Product Description
The Brain Korea 21 Program (BK21), which seeks to make Korean research universities globally competitive and to produce more high-quality researchers in Korea, provides funding to graduate students and professors who belong to research groups at top universities. The authors develop quantitative and qualitative models to evaluate how well BK21 is fulfilling its goals and make suggestions for further stimulating Korean university research. ... Read more

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Cheju Island, Korea's historic island of exile, with a harsh natural environment, early developed a negative image as human habitat. The author challenges this perception and shows how Neo-Confucian state ideology during the Yi dynasty (A.D. 1392-1910) created and conserved the island as a viable habitat by using feng-shui--a powerful medieval science of surveying--to shape the island's built environment and quality of life. The outcome, reflecting sustained political commitment to the philosophical concept of enlightened undervelopment, was a sincere landscape inhabited by a virtuous people. ... Read more

Product Description
Revised versions of papers first presented at a conference jointly sponsored by RAND's Center for Asia-Pacific Policy and the Sejong Institute in Santa Monica, California, in February 1995. The papers fall into five categories: China's future, regional military capabilities, future international economic arrangements and trends, the future of the U.S.-Korean alliance, and the future of U.S.-Japan relations. The papers find much cause for optimism, although the analyses highlight a wide spectrum of possibilities and contingencies that could develop in a broader process of political, economic, and security realignment. There are also some more negative scenarios. ... Read more

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Korea and Regional Geopolitics consists of twelve original essays written by Korea experts in the fields of political science, economics, military science, history, geography, education, international laws, and literature, using new interdisciplinary research methods and recently released documents that have not previously been employed in any English publications. The contributors' views reveal an inside perspective into one of the most important regions in the modern world by discussing national unification, democratization, international trade, U.S.-South Korea relations and the Cold War and its impact. The contributing professors, lawyers, and professionals came from Northeast Asia or worked there for many years and can provide cross-cultural backgrounds and move beyond existing scholarship to start new debates. New sources, including declassified Russian Communist archives and Chinese Communist resources, and interviews with government officials provide new ideas in an unprecedented manner that will stimulate a large, enthusiastic audience in America by their interesting findings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent field research of an economic organization
The author's study of a South Korean business group intends to pay its special attention to "everyday white-collar business practices" and white-collar workers' "opinions" (p. 16). In this course, the author(s) tries to figures out what kinds of control over those workers are practiced and institutionalized not only by the economic organization and its owener-manager, but also by the national political economy of South Korea and international relations. And he also does not miss the reactions by the workers to the controls. Thus, this book is an ethnographic study about controls and reactions in a Korean economic organization.

As for his theoretical standing, in the beginning two chapters, the author criticizes both cultural and economic determinism. Even he is self-conscious of his possible motivation behind his own study of this topic, which seems very impressive because of his frankness (p. 14). Other researchers or writers may have different views on this positioning than his, or they just may not be so consciously frank like him. This is a merit of ethnographic studies in general and above all of a especially thoughtful ethnographer. This is really one of the excellent ethnographic studies of workers in an economic organization in South Korea. You should read the tile 'making capitalism' not in the sense of the origin or beginning but in that of reproducing in this book, because the title may be able to misreading for some who did not start reading this book. ... Read more

Product Description
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Korea Unmasked is an illustrated book that presents a hilarious and often unflattering look at Korean society and its people. It brings the reader a fascinating exploration of the Korean mindset and weaves together history, sociology and cultural anthropology. The book introduces an insight in subjects like; Korean history, traditions, culture, food, life, economy, tension between South and N. Korea and more. The book will introduce the reader to Korea and their people and discuss many subjects and attitudes that are sometimes unknown or misunderstood by westerners. The insightful discussions about Korea and differences/similarities with other countries emphasized on the neighbors China, Japan, will help to clear the picture who the Korean people really are. The author, Won-bok Rhie provides a delightful and humorous portrait of the Korean people. It's comical yet serious well-written and informative pictured by the author. If you only have time for one book about Korea, this is the book! ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Won-bok Rhie is one of Korea's most famous cartoonists. After achieved a bachelor's degree in architecture at Seoul National University, he studied graphic design in Germany and obtained a degree of Dipl. Designer. He is the author of numerous comic books introducing historical, cultural and economic subjects. He have also written many comic series in Korea newspapers and magazines. Korea Unmasked is part of a 9-volume series of comic books about several European countries, Korea and Japan, which all became bestsellers in Korea. Rhie is also a professor of graphic design in University in Seoul, Korea. In 1993, he achieved a prestigious Award in recognition of his development and contributions to the Korean cartoon industry. From 1998 to 2000, he also served as the president of the Korean Society of Cartoon and Animation Studies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Watered down jumping off point - easy on the eyes
For what it is, it's wonderful. One must take into consideration that this is a non-fiction comic book and as such, it takes some liberties in the sake of brevity. We are talking about summing up a whole culture into less than 250 pages. Comments such as "this book is too general" or "it takes too many liberties" failed to see what this book is intended to be - a general overall for people with virtually no background knowledge of Korea. To that end, this book excels.

