NEW YORK TIMES AND LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER • An homage to what it means to be Korean American with delectable recipes that explore how new culinary traditions can be forged to honor both your past and your present.SHORTLISTED FOR THE ART OF EATING PRIZE • IACP AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: Bon Appétit, The Boston Globe, Saveur, NPR, Food & Wine, Salon, Vice, Epicurious, Publishers Weekly, Simply Recipes“This is such an important book: an enquiry into identity, and a rich repository of memories and deliciousness.”—Nigella Lawson, author of Cook, Eat, RepeatNew York Times staff writer Eric Kim grew up in Atlanta, the son of two Korean immigrants. Food has always been central to his story, from Friday-night Korean barbecue with his family to hybridized Korean-ish meals for one—like Gochujang-Buttered Radish Toast and Caramelized-Kimchi Baked Potatoes—that he makes in his tiny New York City apartment. In his debut cookbook, Eric shares these recipes alongside insightful, touching stories and stunning images shot by photographer Jenny Huang.Playful, poignant, and vulnerable, Korean American also includes essays on subjects ranging from the life-changing act of leaving home and returning as an adult, to what Thanksgiving means to a first-generation family, complete with a full holiday menu—all the while teaching readers about the Korean pantry, the history of Korean cooking in America, and the importance of white rice in Korean cuisine. Recipes like Gochugaru Shrimp and Grits, Salt-and-Pepper Pork Chops with Vinegared Scallions, and Smashed Potatoes with Roasted-Seaweed Sour Cream Dip demonstrate Eric's prowess at introducing Korean pantry essentials to comforting American classics, while dishes such as Cheeseburger Kimbap and Crispy Lemon-Pepper Bulgogi with Quick-Pickled Shallots do the opposite by tinging traditional Korean favorites with beloved American flavor profiles. Baked goods like Milk Bread with Maple Syrup and Gochujang Chocolate Lava Cakes close out the narrative on a sweet note. In this book of recipes and thoughtful insights, especially about his mother, Jean, Eric divulges not only what it means to be Korean American but how, through food and cooking, he found acceptance, strength, and the confidence to own his story. Read more

Si quiere descubrir la fascinante historia de Corea, siga leyendo....Hoy en día la península de Corea se divide en dos, pero hubo una época en la que esta península estaba dividida en muchos estados. Con el paso del tiempo, y el asedio de grandes dinastías extranjeras, estas tierras fueron invadidas por diversos clanes y tribus. Ninguno de todos esos poderosos y codiciosos caciques logró prevalecer. La tierra está regada con la sangre de la gente que hizo posible Corea y es el pueblo coreano, que salió victorioso entre la vorágine de imperios liderados por tiranos odiados y guerras libradas por personas provenientes de tierras muy lejanas. Los coreanos son supervivientes, conocidos por su persistencia y valentía. En Historia de Corea: Una guía fascinante de la historia coreana, con episodios como las invasiones mongolas, la división en norte y sur, y la guerra de Corea, descubrirá temas como: Tierra del OsoEl dragón del mar del EsteAscenso y caída de las dinastíasLa dinastía Joseon de GoryeoInvasiones extranjerasComerciantes, agricultores y extranjerosDe la independencia a la anexiónCorea en guerraCorea del NorteCorea del Sur¡Y mucho, mucho más!¡Consiga este libro ahora para aprender más sobre la historia de Corea!Please note: This audiobook is in Spanish. Read more

A BRACING ACCOUNT OF A WAR THAT IS EITHER MISUNDERSTOOD, FORGOTTEN, OR WILLFULLY IGNORED For Americans, it was a discrete conflict lasting from 1950 to 1953. But for the Asian world the Korean War was a generations-long struggle that still haunts contemporary events. With access to new evidence and secret materials from both here and abroad, including an archive of captured North Korean documents, Bruce Cumings reveals the war as it was actually fought. He describes its origin as a civil war, preordained long before the first shots were fired in June 1950 by lingering fury over Japan’s occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Cumings then shares the neglected history of America’s post–World War II occupation of Korea, reveals untold stories of bloody insurgencies and rebellions, and tells of the United States officially entering the action on the side of the South, exposing as never before the appalling massacres and atrocities committed on all sides.Elegantly written and blisteringly honest, The Korean War is, like the war it illuminates, brief, devastating, and essential. Read more

