Korea: The Impossible Country: South Korea's Amazing Rise from the Ashes: The Inside Story of an Economic, Political and Cultural Phenomenon

Going back 7 seven months, I knew nothing about South Korea. But as I have come to be a big fan of K-Pop and KDrama, I took a special interest in Korea and began to ask questions not only about why the entertainment is so outstanding but also: Why there is such a hysterical emphasis on education? Why is everyone in this country so competitive with each other? Why is double-eyelid and double-jaw plastic surgery so mainstream to the point that is almost expected in men and women? Why are sales of make-up higher for men than women? Why is the suicide rate among the highest in the world? And in spite of success, freedoms and a high standard of living enjoyed by few in Asia, why do the far majority of South Koreans claim to be unhappy?for all these questions and more, this was the perfect book to read. Daniel Tudor tackles each facet of Korean history and society. In a direct, simple, perceptive, sensitive and easy-to-read manner, he explains why South Korea is the way it is. From the home to school to work place, Tudor explains it all. That includes a candid look at the steamy nightclub culture of Seoul as well as a close look at current views on homosexuality.As Tudor (native of Great Britain) lives in Seoul and is part of the day-to-day life, he has a tremendous insight into what makes everything tick. But he also does not hesitate to offer a few personal opinions about culture, education, politics, music and South Korea’s future.My only contention with Tudor is his somewhat negative view of K-Pop. On three occasions, he labels the South Korean K-Pop groups as “manufactured.” He seems to have a westernized romantic view of rock groups as is the case of The Beatles or The Beach Boys, groups that formed by chance and in a totally natural way. In South Korea, pop groups are largely groomed by big corporate entities such as SM Entertainment. Talent is either spotted or recruited at a young age. Parents sign their children into long-term contracts in which singing, acting and dance become their life. And when they are ready to go public, SM Entertainment (and other companies like them) have top notch training, good music, effective promotion and busy concert schedules. Are we really any different? Are ballet companies run any differently? Are state run gymnastic teams formed by high school friends?K-Pop is so successful because it represents the best of the best. The only thing left to chance is the public mood, the latter of which may or may not be ready for a certain song or drama.Aside from the latter observation, this is an excellent book to read if, like me, your goal is to understand the mind, heart and soul of Korea. Job well done!