I also commend this book in its comparison with Japan, China, and America. The author has taken a vast amount of information and condensed it into very approachable subjects such as cultural identity, leadership and economic growth.

Let's not forget that this book is driven by it's artistic style which is quite pleasant and not distracting the least. For an animator, the script is well written and translated which includes very native-English references and subtle jokes that demonstrate his dedication tot he project.

All in all, it's a great non-academic read that is recommended to anyone looking to take an introduction to Korea without having to dig through countless volumes of ancient history and poorly translated, nationalistic rhetoric.

Great artwork, entertaining, unfortunately plagued by ignorance and propoganda - publisher apologized over anti-semetic claims
Great artwork, entertaining, unfortunately plagued by ignorance and propoganda.The book is 9900 Won retail.

Sadly this book is insulting and stereotypical of other cultures, and some of its claims were naeve or absurd to the point that I thought it was comedic satire..until I realized the author wasn't being sarcastic.I'm shocked at some of the ignorant assumptions and outright insults being spewed against other cultures.It's hard to tell which parts are intentional propaganda, and which parts are just ignorance.It shares a lot in common with North Korean texts I've read and Japanese revisionist textbooks, only cuter with cartoon characters and more international anecdotes.

First off, I think Korea has a rich and amazing culture and is a wonderful place and I've visited many times and have many friends both here and in Korea.I learned Korean and traveled every corner of the country and studied its history.It happens that I also think India and about a dozen other countries are great nations and cultures too.My comments only pertain to the outrageous things being said by this book, despite many good things about it.

Early on the book says a lot of things about what all Chinese people believe and why they did everything in their history.Half the time I was laughing, the other time I couldn't believe anyone could be this ignorant.The fact that the author even tries to make these kind of claims speaks for itself.

I noticed it even claims and I quote "China has shown a great deal of tolerance regarding Taiwan".That's funny, for most of the last 50 years China has threatened to invade on a yearly basis.China is about as tolerant as North Korea is of the South.Which I guess isn't a surprise since some South Koreans think that's true too.This claim is basically as outrageous as saying Korea is one country.The book is filled with this ignorance about dozens of countries.

The book simplifies history with childlike logic.For example it literally says that because England is an island like Japan, its people chose to modify foreign cultures a la the Catholic Church to the Anglican church.First of all, this happened because King Henry wanted a divorce and was refused by the Pope, in fact he had 6 wives in his life.It had little to do with the English people or culture (the actual point being made), foreign cultures (what?), or the fact that England is an island.By its own logic if this was the real reason, England would have gotten rid of the Catholic Church a thousand years before it actually did.I'm not going to cover the other hundred claims but this example shows the kind of logic being used.

What's ironic is a lot of claims really apply to Koreans as much as Japan or China.Early on it claims Chinese always think they're the best, when many Koreans think this way as well if not more so.The reality is this is simply a stereotype, and its disingenuous to suggest this is a Chinese stereotype and not a Korean or Japanese one as well.

The author even oversimplifies his own culture.He claims the reason Japan is 1% Christian and Korea 30%+ Christian boils down to Japan being animistic and Korea being shamanistic and animists think there are many gods but shamans think everything is one god.He can't explain the fact that much of Japan converted to Christianity even faster than Korea in the 16th century, until they were literally murdered by the masses or forced to renounce their religion by a military government.Or that many Koreans, even non-Christians, respected Christians for their opposition during Japanese occupation and that Christianity has genuine appeal for many Koreans.

