This text traces the history of three Far Eastern embassies through the vicissitudes of war and revolution against the background of an apparent steady decline of Western influence in Asia. Dr Hoare tracks the key events and people shaping the British view of Asia. Key ‘dramatis personae’ are Sir Harry Parkes, British Minister to Japan, … [Read More]
Archives: Books (page 18)
Chinatown
In this emblematic selection of her stories, Oh Jung-hee probes beneath the surface of seemingly quotidian lives to expose nightmarish family configurations warped by desertion, psychosis, and death. In ‘Chinatown’ a young girl living on the edge of the city’s Chinese community comes of age among mundane violences, collisions with adult sexuality and the American … [Read More]
The Healing Power of Korean Letter Writing
A charming ode to the lost art of connecting through the handwritten letter, from the owner of the beloved Seoul stationery shop Geulwoll Juhee Moon once doubted whether handwritten letters had a place in our ultra-fast-paced world, but the runaway success of her stationery shop Geulwoll, established in 2019, quickly became known as a tranquil … [Read More]
Roadkill
An effervescent speculative short story collection by South Korean author Amil for the next generation who crave a fresh perspective. With strong roots in feminist science fiction and fantasy, Roadkill is for the next generation of readers of speculative fiction who love to be transported to different worlds but also crave a fresh perspective. Featuring … [Read More]
Red Sword
Red Sword is the mesmerizing and haunting English-language debut novel by International Booker Prize-shortlisted author Bora Chung. Expertly translated by Anton Hur, this speculative fiction unfolds on a distant, war-ravaged planet where advanced technologies wreak havoc and devastation. Told in sparse, evocative prose, a slave-turned-reluctant hero must traverse the alien terrain to uncover the truth … [Read More]
I Am Not Korean
Song Kyeong-dong is a social activist and a poet. He is surely the only Korean poet capable of writing a poem denying that he is Korean, being filled with shame on reading of the way Korean companies, having relocated their factories to Southeast Asia to profit from cheap labor, systematically exploit and abuse their underpaid workers, … [Read More]
Cultural Production of Hallyu in the Digital Platform Era
Cultural Production of Hallyu in the Digital Platform Era explores how histories, industry structures, and politics interact in the platformization of the Korean Wave. Dal Yong Jin argues that while much research centers on the Korean culture takeover and the dominance of Korean products on premier global media platforms, Korean cultural industries also experience reshaping and … [Read More]
Impossible Speech: The Politics of Representation in Contemporary Korean Literature and Film
In what ways can or should art engage with its social context? Authors, readers, and critics have been preoccupied with this question since the dawn of modern literature in Korea. Advocates of social engagement have typically focused on realist texts, seeing such works as best suited to represent injustices and inequalities by describing them as … [Read More]
Readings of the Gateless Barrier
The Gateless Barrier is one of the most cherished yet also one of the most enigmatic Chan or Zen texts of East Asian Buddhism. Compiled by the Chinese Chan master Wumen Huikai in 1228, it contains forty-eight Zen stories of spiritual awakening called “public cases” or gong’ans (known as kōans in Japanese and kongans in Korean). This book presents a new English translation … [Read More]
North Korea: Survival of a Political Dynasty
The Kim family of North Korea is the most successful political dynasty of the twentieth century, and it shows no signs of loosening its grip on power. A communist dictatorship formed in the embers of the Second World War, it heads one of the most repressive regimes in the world with human rights abuses and … [Read More]
Snowglobe 2
The groundbreaking Korean phenomenon that Entertainment Weekly called “The Hunger Games meets Squid Game” continues with even more dark secrets and shocking surprises. The temperature is rising and the truth at the center of Chobahm’s frozen world will be revealed in the final installment of this epic dystopian saga. Chobahm’s perfect life in Snowglobe came … [Read More]
Dog Days
The author of Grass and The Naked Tree returns with a profound tale of family Yuna never wanted to adopt a dog. But with her partner in mourning–and in desperate need of a boost in morale–she gives in to his humble request. And in the grand tradition of reluctant pet owners, she and their puppy soon become inseparable. The … [Read More]
I’m Not Lazy, I’m on Energy Saving Mode
The charming Korean bestseller which highlights how resting and ‘being lazy’ shouldn’t be seen as a weakness but as an important part of recharging. Lying on the floor scrolling through social media; wrapped up in bed taking your second nap of the day; lounging on the sofa watching TV. You are not lazy, you are … [Read More]
Counterattacks at Thirty
From the bestselling author of ALMOND, The Devil Wears Prada meets The Office in this witty, humane, and ultimately transformative story of a group of young workers who rebel against the status quo. Jihye is an ordinary woman who has never been extraordinary. In her administrative job at the Academy, she silently tolerates office politics … [Read More]
Late Industrialization, Tradition, and Social Change in South Korea
Examines how primary social ties fueled economic growth South Korea’s rapid industrialization occurred with the rise of powerful chaebǒl (family-owned business conglomerates) that controlled vast swaths of the nation’s economy. Leader Park Chung Hee’s sense of backwardness and urgency led him to rely on familial, school, and regional ties to expedite the economic transformation. Late … [Read More]
Korean Pop Culture beyond Asia: Race and Reception
Showcases the dynamism of cross-cultural engagement with Korean media Korean media has exploded in popularity across the globe in the past decade: BTS and other K-pop groups have packed stadiums, Parasite garnered record-breaking critical success, The Masked Singer and Single’s Inferno became viral TV hits, and multiday KCON fan events have highlighted not only media but Korean food, cosmetics, and fashion. … [Read More]