Ⅰ.
The Birth of the Banana Tribe
Ⅱ.
The founding of the Banana Tribe
Ⅲ.
Banana tribe life

It started because I liked bananas
The imaginary world of 'Banana Kingdom'

A quiet night all over the world
Above the black, rolling waves
A yellow star falls
The day lightning tore apart space and time
A strange life born within it

-In the book

Anything is possible in the realm of imagination.
You can create something that never existed before, and you can even establish a village or a country.
Author Jeong Hee-jeong created the Banana Tribe and built the Banana Kingdom, as if she were a creator, through bananas.
Starting with a mythical tale and then a glimpse into their lives, the imaginary world becomes more and more concrete, making it feel like there really is a banana kingdom somewhere.


Everyone has a little room in their mind where they can nurture their imagination.
If you live a busy life every day, dust may accumulate in that room, but don't worry.
The switch in the room that was left unattended will be flipped due to the Banana Kingdom story… .


The story of the Banana Kingdom and the Banana Tribe that the author has created is just beginning.
It is up to the reader to decide whether to enjoy them and delve deeper into the world of the Banana Kingdom.
So this book is complete (image-wise) but not finished (story-wise).
Because it is a story that adds the reader's imagination to the writer's imagination.

Three similar yet different accordion books
The harmony of artistry and materiality contained within it

Warm yellow sunlight and
The overflowing blue waves
A place that gently embraces you

-In the book

When you think of bananas, the color yellow comes to mind! Yellow, reminiscent of "warm yellow sunshine," is the central axis that drives the "Banana Kingdom."
Part 1, which deals with the myth of the birth of the Banana Tribe, dramatically shows the birth of the Banana Tribe using color contrasts of yellow and dark blue.
The mythical weight is expressed in dark blue with a sharp etching feel, while the mystery of the birth of life is expressed in soft yellow, and these two colors form a strong contrast.
The following parts 2 and 3 also paid attention to color variations.
The more you look at every corner of the painting, the more you can imagine how much thought the artist put into choosing the colors to show the colorful daily life of the banana tribe.


Part 2 is a map of the gorgeous Banana Kingdom, with the sea filled with mint and the mountains filled with orange-brown on a black line drawing.
It seems like a navigational chart inviting us to the 'Banana Kingdom'.
Part 3 has increased the colors to coral, green, brown, and beige.
The three pictures, which at first glance look like tarot cards, stimulate curiosity to have our lives read through the banana tribe.
Wouldn't you be happy no matter which card you choose?

This book offers visual pleasure with its diverse colors and image composition, but at the same time, it provides a complex experience through the physical properties of the book as an accordion book.
Try touching it with your hands, turning the pages, and folding and unfolding it as if you were playing an accordion.
The front and back are filled with detailed information about the Banana Kingdom.
Ride a boat with the banana tribe, catch stars, play with monkeys, and swim in the summer sea! Your imagination will spark to the beat of the accordion drum, drawing you into the story.


For the small and ordinary things of this world

The real world, by and large, celebrates the great and the enormous.
It's not easy to pay attention to the little things.
But if you think about it carefully, it is not grand things that comfort our hearts and give us the strength to live, but small and ordinary things.


『Banana Kingdom』 was also inspired by the author's small discovery.
The author usually likes to look into small things and seeks the experience of feeling things familiar to our senses differently.
Perhaps that is the driving force that allows writers to continue to remain in the world of creation.
Thanks to this, we can enjoy the world of the Banana Tribe and the Banana Kingdom.


"Hey! Look here! Can you see me?" Let's not miss the whisper of a small being.
Those who listen to their stories will find unexpected happiness in life!

Author's Note

One day I went to the supermarket and saw some bananas.
The sweet smell of bananas and the deep yellow, light yellow, slightly green and even brown spots… .
But one banana was so ripe that its peel was split in half.
I guess it was from then.
The moment the banana started talking to me.