VOL.83/2025.06

 

Finger Publishing

Picture books that serve as a springboard for all

 

2025.05.07

 

As children grow up reading picture books, they learn to explore the world, share emotions, and communicate. The same goes for adults, which is why picture books are shared across generations. Finger Publishing, a picture book publishing house based in Chuncheon, has been publishing series of picture books that convey the power of empathy by knocking on readers’ hearts. Each series covers a variety of topics and plants the seeds of thought, allowing readers to experience a wider world and nurture their minds through books. Especially in May, the month of Children’s Day in Korea, there is no better time to discover Finger Publishing’s books that expand children’s dreams through picture books. Following is an interview with Cho Mi-Ja, CEO of Finger Publishing, where she shares more about the company.

 

 

It’s a pleasure to have you with us on K-Book Trends. Please introduce Finger Publishing to our international readers, along with the meaning of the company’s name.

 

“There’s a world and a heart in a picture book.” Hello, everyone. I’m Cho Mi-Ja, the head of Finger Publishing. I have also been a picture book author and illustrator for many years. The logo of Finger Publishing is a walking finger. Just like how each person has their own speed and rhythm of walking, I wanted to reflect my hope to create picture books with my own rhythm and pace, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. When I created the logo, I was working on a picture book titled Sometimes I, and it was heavily influenced by that picture book. Finger Publishing is a small publishing house in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, specializing in picture books; it has published 18 picture books so far, including the recently published The Scary Strawberry Patch.

 

 

Finger Publishing is publishing picture books that are not limited to a specific age group, but can be read by anyone, from children to adults. What impact do you think picture books have on children and adults, and what do you think is the value of picture books they share?

 

I think that picture books are “books read by children first.” In that sense, there are picture books that span a wide range of ages, and there are picture books that focus on a specific age group. Because of the nature of picture books, where they are read by children first, most of them also tend to convey meaning easily.
Perhaps it’s better to say that they use the most basic and comfortable language possible, rather than “easy.” Even topics that are sometimes heavy and difficult, such as love, peace, ego, war, and emotions, are presented in picture books in the simplest way possible. For this reason, I think picture books are a kind and warm genre of creation, and a great playground to begin an aesthetic experience. Since our lives begin as children, the adults who read picture books with their children also have a childhood of their own. For the same reason, I think there is a point where both children and adults can relate to picture books.
A child appreciates a picture book with the depth of a child, and an adult appreciates a picture book with the depth of an adult. Just as the lives of children and adults are not disconnected, the times a child and an adult laugh together over a picture book are connected. I think about the value of connection.

 

 

I want to create picture books that touch the hearts of readers.

 

 

Please recommend some books published by Finger Publishing that would be great for children and adults to read together and why.

 

The first one is In Susuba’s Summer Garden. In Susuba’s Summer Garden is the first picture book in the My Susuba series featuring three friends, Susuba, Pupu, and Coco. Looking at the green grass growing in the yard on a summer day, we wished that just as summer was the best time for the grass, so too would it be for our children and our hearts as adults, where we could grow to our very best. In the book, there is a phrase that goes, “Grow up. Grow big, grow strong, grow wild,” which tells us that the vitality of nature is also present in our hearts. The grasses sprouting back in the spring after a cold winter also speak to the power of the mind to overcome difficult times. In Susuba’s Summer Garden is a picture book that encourages the same energy of life in nature to grow and flourish freely in our hearts.
Next, I recommend Spring of the Long-Tailed Salamander. This is the first ecological picture book published by Finger Publishing. It is written by Yeom Noh-Seop, who has studied salamanders for over 30 years, and beautifully illustrated by Kim Ji-Sul. The story is set in Hwanseongul Cave in Samcheok, Gangwon-do, and we can see our lives through the life of a small, cute salamander. The moments of crisis that the tiny creature experiences in the world touchingly convey its strong will to live, and show the beauty of the ecosystem in which so many creatures in nature are interconnected and coexist. Watching their lives makes us think about our own lives and the harmony with nature. The story captures the love and consolation between family members, and the life of a salamander as it unfolds over the course of a year, from spring to the following spring, along with beautiful natural landscapes.

 

 

Finger Publishing has been establishing its own identity since its launch in 2019. As a relatively new publisher, what is Finger Publishing’s unique philosophy and differentiated strategy?

