Finding Junie Kim

The novel includes an emphasis on realistic representations of Korean food, language, and customs. Books 2 and 4 are important in establishing this motif, which provides context and a connection to her Korean ancestry by helping her to assume a greater sense of belonging and acceptance within her Korean family. This motif is also an important element of the cultural realism that positions Ellen Oh’s novels within the context of the We Need Diverse Books mission and organization. Jinjoo and Doha’s stories provide cultural-historical context for the Korean War, but the setting plays an important role in normalizing depictions of Korean culture through details such as the types of foods sold at the local market in Incheon and the smells and texture of the Korean dishes the characters enjoy describing when food is available. These details highlight the shortages the characters experienced during the war and help familiarize second-generation Korean Americans with these aspects of Korean culture.

Important to this realistic depiction of Korean culture is the ubiquity of Korean terms and patterns for naming. Oh weaves these elements seamlessly into Books 2 and 4 without calling unnecessary attention to them, marking these elements as commonplace. Instead, the author includes a glossary at the back of the novel that allows readers to seek out unfamiliar words only when necessary. This also highlights the role of diverse readers as a primary audience for Oh’s book.

Within the rest of the novel, Korean elements are addressed through Junie’s attempts to embrace Korean culture in a contemporary setting. Junie’s descriptions of Grandma’s cooking suggest Junie’s desire for more emphasis on her Korean ancestry and culture within her life, but these elements appear only at family dinners within her grandparents’ home, which demonstrates the schism that exists within Junie’s identity. Meanwhile, her descriptions of chama, the Korean sense of resilience and survival, also illustrate her embrace of Korean identity. Yet, Junie’s attempts to embrace this concept without understanding the emphasis Korean culture places on family lead to emotional distress as she suffers in silence over a misunderstanding of the nuances of Korean culture.