Inspired by true stories from the authors’ grandparents’ lives during one of the darkest periods in Korean history, The Last Tiger is a debut young adult fantasy novel about the power of love to give voice to a broken people.In a colonized land where tigers are being hunted to extinction and ancient magic stirs, two star-crossed teens—Lee Seung, a servant yearning for freedom, and Choi Eunji, a noble girl defying tradition—join forces to try and reshape their respective fates.But their relationship evolves from begrudging accomplices to bitter adversaries as they soon find themselves on opposite sides of a battle over the last tiger, a symbol of their people’s lost freedom and key to the liberation of their country. As the ties between Seung and Eunji are complicated by their conflicting loyalties, tensions rise—especially when a charming princeling of the empire begins to rival for Eunji's affection.In this friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story of forbidden romance, antagonists turned allies, oppression and liberation, neither Seung nor Eunji can abandon their mission—or each other. And as they embark on separate quests to find the elusive creature, each must also find the power within themselves to make their own destiny. Read more

'The temple of Korean cosmetics' Vanity Fair'This book leaves no stone unturned when it comes to trying to help people achieve the perfect skin'Daily MailFeatured in Refinery29.This is the ultimate no-nonsense manual to daily Korean beauty care; in it you will find step-by-step morning and evening skincare routines, the best product advice and actionable tips on how to take care of your complexion. In this handbook, the experts in Korean cosmetics will also teach you how to use everyday beauty products, describe the natural ingredients that will best suit your skin type and give you advice on tried-and-tested Korean skincare regimes to make your skin glow.The Korean Skincare Bible will help you to feel truly confident in your own skin.Chapters:The history of Korean beautyThe importance of caring for your skinKorean beauty productsThe Korean beauty routineNatural ingredients in Korean beautyNatural beautyK-beauty do's and don'tsKorean beauty trendsKorean skincare answersKorean skincare tips for menKorean beauty travel tips Read more

“A comprehensive and impressively written history of the Korean War.”—Washington PostSelected for the 2019 Commandant's Professional Reading List Updated with maps, photographs, and battlefield diagrams, this special fiftieth anniversary edition of the classic history of the Korean War is a dramatic and hard-hitting account of the conflict written from the perspective of those who fought it. Partly drawn from official records, operations journals, and histories, it is based largely on the compelling personal narratives of the small-unit commanders and their troops. Unlike any other work on the Korean War, it provides both a clear panoramic overview and a sharply drawn "you were there" account of American troops in fierce combat against the North Korean and Chinese communist invaders. As Americans and North Koreans continue to face each other across the 38th Parallel, This Kind of Warcommemorates the past and offers vital lessons for the future.  Read more

This first book on Kim Jong Un’s increasingly powerful sister, tapped to be his successor, offers jaw-dropping insights into the latest generation of North Korea’s secretive and murderous dynasty. The first woman ever to issue the threat of a nuclear weapons strike is not even officially a head of state. Kim Yo Jong is the sister of North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and, as their murderous regime’s chief propagandist, internal administrator, and foreign policymaker, she is the most powerful woman in North Korean history. Cruel but charming, she threatens and insults foreign leaders with sardonic wit, issuing proclamations and denunciations in her own name, a first for any woman in the Korean royal family.  She memorably called the South Korean Defense Minister “a senseless and scum-like guy” before going on to promise South Korea “a miserable fate little short of total destruction and ruin”. A princess by birth with great expectations for her macabre kingdom, she was brought up to believe it is her mission to reunite North Korea with the South or die trying. She’s ruthless and incredibly dangerous.  The Sister, written by Sung-Yoon Lee, a scholar of Korean and East Asian studies and a specialist on North Korea, is a fascinating, authoritative account of the mysterious world of North Korea and its ruling dynasty—a family whose lust for power entails the brutal repression of civilians, a missile program that can reach the continental US, and the constant threat of global havoc. Read more