The Korean economic growth is indeed a miracle, a credit to hard work and converging factors.What's insulting is they've dismissed all the other nations and their achievements in broad strokes.It says that since Germany and Japan were already "economic powerhouses" before being demolished in WWII, their economic miracles are anything but.Then it dismisses over a hundred 3rd world countries from comparison by saying it's easy for a third world country to post high growth.Classic.Essentially, the logic of this author is that any country more advanced than Korea isn't worth comparing to for one reason, and any country less advanced than Korean isn't worth comparing to either.

Almost every claim requires an asterisk and fine print.For example, "If you eliminate 75% of countries from consideration, Korea is the most blah blah", or "This has never happened in another country" when it's simply false and should be explained by another asterisk (but not).

The book swerves back and forth between fact and fiction, relying on technicalities.Well if we want to get technical, Korea isn't even a country.There's North Korea, and South Korean.Korea hasn't been a country for almost a hundred years.If you think that's being too technical and callous, try reading what this book has to say about other countries.

The book also makes two puzzling claims that Korea was a vassal was under China and only as a formality, and that Korea is constantly under invasion and the victim of aggressors.That's funny considering even in Korean museums they acknowledge the historical fact that Korea was a vassal of the Mongols and twice invaded Japan under them.These invasions, although failures, were extremely brutal and sadistic and ironically only exceeded by the Japanese invasions of Korea.The fact is Korea was a full vassal and launched joint military strikes as such, and it's pretty malicious to pretend this never happened.What actually happened is pretty generous to Korea - they had little choice but to be vassals and agree to invade with the Mongols and send troops.

Now the book actually has a lot of good content and interesting commentary.It's just constantly mixed in with garbage and propaganda.So I enjoyed a lot of content at the same time as I'd roll my eyes thinking "Oh not this again".The author clearly read the cliff notes of history and filled in the blanks with classic child logic.

The author clearly has talent and a lot of funny things to say.If the author had turned this into satire, it would have worked for a chapter or two until it revealed that this book itself represents the distorted view Koreans have about the world.But it doesn't and goes through pains to explain and qualify itself, and that's why it's not even satire.

Korea is such as wonderful place, even people I've known who went to North Korea tell of how no matter how corrupt the government the good of individuals is hard to defeat.This book is an exception to that, the South Korean analogy to North Korean and Japanese propoganda.

Excellent quick tutorial of the Korean culture
This book (cartoon) is a fabulous introduction to the Korean people and culture. I cannot think of a better introduction, other than going to Korea, of learning and understanding the intricacies of the Korean culture in an entertaining fashion.

This book is not and certainly should not be read as a definitive text. The author's opinions are singular and he offers no counterarguments. Certainly, the author's opinions on various aspects of Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese cultures can be rationally disputed. Nevertheless, they are worthy of contemplation. For example, the author states that Chinese culture emphasizes "oneness", Japanese "peace", and Koreans "fidelity". Although many would dispute this generalizaion, the author's analysis and arguments are very cogent and thoughtful.

The book has highly entertaining cartoons and small jokes which makes it a fun read. I laughed out loud more than a few times reading this informative cultural cartoon.

After readng this book,you will have a far greater understanding of Korea, its culture, and its history, and be refreshingly entertained by the kneeslapping comics and jokes of the author.

This is a good book, but...
This is a decent book, easy to read, and informative for both children and adults. However, it accurately shows the Korean mind in perhaps an unintentional manner. (Not manor! See review below.) Specifically, the Koreans are blind to their own faults and quick to see faults in others, and in comparing themselves to the world the book shows how the Koreans portray themselves and the world. This explains why Koreans are so xenophobic.

I lived in Korea and Taiwan, have traveled in Japan, and was born in Taiwan, and thus I am familiar with Asian cultures. This book insults Japanese or Chinese conformity, and admires Korean conformity.

In many ways even North Korea's extreme form of communishm is a tribute to the Korean ethic of going all out to acheive an end. The book pokes fun at Koreans, yet does not seem to offer criticism of the Korean conformities, how Korean culture has become shallow, and how the Korean mindset is apt to follow blindly any fad, whether it be consumerism or fanatic communism. The book boasts how Korea became democratic in fifty years while it took Western countries hundreds of years. This is just absurd, and it takes a profound ignorance of the West to make such a statement, as well as a simplistic definition of democracy. The book overlooks the South's cruel dictatorships. The problem is the book makes fun of Koreans for things that should be criticized, and admires Koreans for what should be ridiculed.