 

Finger Publishing embodies my experience and time as a longtime picture book author. My picture books’ colors and tastes were very much reflected in the early days as it started as a one-person publishing house; now, I have an editor-in-chief who works with external authors and takes on imported picture books.
When I flip through the pages of a picture book, there are moments that stay with me for a long time - moments when the pictures are beautiful, the witty story makes me laugh, the deep empathy moves me to tears, and I experience a magical moment that takes me somewhere. At Finger Publishing, we want to create picture books that touch readers’ hearts while they are reading them.
Starting with our first picture book, Meet My Friend, Anxiety, we have published picture books like Knock Knock Knock for Myself Lost in Sadness, and CRACK that focus on inner emotions. It was a natural progression from Meet My Friend, Anxiety, and we wanted to slowly connect the dots. Because of this, Finger Publishing is often mentioned as a publisher of emotional picture books. Our emotional picture books have always tackled the topics in our own colorful and narrative way, sometimes with straightforward language, sometimes with poetic language. For CRACK, we made it look like a scene from a movie. I think this natural flow of emotional picture books has distinguished us to some extent.

 

 

While publishing houses in Korea are largely concentrated in the metropolitan area, Finger Publishing is based in Chuncheon. Was there a particular reason for choosing Chuncheon? Also, please tell us about how the regional location has affected the publishing house’s operations and picture book production.

 

Chuncheon is where I was born. It’s a small city, a place I grew up in, a place that was familiar and cozy to me, and a place where I made many memories while drawing. I was able to immerse myself in my creative work in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere, and fortunately, its close proximity to Seoul was also an advantage when I decided to move back to Chuncheon. There was also no big problem in continuing to work on and publish my picture books. Creative work requires a time of immersion, and sometimes too much stimulation can be overwhelming; Chuncheon has been a comfortable environment for me in that regard.
One of the things that is always frustrating when running a small publishing house is advertising. As the number of titles published has increased, we have been participating in book fairs in Seoul and other areas. Although we are a local city with the advantage of being close to Seoul, sometimes it is difficult for us to participate in the many good events held in Seoul due to the distance.
Chuncheon, where I have spent a large part of my life, is a great inspiration for my work. Some people think of Finger Publishing together with Chuncheon because it is located in the city, and some people look at us with curiosity because it is rare for a publishing house to specialize in picture books in the countryside. The above-mentioned Spring of the Long-Tailed Salamander was also a collaboration with a local Chuncheon writer. It’s been another fun experience to work with writers living nearby.

 

If You Want to Eat a Red Apple has won the 2025 Bologna Ragazzi Award in the Opera Prima category. We would love to hear your thoughts on the book and what message it conveys to readers.

 

The news of If You Want to Eat a Red Apple’s nomination came as a surprise to everyone, especially since it was unusual for a photographic picture book to win a major award.
Finger Publishing was convinced from the first time we met the red apple picture book. Even when we saw the proposal with one cover and a few pages of text, and when we saw it as a small dummy book, the fact that it was not illustrated but photographed didn’t matter at all, because we were already in love with the proposal and the storyline. In the picture book, the children and Korean landscapes captured with a film camera evoke feelings of longing and love. The children grow up with an apple tree planted by their grandfather on the day Jigu, the main character, was born. The time spent by the two children waiting for the red apples to bear is never boring, as they are captured in a cozy landscape of relaxing nature and the day-to-day life that has built up over time. There are two main characters, Jigu, who travels slowly, taking in his surroundings, and his cute little brother Jiho, who enjoys the fast wind. Two children take in the world at different speeds, each growing into their own characters, but both wait with the same heart for the red apple to ripen on the tree.
Adults sometimes worry about children’s fast and slow pace, but children grow up beautifully in nature and in the world, interacting with the world in their own way. This picture book captures the sparkling laughter and stories of children. They remind us of a shining childhood and spark memories deep in our hearts. The precious moments of life shine as red as the sun and as bright as jewels, bringing tender emotions and warm laughter.

 

 

With Korean picture books gaining global attention, what role does Finger Publishing hope to play in the publishing market, and what are you doing to ensure continued growth?

