseas universities. The University of Iowa's 'Beginning Korean 1 with Illustrations' introduces Buddha's Birthday and Christmas as representative Korean holidays. The explanation that Buddhism and Catholicism are the largest religions in Korea is also inaccurate. According to the Cultural Heritage Administration, Korea's major holidays are Lunar New Year, Daeboreum, Hansik, Dano, Chuseok, and Dongji, and the religious population is ranked in the order of Buddhism, Protestantism, and Catholicism.

Experts point out that since beginner learners often use illustrations as reference points for their studies, even small errors can lead to confusion. As demand for Korean language learning is rapidly increasing, there is a growing call for improved accuracy and stricter review processes in textbook production.

Choi Yoonjung, Director of the Content Business Division at the King Sejong Institute Foundation, said, "As the purposes for learning Korean have diversified to include studying abroad, employment, and interpretation and translation, we are developing textbooks tailored to these needs." She added, "Since these textbooks are used worldwide, we are strengthening quality verification based on cultural understanding for each region. In addition to our own review, we plan to systematically manage textbooks through reviews by the National Institute of Korean Language."