The National Folk Museum of Korea announced Wednesday that it has published an English edition of the "Encyclopedia of Hallyu Culture" to help global audiences understand Korean Wave culture accurately and in depth.
Based on the Korean edition published in 2024, the encyclopedia systematically organizes Korean lifestyle culture including K-content, making it the first specialized English-language Hallyu encyclopedia that international readers can access directly.
The "Encyclopedia of Hallyu Culture" contains 347 headwords that constitute Hallyu, from BTS to gimbap, with conceptual explanations accompanied by approximately 600 photographs to enhance understanding. The encyclopedia covers not only K-content such as BTS, "Squid Game," and "Parasite," but also encompasses lifestyle culture including food, fashion, housing, places, and leisure, allowing readers to grasp the background and characteristics of Hallyu's global spread at a glance.
Headwords are presented in both English and Korean, enabling users to search entries in either language. Notably, headwords such as Gimbap, Tteokbokki, and Ramyeon use romanized Korean pronunciation rather than English translations, preserving the original Korean nomenclature. Semantic explanations are provided alongside unfamiliar terms to help users intuitively understand the concepts.
The table of contents is provided in both English and Korean, enhancing convenience for users to find entries according to their language environment and purpose. The appendix includes an "expanded table of contents" combining original text, transliteration, definitions, and representative images to improve information accessibility.
Concepts difficult to convey through direct translation were rendered with refined expressions to accurately convey their meanings. Uniquely Korean expressions such as "oppa" (older brother, used by females), "eonni" (older sister, used by females), "uri" (our/we), and "jeong" (deep affection and attachment) were explained with added cultural context for easier understanding. The translated manuscript underwent cross-review by native English-speaking experts and domestic specialists to minimize potential cultural misunderstandings and enhance quality.
"We expect this to serve as a foundation for newly understanding and appreciating Korean culture within the universal values of human culture, beyond simply providing information about Hallyu culture," the National Folk Museum said.
The English edition of the Encyclopedia of Hallyu Culture is available for purchase at the National Folk Museum shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul. It is also accessible on the Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture website and the National Folk Museum website, where the original materials can be downloaded.