Patriots, Traitors and Empires is an account of modern Korean history, written from the point of view of those who fought to free their country from the domination of foreign empires. It traces the history of Korea’s struggle for freedom from opposition to Japanese colonialism starting in 1905 to North Korea’s current efforts to deter the threat of invasion by the United States or anybody else by having nuclear weapons. Koreans have been fighting a civil war since 1932, when Kim Il Sung, founder of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, along with other Korean patriots, launched a guerrilla war against Japanese colonial domination. Other Koreans, traitors to the cause of Korea’s freedom, including a future South Korean president, joined the side of Japan’s Empire, becoming officers in the Japanese army or enlisting in the hated colonial police force. From early in the 20th century when Japan incorporated Korea into its burgeoning empire, Koreans have struggled against foreign domination, first by Japan then by the United States. Patriots, Traitors and Empires, The Story of Korea’s Struggle for Freedom is a much-needed antidote to the jingoist clamor spewing from all quarters whenever Korea is discussed. Read more

If you want to discover the captivating history of Korea, then keep reading...
Free History BONUS Inside!

The Korean Peninsula today is divided into two, but there was a time when this peninsula was divided into many states. Over the course of time, and besieged by expansive transient dynasties outside of this modest piece of land, many clans and tribes overran their lands. Of all those malicious and greedy potential overlords, none managed to prevail.

The soil is rich with the blood of the people who made Korea happen, and it is the Korean people who rose victorious among the maelstrom of dead empires led by hated tyrants and wars fought by people in lands far beyond their own. The Koreans are survivors, known for their persistence and courage.

In History of Korea: A Captivating Guide to Korean History, Including Events Such as the Mongol Invasions, the Split into North and South, and the Korean War, you will discover topics such as
Land of the BearThe Dragon of the East SeaDynasties Rise and FallThe Joseon Dynasty of GoryeoForeign InvasionsMerchants, Farmers, and ForeignersFrom Independence to AnnexationKorea at WarNorth KoreaSouth KoreaAnd much, much more!So if you want to learn more about the history of Korea, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button! Read more

While popular trends, cuisine, and long-standing political tension have made Korea familiar in some ways to a vast English-speaking world, its recorded history of some two millennia remains unfamiliar to most. Korea: A History addresses general readers, providing an up-to-date, accessible overview of Korean history from antiquity to the present. Eugene Y. Park draws on original-language sources and the up-to-date synthesis of East Asian and Western-language scholarship to provide an insightful account. This book expands still-limited English-language discussions on pre-modern Korea, offering rigorous and compelling analyses of Korea's modernization while discussing daily life, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ history, and North Korean history not always included in Korea surveys. Overall, Park is able to break new ground on questions and debates that have been central to the field of Korean studies since its inception. Read more

Korean Made Simple 3 once again continues from where we left off, with a focus on helping you to strengthen and expand your Korean language abilities. No matter your age, you can learn how to read, write, speak and understand Korean.Learn even more about Korean grammar, culture, history, idioms, onomatopoeia, and even dialects. Learn over 1,000 new vocabulary words and phrases through 20 in-depth and fun lessons, filled with plenty of examples. Additionally, practice sections with answer keys are built into every chapter.This book also contains advanced level notes for more skilled Korean speakers looking for a review, as well as an appendices dedicated to introducing Korean dialects and onomatopoeia.Audio files for the book are also available for free download from gobillykorean.com.Continue your exciting journey into the Korean language today. Let's learn Korean! Read more

Korean Made Simple 2 continues right from where we left off, and will help to bring your Korean language abilities to the next level. No matter your age, you can learn how to read, write, speak and understand Korean. Learn more about Korean grammar, culture, history, holidays, and even idioms. Learn over 1,000 new vocabulary words and phrases through 20 in-depth and fun lessons, filled with plenty of examples. Additionally, practice sections with answer keys are built into every chapter. This book also contains advanced level notes for more skilled Korean speakers looking for a review, as well as an appendix dedicated to additional reading practice in Korean. Audio files for the book are also available for free download from gobillykorean.com. Continue your exciting journey into the Korean language today. Let's learn Korean! Read more

