This study investigates the social construction and continual (re)production of the cultural Other through educational materials, focusing on Korean middle school English textbooks. Twelve middle school English textbooks from four publishers were collected and analyzed, with a focus on how they (mis)represent cultures and practices of minority groups. Utilizing critical content analysis to examine both visual and written texts in the textbooks, this research uncovers recurring patterns of exoticizing and commodifying Hawai’ian culture, homogenizing African culture, and romanticizing Indigenous peoples. The findings contribute significantly to our understanding of how cultural representations in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbooks shape perceptions and influence societal dynamics. They also illuminate how these representations reflect and perpetuate Eurocentric colonialist discourse. Moreover, the results underscore the importance of equipping educators, especially English teachers, with critical literacy. This empowers them to identify hidden power relations that reinforce stereotypes, and actively engage in the construction of a more inclusive and equitable society.

1. INTRODUCTION
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
    2.1. Critical Literacy
    2.2. Othering and Cultural (Mis)representation
    2.3. Textbooks of English Education in Korea
3. METHODOLOGY
    3.1. Critical Content Analysis
    3.2. Data Collection
    3.3. Process of Data Analysis
4. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
    4.1. Exoticizing and Othering Hawai’ian Culture
    4.2. Homogenization of Africa
    4.3. Romanticizing and Gazing the Life of Indigenous People
5. CONCLUSION

• Chee Hye Lee(Assistant Professor, Department of English Education, Hannam University; #315 College of Education, 70 Hannam-ro, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon 34430, Korea)