During the last three years, many previous studies have examined cultural representations in foreign language textbooks and found an imbalance in cultural contents in English textbooks used in different EFL contexts. There still needs to be more critical discourse study in this field that explores the hidden cultural meanings captured in Indonesian international and national textbooks for junior high school students. This study employed Byram's (2013) intercultural communicative competence and Yuen's (2011) Foreign Language Education Project standards to understand cultural meanings. The data were also analyzed using Kachru's three concentric circle models of English language speakers (Kachru, 1985). The findings revealed that national textbooks dominated source culture (expanding circle), and international textbooks dominated culture from the inner circle, followed by the outer circle and expanding circle. Both national and international textbooks contained inequality in several aspects of culture. This finding implies that teachers to emphasize cultural learning, develop a book writing module using cultural emphasis, and for textbook authors to consider the balance of the cultural materials in the books. Further studies should include teachers' and students' perceptions to understand better the participants' experience and insight into the cultural knowledge when learning a foreign language. A critical discourse study that focuses on gender bias, moral values, and religion could also be considered
