Kindle $20.99
Available instantly
Audiobook
Paperback $23.09
In just fifty years, South Korea has transformed itself from a failed state, ruined and partitioned by war and decades of colonial rule, into an economic powerhouse and a democracy that serves as a model for other countries.
How was it able to achieve this with no natural resources and a tradition of authoritarian rule? Who are the Koreans and how did they accomplish this second Asian miracle? Through a comprehensive exploration of Korean history, culture and society, and interviews with dozens of experts, celebrated journalist Daniel Tudor seeks answers to these and many other fascinating questions. In Korea: The Impossible Country, Tudor touches on topics as diverse as shamanism, clan-ism, the dilemma posed by North Korea, and the growing international appeal of South Korean pop culture.
This new edition has been updated with additional materials on recent events, including the impeachment of Park Geun-hye and the sinking of the Sewol Ferry. Although South Korea has long been overshadowed by Japan and China, Korea: The Impossible Country illuminates how this small country is one of the great success stories of the postwar period.
'Daniel Tudor covers all the important issues, yet does not simply tell the more familiar stories, but looks deeper and wider to give the full story of Korea today.' - Martin Uden, Former British Ambassador to South Korea
Read less
Review
"Daniel Tudor covers all the important issues, yet does not simply tell the more familiar stories but looks deeper and wider to give the full story of Korea today." --Martin Uden, Former British Ambassador to South Korea
"Mr. Tudor pushes into new social and economic territory with his book, including the rising role of immigrants, multicultural families and even gay people in South Korea. He lays out some of the contradictory behavior one finds in South Korea, such as the unending desire for new and trendy gadgets and fashion and yet the tunnel-like view of what constitutes a successful life." --Wall Street Journal
"Recommended for expats and any readers who are keen to learn more about Asian cultures, Korea: The Impossible Country is a well-researched and authoritative window into a country and its people." --The Expat Magazine
"Sixty years ago, South Korea was an economic wasteland. Today, it is not only the world's 11th largest economy but also a vibrant democracy and an emerging cultural force. This transformation is the subject of a new book, Korea: The Impossible Country, by Daniel Tudor, Korea correspondent for The Economist.'" --Time Magazine
"Tudor, Seoul correspondent for The Economist, provides a fairly perfunctory account of the 'miracle on the Han River, ' which saw South Korea transformed from postwar ruin to prosperous democracy within four decades. The book's real value comes in its exploration of the cultural forces behind the country's zeal for self-improvement." --Financial Times
"Tudor's Korea: The Impossible Country is a fascinating overview of daily life in Korea. Tudor's in-depth analysis is the one of an insider who has never lost sight of the view from the outside. His book helps you feel comfortable right from your first visit to Korea." --David Syz, Swiss Secretary of State for Economic Affairs
"With a new generation every five years, it's hard to keep up with Korea. This book is long overdue, but Daniel Tudor has done a magnificent job filling the gap. Not only has he captured the new Korea, but he does so in an effortless style that leaves the reader wanting more." --Michael Breen, author of The Koreans
"Written with affection and deep knowledge, Daniel Tudor's book fills a huge gap in our understanding of one of Asia's least known countries. His engaging narrative overturns the stereotypes by depicting a society which, though full of stresses, strains and contradictions, has overcome poverty and dictatorship to become a prosperous democracy. South Korea's transformation into a vibrant, modern state is, as he says, a story that deserves to be better known. Tudor has done the "impossible country" a service by opening its secrets to the world." --David Pilling, Asia Editor, Financial Times
About the Author
Daniel Tudor is from Manchester, England, and graduated with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford University. He has lived in Seoul for a many years and served as Korea Correspondent for The Economist from 2010-2013. The first edition of Korea: The Impossible Country received high praise and has been translated into Korean, Chinese, Polish, and Thai. His subsequent book, North Korea Confidential (with James Pearson), was selected by The Economist as one of the best books of 2015. He is also co-founder of Seoul-based The Booth Brewing Company.
