London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Index of book reviews – non-fiction

Here are some of the non-fiction books we’ve read over the years, together with a highly subjective rating. The ratings system is explained here. Links are provided to the individual reviews, though sometimes, when we liked a book but haven’t yet had a chance to articulate why, we nevertheless provide a rating to encourage others to invest. (Keep visiting this page – there’s a backlog of earlier reviews that I haven’t yet had a chance to include in this list)

F = a more or less Full length review
S = a Short, mini-review – a one or two-liner

Author Title Genre / keywords F/S Rating
Bae, Fiona Make Break Remix: The Rise of K-Style (2022) Style, Design F score-2score-2score-0score-0score-0
Barclay, Jennifer Meeting Mr Kim (2008) Travel F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Bartlett, Raymond + Lee, Brandon Korea Chic (2009) Travel F score-2score-0score-0score-0score-0
Buswell, Robert E Jr The Zen Monastic Experience (1992) Buddhism F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Burgeson, J Scott Korea Bug (2005) Society, Contemporary Culture, Art, Music F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-2
Chang Ha-joon Bad Samaritans (2007) Economics F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Chang Sea-jin Sony vs Samsung (2008) Business F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Choi Jinhee The South Korean Film Renaissance (2010) Film F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Chung Hye-seung Kim Ki-duk (2012) Film F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Chung, Nicole All you can ever know (2018) Memoir, Diaspora, Adoption S score-2score-2score-2score-1score-0
Chung, Steven Split Screen Korea – Shin Sang-ok and Postwar Cinema (2014) Film, North Korea, Modern History F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Coyner, Tom + Jang Song-hyon Mastering business in Korea (2007) Business, Society F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Cunningham, Jake + Leader, Michael Film Korea: The Ghibliotheque guide (2023) Film F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-2
Daehaeng Kun Sunim No River to Cross (2007) Buddhism S score-2score-2score-2score-2score-2
Demick, Barbara Nothing to Envy (2010) North Korea F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-2
Everard, John Only Beautiful Please (2012) Memoir, Travel, North Korea F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Fifield, Anna The Great Successor (2019) North Korea S score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Fisher, Paul A Kim Jong-il Production (2015) Film, North Korea, Modern History, Biography F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Ford, Glyn North Korea on the Brink (2008) Modern history, North Korea F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Gibb, Michael A Slow Walk through Jeong-dong (2011) Travel, History F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Gowans, Stephen Patriots, Traitors and Empires (2018) North Korea S score-2score-2score-0score-0score-0
Haemin Sunim The things you can see only when you slow down Mindfulness, Buddhism S score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Halberstam, David The Coldest Winter (2007) Korean War, Modern history F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Harden, Blaine Escape from Camp 14 (2015) Memoir, Modern history, North Korea score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Harden, Blaine King of Spies (2018) Modern history F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Hastings, Max The Korean War (1987) Korean War, Modern history F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-2
Hawley, Samuel The Imjin War (2005) History, Joseon Dynasty F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-2
Hong, Y Euny The Birth of Korean Cool (2014) Contemporary culture F score-2score-2score-2score-1score-0
Hong, Y Euny The Power of Nunchi (2019) Contemporary culture S score-2score-2score-0score-0score-0
Jang Jin-sung Dear Leader (2014) Memoir, Modern History, North Korea S score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Jung, Hawon Flowers of Fire (2023) Society, #MeToo F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Jenkins, Charles The Reluctant Communist (2008) Memoir, North Korea, Modern History F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-2
Jeppesen, Travis See you again in Pyongyang (2018) Memoir, North Korea, Travel S score-2score-2score-2score-1score-0
Kang Chol-hwan Aquariums of Pyongyang (2001) North Korea, Memoir S score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Kang Jae-eun Land of Scholars (2003) History, Confucianism F score-2score-2score-2score-0score-0
Kim, Kyung-hyun Virtual Hallyu (2011) Film F score-2score-2score-0score-0score-0
Kym, Min Gone (2017) Memoir, Diaspora, Music F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-2
Kim, Suki Without You, There Is No Us (2015) Memoir, North Korea, Modern History F score-2score-2score-1score-0score-0
Kim Young-jin Lee Chang-dong (2007) Film F score-2score-2score-1score-0score-0
Kirk, Donald Korean Crisis: Unraveling of the Miracle in the IMF Era (1999) Business, Economy, Modern history F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Korea Historical Research Association A History of Korea (1992) History, Politics F score-2score-2score-0score-0score-0
Lankov, Andrei The Dawn of Modern Korea (2008) Reportage, Modern History, Society F score-2score-2score-2score-1score-0
Lee, Julayne Not my White Savior (2018) Memoir, Diaspora, Adoption S score-2score-2score-2score-1score-0
Lee Si-woo Life on the Edge of the DMZ (2008) Travel, North Korea, Modern history F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Lee Yil Dynamics of Expansion and Reduction (2018) Art History F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Leong, Anthony Korean Cinema – the new Hong Kong (2002) Film S score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Lewis, James B Frontier Contact Between Chosŏn Korea and Tokugawa Japan History, Joseon Dynasty F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Michell, Tony Samsung Electronics (2010) Business F score-2score-2score-2score-1score-0
Pak Chiwon The Jehol Diary (1780) Memoir, Travel, History F score-2score-2score-2score-0score-0
Paik Sun Yup From Pusan to Panmunjom (1992) Memoir, Korean War, Modern history F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Paik Sunoo, Brenda Seaweed and Shamans (2006) Memoir F score-2score-2score-2score-1score-0
Paquet, Darcy New Korean Cinema (2009) Film F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-2
Pettid, Michael Korean Cuisine – an illustrated history (2008) Food, History F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Russell, Mark James Pop Goes Korea (2008) Hallyu, Entertainment Industry F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-2
Salmon, Andrew To the Last Round (2009) Modern History, Korean War F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Shepherd, Roger + Douch, Andrew Walking the Baekdu-Daegan trail (2010) Travel F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Shin, Chi-yun + Julian Stringer New Korean Cinema (2005) Film F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Springer, Chris North Korea Caught in Time (2010) North Korea, Modern History, Coffee Table F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Stubbs, Richard Rethinking Asia’s Economic Miracle (2005) Economy, Modern History F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Suh Sung Unbroken Spirits: 19 Years in Prison (1994) Memoir, Modern History F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-1
Thomas, Cullen Brother One Cell (2007) Memoir F score-2score-2score-0score-0score-0
Thompson, Reginald Cry Korea (1951) Reportage, Korean War, Modern history F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0
Yoon Jungu Spirituality in Contemporary Art (2010) Visual Arts, Buddhism, Spirituality F score-2score-2score-2score-2score-0