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"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 KoreaIn 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.
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South Korea's amazing transformation into an economic powerhouse and a thriving democracy within a generation now serves as a model for many other developing nations. How were Korean's able to achieve their "Asian miracle" despite half a century of colonial rule, a ruinous war, and no earlier democratic tradition? And having accomplished it, what comes next? Will Korea become a rich but aging society, stagnant and lacking momentum? Or will the dynamism of Korean society--and the opportunity to welcome outsiders--enable it to experience another miracle to propel it into the ranks of the leading countries of the world in terms of human development and wealth? Daniel Tudor is a journalist who has lived in Korea for a decade, and seeks the answers to these questions in interviews with scores of high-powered Korean business leaders, politicians, religious leaders, sports legends, poets, rock stars and academics. In this fascinating and uncoventional book he examines Korea's cultural foundations ; the Korean family character ; the public sphere in politics, business, the workplace ; the Korean family and how Koreans unwind including food, music, and cinema ; and social issues crucial to Korea's future--including their interactions with outsiders. In doing so, he touches on topics as diverse as shamanism, clan-ism, the dilemma posed by North Korea (brother or enemy?), myths about doing business in Korea, and why the country's infatuation with learning English is causing huge social problems. This new edition has been updated with additional materials on recent events including the Park impeachment and the Sewol ferry incident.
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