Product details
Publisher : Tuttle Publishing; Revised & Expanded edition (13 November 2018)
Language : English
Paperback : 336 pages
Top reviews from Australia
Paul
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and interesting introductionReviewed in Australia on 8 May 2017
Verified Purchase
An excellent introduction to a fascinating society. Very worthwhile read before my travels to South Korea. Due for an update, but still recommend to anyone interested in learning about this country
HelpfulReport
Berta Beetle
3.0 out of 5 stars .Reviewed in Australia on 3 June 2021
Verified Purchase
Informative but 10 years old
HelpfulReport
See more reviews
Top reviews from other countries
Translate all reviews to English
Eduardo
5.0 out of 5 stars Para conocer los orígenes y actualidad del pueblo coreano.Reviewed in Mexico on 1 October 2020
Verified Purchase
Excelente libro que se remonta hasta el origen de la civilización coreana antes de que la conocieramos como tal. Aborda los temas de su religión, historia, pasando por su política y costumbres, hasta hablarnos sobre el fenómeno de la cultura pop coreana en la actualidad. Gracias a este libro me me interesó escuchar el kpop. Si quieres conocer más sobre este país lo recomiendo ampliamente.
Report
Translate review to English
Samuel Cardoso
5.0 out of 5 stars Ótimo apanhado geral sobre a Coreia do SulReviewed in Brazil on 17 July 2019
Verified Purchase
Ótima forma de se ter informações históricas, sociais e econômicas sobre o país. Muito boa abordagem geral sobre o período de superação da pobreza e transformação desta nação (o que estava buscando ao adquirir o livro).
Report
Translate review to English
The buyer
5.0 out of 5 stars GoodReviewed in India on 24 June 2019
Verified Purchase
Little bit pricy but writing is good staying neutral and not favouring any party.
Report
Ansgar Eussner
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and comprehensive introduction into modern South KoreaReviewed in France on 13 May 2018
Verified Purchase
Full of data and lively description of Korean history and modern life, the reader gets insights into recent developments, struggles, successes, problems and perspectives of this rapidly modernising society still little known to the outside world.
Report
Translate review to English
Markinho
5.0 out of 5 stars Great overview of a fascinating countryReviewed in Germany on 5 May 2018
Verified Purchase
The author succeeds in delivering a comprehensive fact-filled yet entertaining account of South Korea. He gives concise overviews by topic ranging from cultural, historical and social to political subjects interspersed with personal experience in a very readable manner. For those who are about to travel there or are merely curious due to K-Pop etc, this is a great place to start.
Report
Translate review to English
See more reviews
From other countries
後藤 牧人
4.0 out of 5 stars 日本との関係記事のみチェックしたReviewed in Japan on 16 September 2013
Verified Purchase
評者は、ヨーロッパで長期間教育を受け、東南アジア諸国、アフリカ諸国でも研究や仕事をしたが、1980年から韓国の研究所や大学を研究で、韓国社をビジネスで頻繁に訪問してきた。前から順序良く読むほどの関心も無いので、韓国と日本との関係を、この著者がどのように理解しているか、見てゆくことにした。
索引から日本関連語を選び出し、平行して日本関連記事を全ページチェックしていったら、索引はかなり漏れていた。著者は韓国のことしか知らないせいか、韓国人の検閲があったのかと思うほど、終始韓国贔屓で書いている。植民地経営では功罪が入り乱れ、評価が単純でないことは周知の事実であるが、ここでは日本統治に関し、不平等条約、警察と軍隊による過酷な植民地統治、日本語強制、日本名強制、神道神社での礼拝、搾取、仏像の略奪、教会焼討、キリスト教徒や植民地反対者の投獄・拷問・処刑・殺戮、従軍慰安婦（sex slave)など、何らの吟味も無く否定的側面しか記述せず、韓国人一般の主張の受け売りをしている。
最近、韓国現代史学会が、高校や中学校の教科書に、「（日帝の）植民支配による近代的制度の移植とそれが解放以後の歴史展開に及ぼした影響」を追加すべき、と言っている時代に、世界最大の植民地帝国からの人とは思えないナイーヴな捉え方をしているのは、少々薄っぺらく残念である。著者の名誉のために言うと、たまたま滞在していた国が韓国で、韓国語で書かれていたまま、韓国語で聞いたまま書いたのであろう。
尚、日本関連記事を探しながら、前後の他の記事もパラパラと読んでしまったが、比較的平易な英語なので、時間的余裕のある方は全部を、K-Pop・韓流ドラマ・風俗習慣・英語熱など関心が絞られている方は、西欧風の解釈であるが、その関連記事を読むという読み方も可能であろう。個人的には、近年の韓国人の反日に少々嫌気がさしていたが、これを読んで今までの韓国人と歴史と文化など楽しかった付き合いを思い出し、嫌韓を少し先延ばしにしようと思ったことは確かである。
6 people found this helpfulReport
Translate review to English
Michele
5.0 out of 5 stars ... who is really interested in Korean culture and she lovedReviewed in Canada on 28 August 2015
Verified Purchase
Bought as a gift for my little sister who is really interested in Korean culture and she loved it
Report
Markinho
5.0 out of 5 stars Great overview of a fascinating countryReviewed in Germany on 5 May 2018
Verified Purchase
The author succeeds in delivering a comprehensive fact-filled yet entertaining account of South Korea. He gives concise overviews by topic ranging from cultural, historical and social to political subjects interspersed with personal experience in a very readable manner. For those who are about to travel there or are merely curious due to K-Pop etc, this is a great place to start.
