The author grew up in Gangnam, the posh Seoul neighborhood in the viral video "Gangnam Style". She takes the reader on a look inside South Korea's world-wide increasing popularity. The phenomenon is cultivated by a government Ministry of Culture that produces movies, pop bands, video games and more. Euny Hong talks to teachers, cultural critics, pop music superstars, government minister and others about this cultural shift from really uncool country to the new cool rising star.
A fun and visual introduction to Korean cooking. This graphic novel includes 64 recipes and information on often used Korean ingredients. Cooking steps are fully illustrated in comic form along with personal anecdotes and cultural insights.
Graham Holliday spent some time in South Korea in the mid-1990s and traveled back there to taste the foods he remembered from then only to find that those traditional flavors are changing with the influx of Western dishes and fusions. Throughout the book he still seeks out the traditional flavors he remembers and is able to describe his finds in such rich detail that you will get a hint of gochujang spiciness in your mouth as you read.
This guide covers all the cultural aspects of South Korea with great photographs and articles. It includes everything from Buddhism and Confucianism to pop culture and Taekwondo. Mini-guides to author's favorite neighborhoods in Seoul as well as chapters on cultural norms and practices that are uniquely Korean add to this great look into South Korea.
A practical introduction to Korean methods of skincare and makeup by two influential beauty bloggers, Kerry Thompson and Coco Park. Includes everything from multi-step Korean skincare routines to Seoul-inspired makeup looks. Find out how to get flawless looking skin using Asian skin-care philosophies, for all skin types and ethnicities.
Lee explores the ways in which love and desire can make our flaws both better and worse. A strange but lyrically beautiful love story filled with prostitutes, Greek myths, and tangled love affairs written by one of South Korea's well-known authors.
A dystopian science fiction novel that takes place in the Neo State of Korea in 2199. The story takes on difficult themes but includes a lot of warmth and humor. "Equal parts K-drama (Korean drama) and sci-fi blockbuster, Oh blends futuristic tech, authentic Korean culture, and romance in this complex, utterly engrossing, and wholly fresh story that is sure to entice a wide array of readers." --Booklist Reviews
The story begins in a Pennsylvania college dorm with a gunman holding Yoona Lee and three of her classmates hostage. The gunman was once Yoona's friend and is trying to unravel the mystery of his best friend's death in South Korea. The death appears to be a car accident but may be a cover-up. Yoona must confront her own past and learn the truth. A Small Revolution is set during the political upheaval of South Korea in the 1980s.
The narrator begins to tell a story about the attempted robbery of his house, but soon begins freely associating real and imagined events that travel to far-off places like France and Nepal and cover topics from the philosophical to historically obscure. The themes are disparate, but come together to tell the story of the writing process. Jung is one of South Korea's more award-winning and eccentric authors.
Winner of the 2016 Man Booker International Prize, The Vegetarian, tells the story of Yeong-hye, an ordinary and submissive wife, that turns vegetarian after a nightmare in defiance of her husband's expectations. The book was originally written in Korean as three novellas. It is a disturbing tale about family dysfunction. Want to know more? Read this excellent review from Dory.
Directed by Kim Ki-duk, this documentary covers his personal crisis brought about by the near suicide of his leading actress during the filming of Dream. The title, Arirang, comes from the name of a traditional Korean folk song. In Korean with English subtitles, this film won the Un Certain Regard award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011.
If you are looking for Korean cinema without having to read subtitles, this English-language film from South Korean director Hong Sang-soo will fit the bill. It stars legendary French actress Isabelle Huppert in a triptych of overlapping comedic stories about three different French women, a filmmaker, an adulterer, and a divorcée. Instantly available on Hoopla.
A man receives photographs in the mail that remind him of two girls he met five summers ago and the complexities of the relationship between them. He shares these memories with a friend. This film is in Korean but includes English subtitles. It was filmed in PyeongChang where the 2018 Winter Olympics with be held.
A zombie-virus breaks out in South Korea and a couple of train passengers struggle to survive the ride from Seoul to Busan. It is directed by Yeon Sang-ho in Korean with English subtitles. According to Variety it is expected to get an English remake. Watch it now to get the full Korean experience.
In 1636 during the second Manchu invasion of Korea, Nam-Yi vows to save his sister and her groom and defeat the Manchurians with his single bow when they kidnap them on their wedding day. -- Baker & Taylor This was the highest grossing film in Korea in 2011. Truly immersive experience in Korean.
SHINee provides a modern twist on the R&B style of this K-pop band on this studio album. It is the last album from the band before one of their members, Jonghyun, committed suicide. The album has a retro late 1980s-90s feel.
BTS started out as a hip-hop inspired K-pop band but has moved beyond their original sound with the Wings album. Their lead single, Blood Sweat & Tears, is a much more symphonic piece overall.