Koreans are very competitive, but to a fault. Corruption is rampant in Korean society. When I lived in Korea students complained how they had to bribe teachers for everything. One father told me his visually-impaired daughter could not get a seat in front of the class until he gave her teacher a cash 'gift'. Police will take money rather than issue tickets, and this goes all the way up the political ladder.

As to the assertion the book makes as to how different the Korean culture is to the Chinese and Japanese, there is no doubt there is a difference, but subtle, not huge, which the book proudly cries. As to marriage, respect of elders, deference to authority, even taking off shoes indoors, they are very similar, and these are crucial similarities. Size of chopsticks, or use of the spoon, or what sort of bed they sleep in is not that big a difference.I would argue that there are no three cultures separated by language that are so similar than the Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese.

Read this book to get an impression of the way Koreans look at themselves, but bear in mind the book looks at Koreans the way a mother looks at her son.

Excellent guide to Korean culture
Many people often find it difficult distinguish Korean from Japanese, Chinese, and etc. (maybe, in there eyes they are all just 'ASIAN')

This book will clearly educate you on the uniqueness of Korea, Korean culuture and everything related to Korea.

The author provides a nice balanced view. You can see the real 'UNmasked' korea.

This book is supreme for classroom, average reader and even regional specialists.

As far as I know, the author is very renowned professor in Korea.

You will never reget buying this book! ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Journal of Social Sciences, published by Science Publications on July 1, 2008. The length of the article is 8617 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: Key words: Populism, conservative/progressive, binary opposition, manic dualism, democracy

Citation Details
Title: The logic of populist discourse and its cultural frame in Korea: an analysis of the former president Roh Moo-Hyun's reformist rhetoric.(Report)
Author: Manwoo Lee
Publication: Journal of Social Sciences (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2008
Publisher: Science Publications
Volume: 4Issue: 3Page: 178(11)

Article Type: Report

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description
This is a NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA report procured by the Pentagon and made available for public release. It has been reproduced in the best form available to the Pentagon. It is not spiral-bound, but rather assembled with Velobinding in a soft, white linen cover. The Storming Media report number is A375953. The abstract provided by the Pentagon follows: The purpose of this thesis is to assess the Navy supply system's movement toward an innovative organization. It compares the Navy's supply system to innovative organizations in the private sector. The purpose is to help DoD organizations gauge where they are now, note how far they have progressed, and plan where they have to go in the future to be innovative organizations. The Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers (FISCs) were chosen to represent Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) as a whole. FISC Yokosuka, FISC Norfolk, FISC jacksonville, FISC Puget Sound, FISC San Diego and FISC Pearl Harbor were the organizations in the study. They completed a survey to determine the degree of innovativeness that exists in NAVSUP. The study concluded that the Naval Supply Systems Command is neither as innovative as private companies that have received accolades for innovativeness, nor as innovative as private companies that can be characterized as less or non-innovative. ... Read more

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This controversial new study, breaks with the tradition of basing political studies on analyses of institutions and political personalities, by likening the Republic of Korea to a laboratory for the clash of political cultures. In the late 1940s, the Americans embarked upon a democratization programme designed to create a Western bulwark against the spread of communism in East Asia. The intervening years have seen the advent and demise of military rule, with South Korea now having a democratically-elected government. Although the US strategy thus seems successful, the political crises of 1995 in fact indicate that many obstacles remain here to the adoption of Western-style democracy.

This study argues that socialization in general and political socialization in particular are key factors in any analysis of democracy, be it in Korea or elsewhere. Accordingly, the work draws on moral education textbooks, together with surveys and interviews among members of the urban intellectual elite. In this manner, the psychological roots of power and authority - key concepts to an understanding of 'good government' - are explored. ... Read more

Product Description
Book Synopsis: Cale Dixon, a detective on suspension, is assigned a research case just prior to reinstatement. A South Korean man, the oldest son of the Won family, is found with a mouthful of Moguk rubies and stabbed in the back with an Un Jang do knife that has been discretely passed down though generations of the Cho dynasty women. Cale has nothing to go on so he travels on a scheduled vacation but alters course to Burma to learn about the Moguk Ruby. He, by chance, falls in the right hands and meets up with a major Mandalay jewelry family. While the jewelers do some black market research for Cale, he tours the Burmese countryside somewhere between hiding from the secret police and running from them. After traveling through the repressed land, he returns to the states and gets more turns and twists than he bargains for.