This book examines the contested re-readings of “Korea” in early Chinese historical records and their influence on the formation of Korean-ness in later periods. The earliest written records on “Koreans” are found in Chinese documents produced during the Han dynasty, from the third century BCE to the third century CE. Since then, these early Chinese records have been used as primary sources for writing early Korean history in Korea, China, and Japan. This study analyzes the various reinterpretations and utilizations of these early records that became more diverse by the late nineteenth century, when the reconstruction of ancient history became a crucial part of the formation of Korean national consciousness. Korea’s modern historiography was complicated by a thirty-five year colonial experience (1910–1945) under Japan. During this period, Japanese colonial scholars attempted to depict Korean history as stagnant, heteronymous, and replete with factional strife, while Korean nationalist historians strove to construct an indigenous Korean nation in order to mobilize Koreans’ national consciousness and recover political sovereignty. While focused on Korea and Northeast Asia, the links between historiography and political ideology investigated in this study are pertinent to historians in general. Read more

"In a grand gesture of reclamation and remembrance, Mr. Halberstam has brought the war back home."---The New York Times David Halberstam's magisterial and thrilling The Best and the Brightest was the defining book about the Vietnam conflict. More than three decades later, Halberstam used his unrivaled research and formidable journalistic skills to shed light on another pivotal moment in our history: the Korean War. Halberstam considered The Coldest Winter his most accomplished work, the culmination of forty-five years of writing about America's postwar foreign policy. Halberstam gives us a masterful narrative of the political decisions and miscalculations on both sides. He charts the disastrous path that led to the massive entry of Chinese forces near the Yalu River and that caught Douglas MacArthur and his soldiers by surprise. He provides astonishingly vivid and nuanced portraits of all the major figures--Eisenhower, Truman, Acheson, Kim, and Mao, and Generals MacArthur, Almond, and Ridgway. At the same time, Halberstam provides us with his trademark highly evocative narrative journalism, chronicling the crucial battles with reportage of the highest order. As ever, Halberstam was concerned with the extraordinary courage and resolve of people asked to bear an extraordinary burden.The Coldest Winter is contemporary history in its most literary and luminescent form, providing crucial perspective on every war America has been involved in since. It is a book that Halberstam first decided to write more than thirty years ago and that took him nearly ten years to complete. It stands as a lasting testament to one of the greatest journalists and historians of our time, and to the fighting men whose heroism it chronicles. Read more

Journalists began to call the Korean War “the Forgotten War” even before it ended. Without a doubt, the most neglected story of this already neglected war is that of African Americans who served just two years after Harry S. Truman ordered the desegregation of the military. Twice Forgotten draws on oral histories of Black Korean War veterans to recover the story of their contributions to the fight, the reality that the military desegregated in fits and starts, and how veterans’ service fits into the long history of the Black freedom struggle.   This collection of seventy oral histories, drawn from across the country, features interviews conducted by the author and his colleagues for their American Radio Works documentary, Korea: The Unfinished War, which examines the conflict as experienced by the approximately 600,000 Black men and women who served. It also includes narratives from other sources, including the Library of Congress’s visionary Veterans History Project. In their own voices, soldiers and sailors and flyers tell the story of what it meant, how it felt, and what it cost them to fight for the freedom abroad that was too often denied them at home. Read more

