I spent 4 years living in South Korea and have maintained a strong interest in the country ever since. Hong's book is, along with Kevin Maher's "No Couches in Korea", the most entertaining book I have read so far on this fascinating country. Other reviewers have commented on her wit and frankness when discussing some of the features of Korean life, which she dealt with up close having moved to Seoul from the US at the age of 12, and this was certainly one of the strengths of the book. Hong covers a lot in the 260 pages, as she tries to explain why a country mired for so long in extreme poverty rapidly ascended the ranks to become the economic powerhouse it is today. Her comparison of school life in 1980s Korea with the Korea of today is perhaps the greatest strength of the book, with her description of one especially vicious teacher during her school days leaving a lasting impression on me. She is right to comment on the almost insane devotion to study that Koreans have, and how this leads to unbelievable pressure, but this now-common analysis (see also the recent BBC documentary "School Swap: Korea") is flawed, in my opinion. The suicide rate for teenagers in Korea is only slightly above the OECD average, but it is the exceptionally high rates for the elderly that drive the overall average up. Hong doesn't mention this, perhaps because she wasn't aware of it, but it is an important point, in my opinion. Furthermore, Korean students' tendency to sleep in class (one study put it at over one-third of each class) is less a result of intense study pressure, in my view, and more a result of stale teaching methods that allow for almost no in-class communication between students. This lecture-based method to teaching stands in stark contrast to those of Singapore, a country with a much more efficient approach to education. The international test scores for both countries are similar, yet Singaporean teachers emphasise pair and group work far more than Korean teachers do.
I think Hong makes a lot of valid points, though there are areas - like her correlation of irony and wealth - that come off as being quite superficial and unsupported. I would have preferred a tighter analysis of some issues, and I think it's a pity that she neglects to even mention the growth of entrepreneurship in the country outside of the usual suspects (Samsung, LG, etc.). Korea, for instance, is ranked by the World Bank as one of the easiest countries in the world in which to do business, and any visitor to the country will notice an enormous abundance of shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, etc., most of which are locally owned (apart from the big brands like Starbucks and McDonalds) and which have done a huge amount to help lift Korea out of poverty. Hong instead focuses solely on the crony-capitalist relationship between government and conglomerates, which, she argues, have allowed Korea to rapidly grow its wealth. Some of this is convincing, some isn't, and the last chapter, in my view, is muddled and often contradictory. She suggests, for example, that Koreans believe that everyone should rise equally, but also notes that their fierce competition allows them to rise above each other and is essential to their development. She does admit that this seems almost paradoxical, but I don't think she elaborated very well on these points.
Another criticism I have is of this supposedly uniquely Korean emotion known as "han", which, she says, is as responsible for Korea's ascent as anything else. I have heard this before and she claims that "han" is not even translatable, but to me, "han" just seems like a form of intense bitterness or resentment, and not this mysterious force unique to Koreans. They may feel it gives them some sort of special identity, but I don't buy it and I'm not sure any other reader will, either.
That said, it is highly enjoyable to read and very hard to put down, and despite occasionally dubious analysis, this book should be seen as a memoir rather than a historical documentation. Michael Breen's "The New Koreans" does a better job of the latter, though I didn't find it as much fun to read. I would still recommend this book to those unfamiliar with Korea's amazing story, or even to those, like me, who had many wonderful experiences in Korea and need occasional reminders as to why I found the country so appealing yet maddening in equal measure.
- Amazon Business: Make the most of your Amazon Business account with exclusive tools and savings. Login now
- Amazon Business : For business-only pricing, quantity discounts and FREE Shipping. Register a free business account
