The award-winning, shocking Korean bestseller, a unique tale where magic comes at a price. Open twenty-four hours a day in a quiet Seoul neighbourhood, The Wizard’s Bakery seems like any other where you can buy bread, cakes, and pastries, with a somewhat grumpy man behind the counter. For a desperate runaway teen, it’s a refuge … [Read More]
Archives: Books (page 13)
Art, War, and Exile in Modern Korea: Rethinking the Life and Work of Lee Qoede
This book celebrates the life and works of Lee Qoede (1913–1965), who focused on art’s social purpose and representation of civilians. He believed “art must be an integral part of the struggle in reality. It cannot simply be a still-life of apples, flowers, or scenery.” Born in South Korea, he was a prisoner of war, … [Read More]
Fallout: The Inside Story of America’s Failure to Disarm North Korea
A behind-the-scenes look into US efforts to contain North Korea’s nuclear capabilities and why they have not worked For almost four decades, the United States has tried to halt North Korea’s march to build nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them. Joel S. Wit, a former State Department official, takes readers to the front … [Read More]
Tiger Season
An American soldier’s life spirals out of control after he makes a fateful discovery on the Korean DMZ and then falls in love with a beautiful brothel courtesan whose tragic past becomes entwined in a volatile confrontation with Communist North Korea. It’s the 1960s, the Vietnam conflict is raging, and a delicate Korean armistice threatens … [Read More]
Called by Another Name: A Memoir of the Gwangju Uprising
The American who walked into the turmoil of Korean history After graduating from university, David wanted to make a positive change in the world. He joined the Peace Corps and arrived in South Korea in 1978. He was bestowed with a Korean name, Im Dae-oon and it was his name throughout his time in Korea. … [Read More]
Korea: War Without End
A ground-breaking history of this global conflict including the errors and miscalculations made on both sides. Korea: War Without End examines the stand-off between East and West in Korea that ultimately defined the second half of the 20th century. It provides a critical analysis of the lack of preparation by the West for war; the … [Read More]
The Moon Glow Bookshop
What if you could turn the pages of your own life, like the pages of your favourite book? Somewhere along the ordinary alleys you pass by every day, a mysterious shop appears between all the other familiar buildings. Surely, you didn’t see it yesterday or the day before. A large sign reads ‘The Moon Glow … [Read More]
Hakuda Photo Studio
Have you ever been on a summer holiday so good you never want to go home again? Jebi is tired of noisy, crowded Seoul and her dull job at a photography studio in the city. When she sees a billboard on her commute showing beautiful Jeju Island, she decides to quit her job and spend … [Read More]
Soyangri Book Kitchen
Welcome to Soyangri Book Kitchen In a peaceful village in the countryside, far from the bustling heart of Seoul, lies a book lovers’ paradise. With its wafts of delicious food and book-filled shelves, Soyangri Book Kitchen is dotingly managed by its plucky proprietor Yoojin. Her aim? To create a sanctuary for weary souls like herself. … [Read More]
On the Brink: Trump, Kim, and the Threat of Nuclear War
In 2017, the world watched as President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traded personal insults and escalating threats of nuclear war amid unprecedented shows of military force. Former Pentagon insider and Korean security expert Van Jackson traces the origins of the first American nuclear crisis in the post-Cold War era, and … [Read More]
The Passenger: South Korea
Eighty years ago, at the end of a devastating fratricidal war, South Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world, completely dependent on the United States for security and development. Today it’s the tenth economy in the world, dynamic and innovative, a lively and participatory democracy that sits at the table of the … [Read More]
The South Korean Economy
South Korea has the tenth largest economy in the world and is one of only two Asian members of the OECD. It has achieved this remarkable level of economic development since its independence from Japan in 1945. Indeed, it has achieved this transformation, exceptional for any postcolonial state, despite one of the most brutal fratricidal … [Read More]
The True History of Korea (2): The Political History of Joseon
Most Korean history books written by mainstream Korean historians – including A New History of Korea published by Harvard University Press – have led the readers to face or accept an erroneous or wrong interpretation of Korean history. For instance, when Queen Min of Joseon was assassinated in 1895, the Japanese hit squad killed the … [Read More]
The True History of Korea (1): The Political History of Silla & Goryeo
Most Korean history books written by mainstream Korean historians – including A New History of Korea published by Harvard University Press – have led the readers to face or accept an erroneous or wrong interpretation of Korean history. For instance, mainstream Korean historians maintain that Silla unified the Three Kingdoms – Silla, Goguryeo, and Baekje … [Read More]
The Making of Korean Christianity: Protestant Encounters with Korean Religions, 1876-1915
A major catalyst for the growth of Korean Christianity occurred at the turn of the twentieth century when Western missionaries encountered the religious landscape of Korea. These first-generation missionaries have been framed as destroyers of Korean religion and culture. Yet, as Sung-Deuk Oak shows in The Making of Korean Christianity, existing Korean religious tradition also impacted … [Read More]
Modern and Contemporary Korean Art in Context (1950 – Now)
Including over 120 full-colour images throughout, this is a vividly illustrated, in-depth and up-to-date introduction to the world of Korean art from 1950 to the present day. The book covers such as topics as: Historical, political and social contexts in Korea from the military dictatorship through the post-Olympics period to the digital age; Major artistic … [Read More]