There were two major objectives of this study. One was to examine the identity of Korean I・II subject in the revised 2011 curriculum, along with systems of content and detailed contents with regard to literature part. The other was to review critically the configuration of a textbook and direction of novel education focusing on contemporary novels included in 11 Korean I・II textbooks. Thereby, an ultimate objective of this study was to figure out how the status of literature education changed according to the revised 2011 Korean curriculum. This study gave attention to correlation between curriculum and textbook because a textbook is the core to realize learning and teaching. Although high school Korean I・II came under elective curriculum in the revised 2011, these were nearly handed Korean top, bottom which were common subjects in the revised 2009 curriculum.
Korean I aimed to develop general Korean ability, and included understanding the genre of literature, understanding personality of authors, appreciating works, and social communication with novels in literature part. Whereas, Korean II aimed to develop deepen Korean ability, and included the transmission of contemporary Korean literature, the utility of literature, and a critical attitude of mind for literature. 19 contemporary novels were contained in Korean I, 14 ones were in Korean II. Because all Korean textbooks were published in 11 companies, it was 1.5 novels per a textbook on average. It was 40% reduced compared with the 2009 revised, and revealed how much the status of literature education weakened in Korean textbook. Novels were mainly included in ‘Sections of Literature’ unit in Korean I, and ‘Reception and production’ unit in Korean II. However, because the number of contents was reduced drastically, some textbook didn’t reflect sufficiently content system and achievement standard. Moreover, even though there were difference goal and achievement standard between Korean I and Korean II, some textbook didn’t consider it. Most of all, the biggest problem was that textbooks’ composition for literature didn’t fulfill achievement standard of curriculum due to concentrating development of an event, personal character, and technique of expression mostly. As much as reduced number of novels, textbook should contain appropriate novels that satisfy contents to learn in novel genre. Moreover, if a textbook contains only one or two novels, it should present learning goal consider of achievement standard comprehensively, or provide complementing questions in learning activity.