Korea. The impossible Country is a passionate comprehensive introduction to Korea, its culture and its people. The book is easy to read, engaging, very informative, and a great introduction to the country, especially if you intend visiting. Tudor's depth of knowledge is admirable and impressive and although his expertise is economics and business, the book has a soul. What is more, Tudor is able to dig into the Korean soul and present it to you in its many faces. You will dive through Korea's collective psyche and understand why Koreans behave and do things in a certain way.This book could have been a Wikipedia sort of book or a travel guide sort of book but it succeeds at being none of that but being informative and a good companion from travelling. The book touches on the eternal and the mundane in five fascinating sections:1- Foundations: We are presented with a brief analysis of the most influential religions in Korea (Buddhism, Christianity and Confucianism) and the specific forms that Capitalism and Democracy take in that country.2- Cultural Codes: We immerse ourselves into those beliefs, ways of being and attitudes that make Koreans who they are: Jeong, Chemyon, Han, Heung, competition, family and neophilia.3- Cold Reality, focuses on those aspects of life that make the functioning of society possible but aren't as thrilling as others: politics, business, work, marriage, studying and being fluent in English.4- In the hours not spent working: eating, drinking, music, cinema, and the living space are the subject of this section.5- More of Us and Less of them, analyses Korean attitudes towards foreigners, gays, women, and the many faces of Korean nationalism.The book is preceded by short historical introduction. Nothing boring, it is short and sweet, very informative and a good introduction to the History of Korea. Plenty of historical details are also found in each chapter when a historical background is needed.The epilogue is a brief summary of what Tudor discusses throughout the book, that is, what makes Koreans a remarkable nation and the challenges that Korea has and needs to face in the changing world we live in.Tudor is basically an economist and there are plenty of statistics and business and economical references in the book. However, they add to the overall believability of the book.I love that one can read the chapters individually if one wants, as they are complete in themselves, making the book very versatile and practical.I didn't find any typo in the book, something really cool.THE ABSENTEES>>> Two of the main absentees in the book are Korea's working classes and rural dwellers, who are barely mentioned. Korea is a very urban country. I get that, but I would have liked having a bit of more background on rural areas and rural culture and see how they differ from the urban Korea or not. On the other hand, the working class is barely mentioned, and I would have liked to know more about them as well. Are their interests, struggles and obsessions the same as those people who would send their kids to an American University and have plastic surgery to look better in their resumé?>>> There is a total absence of Korean literature, theatre and visual arts regarding painting, sculpture and experimental visual arts and artists in section 4. Korea has a vibrant literary scene, a scene where women are dominating and are well-respected. Any visual artists that is not part of the film industry...?>>> One of the chapters I was looking forward to read was that on Korean food. One can find a list of typical Korean dishes anywhere, so I expected this chapter to go beyond that and offer a bit of depth about Korean culinary culture. Tudor does so superficially. Some of the questions that interest me and aren't mentioned are: Which hours do they eat in the day? Is their main meal in the morning, midday or evening? Is there a foodie culture in Korea as we have it in Western countries? Is eating out expensive? Do Korean have a strong street food culture as other Asian countries? Does everybody cook at home these days or is still a women's task? Which differences do you see in food eating according to social classes in Korea? Is there a "vernacular" tea culture in Korea? Do they love programs like MasterChef? Which foreign foods do they love the most? I think Tudor knows all of this and more, so I would love have loved that sort of information commented on, even if lightly. Perhaps in the new edition of the book?KOREAN, REALLY?Some of the things Tudor says about Korean can be seen also in Western Europe, USA and Australia, so I wonder whether those are specifically Korean, and in which ways they are specifically Korean.For example:> Yummy mummies who don't work using their children's achievements to push their own egos and, therefore, push their kids unnecessarily for their own sake are everywhere.> The obsession with technology. Yes, sure, Korean moves faster than other countries in the world of gadgets, but you find similar obsessions with gadgets and technology in many Western countries. there are many people camping outside their local Apple store before the launch of a new gadget or new version of a gadget to get it.> Gay actors who keep in the closet not to destroy their careers. Certainly, gay people have a brighter life in the Western World (Western Europe especially) but, where I live, there are constant items of news on TV about people being abused, bullied or marginalised because they are gay. The Australian ex-swimmer Ian Thorpe, had depression, publicly denied being guy, wrote a biography in which he denied it, and when he came out of the closet said that he had kept it secret out of fear because he didn't know if his country would accept him. Also in Australia, a pop singer Anthony Callea kept his gay self hidden for work career purposes, he said, as most of his fans were female teens. Of course, nobody is making life difficult for them, but people who aren't famous have a more difficult day to day.> The problem of the ageing population and low birth rates. I cannot but agree with what Tudor says, but this is not a typically Korean problem, as it affects most countries of Western Europe, Spain and Italy with one the lowest birth rates in the world and the population ageing at the speed of ageing :).THE EDITINGI notice the editing when the editing is not as good as it should be. I don't mean editing as in correcting typos and odd grammar sentences, I mean editing as the proper job of editing a book by professional editors.> Tudor repeats himself quite often, things are said over and over again in different chapters, sometimes in the same chapter, and it is not always necessary. Just one example, the per capita earnings of Koreans in the post-war era.> At times the book reads like a blog, others like a newspaper article, and others as a proper book. That is distracting to me and not good for any book.> The "Special Feature: Interview with Choi Min-sik" feels like a cut-&-paste from a blog or article added here. I don't know if that is the case, but it reads as a pastiche. The question that matters here is, is this interview really relevant to know the film culture of Korea and necessary to be included in the book? The answer is no.> The data that Tudor uses for some references to religious practices relates to the 1990s! Hello hello, 2016 calling. I wonder how accurate the statistics were in 2012, when the book was written, and today.> The author mentions a few books and articles, but does not quote them properly I understand that the book is for the general public, but including a footnote when an explicit reference is mentioned will not disturb the general populace, it is a matter of courtesy to the author mentioned, a professional backup for your reputation, and some readers could be interested in that book or article. Just an example: " In a paper on the influence of chemyon on Korean consumer culture, Yoosun Hann of the University of Illinois wrote that it was important “not to stand out, but to fit in” (pp. 112-113)RENDERING FOR KINDLE~~ The comprehensive final index is not rendered for Kindle, therefore, not linked, therefore, useless for Kindle users. Moreover, the number of pages relates to the printed edition. Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!~~ If I get an e-book, I expect the book to have any website mentioned in the text out-linked.A WISHAfter reading the book I am sure he is an expert on Korea. Why not including a list of must-read books and reputed sources on Korea?IN SHORTI cannot highlight enough how much I enjoyed this book and how much I recommend it to anybody who wants to know about Korea. However, the book is not polished enough, and some areas and social groups are not mentioned or barely so.

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.

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).

Little bit pricy but writing is good staying neutral and not favouring any party.

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.

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.