Report
Translate review to English
Ansgar Eussner
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and comprehensive introduction into modern South KoreaReviewed in France on 13 May 2018
Verified Purchase
Full of data and lively description of Korean history and modern life, the reader gets insights into recent developments, struggles, successes, problems and perspectives of this rapidly modernising society still little known to the outside world.
Report
Translate review to English
The buyer
5.0 out of 5 stars GoodReviewed in India on 24 June 2019
Verified Purchase
Little bit pricy but writing is good staying neutral and not favouring any party.
Report
Eduardo
5.0 out of 5 stars To learn about the origins and current affairs of the Korean people.Reviewed in Mexico on 1 October 2020
Verified Purchase
Excellent book that goes back to the origin of Korean civilization before we knew it as such. He addresses the topics of his religion, history, politics and customs, until he talks to us about the phenomenon of Korean pop culture today. Thanks to this book, I was interested in listening to Kpop. If you want to know more about this country, I highly recommend it.
Report
Translated from Spanish by Amazon
See original ·Report translation
Baraniecki Mark Stuart
5.0 out of 5 stars Dissatisfied KoreaReviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 June 2013
Verified Purchase
The attraction of this book is that Daniel Tudor covers all the bases in explaining modern South Korea. He evaluates all aspects of Korean history and society regardless of whether they conflict with preconceived ideas about "Asian values" , "Asian inscrutability" etc.
The book is a genuine exploration of Korean society and provides a rather surprising picture of an "Over the Top" attitude permeating the whole country, with the many examples including the following:
Extremist education with students working the longest hours in the world combined with a hyper-competitive examination system. The result is a very educated population in technical subjects, a degree of youth alienation, a high youth suicide rate, high status teachers, a high financial burden on families and a surprisingly low return (productivity) for the effort expended.
The desire for physical perfection resulting in cosmetic surgery being available for all ages, and even going as far as tongue surgery to supposedly enable the better pronunciation of English words.
The cult of the new (Neophilia - Love of the new) whereby perfectly good equipment is dumped in favour of a new model. South Korea is the country where mostly only foreigners drive older cars and where product cycles have become maniacally short, with anything new automatically being viewed as superior.
Obligatory high level English language learning although only a minority will ever require it. This ties in with entrance to Seoul's four prestigious universities where candidate levels are so high that fluency in English becomes an added factor.
Extreme emotions, Han & Heung. So much for inscrutable Orientals! The author shows that Korean wear their hearts on their sleeve and revel in extremes of sadness and joy as reflected in their films and music that has a big following throughout Asia (Korean popular singers and actors regarded the most attractive in Asia).
Extreme nationalism that is rooted in Korea's history of subjugation by the Japanese and Chinese. Korean society is unified as probably no other and can undertake large scale projects with astounding determination, regardless of whether they are launched at a national level by a dictator such as Park Chung-hee or at a company level by for example Samsung. He doesn't make the point, but the contrast with the US is remarkable (see " The Big Sort: Why the Clustering of Like-Minded America Is Tearing Us Apart " by Bill Bishop).
The list continues and even includes their social binge drinking and their extreme spicy food (pickled vegetables with pepper and garlic - Kimchi, that apparently accompany everything - even pizza).
In the last chapters, the author show that things are changing at the margin, with some degree of openness to multiculturalism, gay rights and women's rights but that these issues in no way define society as they do in the United States.
In my opinion this is a great book and the author suggests that South Koreans try and relax and enjoy themselves by following the advice of Soyeon Yi (2008 Korean "Woman of the Year" and first Korean in space), when she says, "Koreans are very good at being unsatisfied. Sometimes we need to have a break, and some champagne to cheer us up".
Aren't they drinking enough soju already?
15 people found this helpfulReport
Samuel Cardoso
5.0 out of 5 stars Great overview of South KoreaReviewed in Brazil on 17 July 2019
Verified Purchase
Great way to get historical, social, and economic information about the country. Very good general approach to the period of overcoming poverty and transformation of this nation (what I was looking for when I purchased the book).
Report
Translated from Portuguese by Amazon
See original ·Report translation
No comments:
Post a Comment