Author Bio: David Dagley has been working in the Bering Sea for the last 10 years and traveling through South East Asia in his off time. He resides in Seward, Alaska.
... Read more

Product Description
This VHS videocassette (NOT a book) provides a look at Hangeul, Korea's highly sophisticated and efficacious alphabet - its history, evolution, and unique phonemo-graphic qualities. Hangeul was invented by King Sejong the Great in 1446. Through interviews and animated sequences, this documentary explores the origins of the Korean hangul (Hangeul) alphabet and its interest today to linguists and speakers of the Korean language. It also gives a brief overview of the languages characters and the sounds they represent. ... Read more

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Product Description
"I am more American than Korean in my mind," writes K. Connie Kang, "but am more Korean than American in my soul. As for my heart, it is split in half." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

So-so mix of history and memoir
Americans know so little of the world, and I'm no exception. That's why I was willing to give this book plenty of time to draw me in. I had just read a National Geographic article about North Koreans and their escape routes to freedom today (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/02/north-korea/oneill-text), so I was ready to hear more.

This writer's style is a tough slog, though. It is so very dry. Ms. Kang is clearly passionate about her family's story and her country's story, yet it comes across as a history lesson on the page. Perhaps it's her naturally reticent nature, or perhaps the nature of the material itself. You do get bogged down in the politics and the players. She might have done better to give just an overview of Korean history. In mixing her family's story with that of her country, she often violates the cardinal rule of journalism, which is to show and not tell.

To preserve the emotional power of the story, I would suggest you skip her prologue. It is pretty much a chronological outline of her life. It hits the highlights of her family's tragic struggle for survival, so when you return to each individual episode in the course of the narrative, you've already been there and spent your emotional energy.

But by persevering to the end, I did get to the most rewarding part of the book. Because of her upbringing in three countries, Ms. Kang concludes that she never feels entirely at home anywhere. Her itinerant life and her broken relationships attest to her unsettledness. Because her intellect bloomed in the West, "I am more American than Korean in my mind," she says. But because she was brought up in the East, she realizes that "I am more Korean than American in my soul." It's a split she may never be able to reconcile.

a wonderful book!
I received this book as a gift when it first came out. The author even signed it. I was riveted and could not put the book down. I was in high school at the time. I enjoyed this book and it spoke to me so much about my homeland. She writes welland effortlessly. She does a great job of painting pictures with her words and really carrying the reader along with her in each thing she saw, felt and experienced.

inspiring and insightful
It took me months to track down a copy of Connie's book, but it was well worth it. Growing up as a second generation Korean American interested in becoming a journalist, I knew of very few Korean and Asian American journalists, especially women. I found Kang's memoir inspiring, detailed and well written. I read the book in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. There were so many moments in the story that I felt like she was talking directly to me. Even if you're not Asian American, the story is universal and explores the questions of identity, understanding, and growing up.

A very well written journey
This is basically an autobiography of Connie's life.Very well written and insightful at times.She can look at Korean culture from both within and without.Overall, I'd recommend it.

dry
It was difficult to finish reading this book. It's very boring, mainly because the writer seems so reluctant to reveal herself and her feelings.For example, she falls madly in love with her husband and suddenly they aredivorced. Why she would write a memoir is hard to figure out. Since she isinterested in a particular period of Korean history, she should havewritten a journalistic history book. ... Read more

Product Description
The Korean culture and the impact of the geopolitical environment of the Korean peninsula have produced a unique behavioral pattern in both managers and workers. It is necessary to understand this behavioral pattern in order to understand the Korean management system that has played a major role in contributing to the phenomenal economic achievement of the Korean business community. Top executives, managers, and entrepreneurs doing business in Korea or with Korean businessmen will be interested in this book's discussion of the Korean management system. ... Read more

Product Description
The contributors to this volume challenge the assumptions of classical business economics about the universal nature of the firm. They show how the embeddedness of firms in the larger societal context of nations impacts on their ability to adjust to the current forms of international competition. The key theoretical approach highlighted in this book is the concept of a "business system" as defined by Richard Whitley and his associates. This book begins with an elaboration of this approach in a paper by Richard Whitley. The remaining papers critically assess this approach, both theoretically and empirically. ... Read more