 

I think Finger Publishing can be flexible because it is a small publishing house. We may not be able to publish a lot of books, but we can continue to publish on a consistent theme, or we can publish new and challenging books. Just like how If You Want to Eat a Red Apple was new to us, we would like to try different things if we get the chance.
I think the picture book market is expanding rapidly, with more diverse authors and more titles being published. I do worry about the difficult sales market, too. But, when I think about the joy and excitement I felt when I first encountered the picture books I liked, there was a relaxed and candid language that conveyed the difficulties of life in a warm way without making them heavy, bringing joy and laughter. I think about that feeling whenever I encounter difficulties in my work. Finger Publishing values the empathy that can only be delivered by a picture book. I hope to create picture books that will walk and talk with you, listen to you when you are struggling, and empathize with you.

 

Finger Publishing releases the Finger Picture Books and the My Susuba series. What kind of series are they?

 

Finger Publishing’s early picture books were published under the Finger Picture Books series. They covered a wide range of topics, such as emotions, memories, and life, and many of them were particularly focused on emotions. Then, starting with In Susuba’s Summer Garden in 2022, the My Susuba series started to be published.
The Finger Picture Book series is a series that is published on a variety of topics. A total of 13 volumes have been published, and they cover inner feelings, the world and life, contemplations on freedom, and recollections of memories in the heart. In addition to the aforementioned books, there are Our Last Summer, which depicts memories of summer days, and Into the Book, which is a cartoon-style book about a journey into a book in search of courage. And then, there are King Baltasar, the story of a polar bear embarking on a life of deliberate choices; When You’re Older, an adorable depiction of two brothers; and Congratulations!, made with drawings from people at a facility for people with disabilities who participated in art volunteer programs.
There are currently five volumes in the My Susuba series. The series features Susuba, who is wearing a big hat and has two adorable puppies, Pupu and Coco. It depicts the heart and joy found through observing and experiencing nature. In addition to In Susuba’s Summer Garden and The Scary Strawberry Patch, Susuba’s Starlight Jump Rope explores the power of imagination when looking at the night sky, and Blow, Autumn Wind of Susuba portrays the colors of autumn. And, Susuba’s Snowman Friend shares memories of a nostalgic friendship with a snowman.

 

 

Finger Publishing has been creating picture books that cover a wide range of topics and are a joy to read. Are there any particular books that you would recommend to international readers?

 

I would like to recommend Meet My Friend, Anxiety, and If You Want to Eat a Red Apple, which I mentioned earlier.
Meet My Friend, Anxiety is a story about anxiety, a difficult emotion that exists in the heart. Along with love, happiness, and joy, anxiety is also an emotion inside of me. It’s an emotion that I sometimes hate, an emotion that I’m scared of, and an emotion that I want to hide. The story is about how anxiety is a part of me that I need to embrace. The emotion of “anxiety” is represented by a duck, which is depicted in brightly saturated colors, bringing the reader closer to the invisible emotion. It’s a heartwarming story about the process of feeling, meeting, and embracing anxiety.
If You Want to Eat a Red Apple is a book about two children growing up, and will be a cherished memory for readers around the world. The natural Korean landscapes convey a sense of comfort, and the old house, mother-of-pearl cabinet, and worn yard walls will surely be beautiful to international readers. It’s not just about the exotic or unfamiliar sights, but the universal feelings of longing and nostalgia created over time. The children’s cheerful laughter and stories are a reflection of childhood that everyone can relate to.

 

 

I value the empathy that can only be delivered through picture books.

 

 

We are thrilled to see Finger Publishing’s future as a picture book publisher. Please tell us about the direction you hope to take, as well as your goals and plans for upcoming titles.

 

2It’s amazing to think that Finger Publishing has been publishing picture books since 2019. When we first started the publishing house, we decided not to look too far ahead and just start publishing. We thought we would just make the picture books that we loved and wanted to make. Now, in our sixth year, it’s been exhausting at times, but we have been so encouraged by the great award we received this year. We hope to continue publishing emotional picture books with more sensitivity in the future - especially the ones that capture not only heavy emotions, but also bright, warm emotions. We are currently working on the second story of If You Want to Eat a Red Apple as well as promoting the newly released The Scary Strawberry Patch. Thank you so much for your love and support for our picture books, and we look forward to continuing to create picture books that bring warmth.

 

 

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