A powerful ancient story of indigenous Korea about the creation of the universe, the dawn of humanity, and more.Now available in English for the first time, with an overview of Korean ShamanismAn essential resource for those seeking to connect with deep Korean ancestral wisdom.The original text of Budoji was written by Jesang Park (363 – 419 CE), a loyal official of the Silla Kingdom of ancient Korea. It was a chapter in a larger collection of books titled Jing Shim Rok, which was passed down through Park’s family over many generations. It was later introduced to the world in 1953 by one of his descendants.In Budoji: A Tale of the Divine City of Ancient Korea with an Overview of Korean Shamanism, Sungje Cho, the author and scholar of Korean Shamanism brings the ancient original text with the interpretation and additional information about Korea's indigenous cultural and spiritual wisdom for the modern readers.Budoji illuminates the culture and early beliefs of the people of Ancient Joseon (Gojoseon), including stories about the creation of the world as well as the origins, evolution, and migratory movements of the Korean people. The word Budo refers to both a capital city and a nation that acts in accordance with the Divine—signifying that the will of the Divine is fulfilled on Earth. This is the founding principle on which Gojoseon, the kingdom of Dangun, was built upon.Budoji includes stories of: The creation of the universe and humanity by the Goddess MagoThemigrations of four human clans from Mago’s paradiseTheGreat FloodThe indigenous wisdom and cultural practices of the people of ancient KoreaThis volume is the first English translation of Budoji and includes an in-depth overview of Korean Shamanism by Sungje Cho. It includes information about:The history of Korean ShamanismExplanations of Mudangs, the Korean ShamansVarious Types of Korean Gut RitualsKorean Shamanic Gods and DeitiesKorean Shamanic Tools and Their SignificanceBeliefs on Death and the Afterlife in Korean Shamanism Read more

A BRACING ACCOUNT OF A WAR THAT IS EITHER MISUNDERSTOOD, FORGOTTEN, OR WILLFULLY IGNORED. For Americans, it was a discrete conflict lasting from 1950 to 1953. But for the Asian world the Korean War was a generations-long struggle that still haunts contemporary events. With access to new evidence and secret materials from both here and abroad, including an archive of captured North Korean documents, Bruce Cumings reveals the war as it was actually fought. He describes its origin as a civil war, preordained long before the first shots were fired in June 1950 by lingering fury over Japan’s occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Cumings then shares the neglected history of America’s post–World War II occupation of Korea, reveals untold stories of bloody insurgencies and rebellions, and tells of the United States officially entering the action on the side of the South, exposing as never before the appalling massacres and atrocities committed on all sides.Elegantly written and blisteringly honest, The Korean War is, like the war it illuminates, brief, devastating, and essential.Praise for The Korean War“A powerful revisionist history . . . a sobering corrective.”—The New York Times“Worth reading . . . This work raises the question of what Korea can tell us about the outlook for Iraq and Afghanistan.”—Financial Times“Well-sourced [and] elegantly presented.”—The Wall Street Journal Read more

Exploring Korean history from its ancient roots to the present day, A Brief History of Korea is the story of a people with a rich and united culture that has become two Koreas in modern times—one isolated and secretive and the other among the world's most successful economies. Korean culture developed on a 600-mile-long peninsula, bordered on the north by mountains and three sides by the sea, set apart from the Asian mainland. Korea was one of the last countries in Asia to be visited by Westerners and its borders have remained largely unchanged since it was unified in the seventh century. Though it is one of the world's oldest and most ethnically homogeneous states, Korea was not born in a vacuum. Geographically isolated, the country was heavily influenced by powerful China and was often used as a bridge to the mainland by Japan. Calling themselves as "a shrimp among whales," Koreans borrowed elements of government, culture and religion all the while fiercely fighting to maintain independence from powerful neighbors. This fascinating book tells the story of Korean domestic dynasties, empires and states, as well as foreign conquest, occupation and division. Today, the two Koreas are starkly different—North Korea a nation closed to the world and South Korea an economic powerhouse and center of Asian democracy. Chronicling significant events right up through 2018's Singapore Summit, author Michael J. Seth presents a relevant, interesting and important history of Korea within a larger global context. Korea's history is a turbulent one, but ultimately the story of a resistant and resourceful people in search of lasting peace. Read more

In this autobiography, Richard E. Kim paints seven vivid scenes from a boyhood and early adolescence in Korea at the height of the Japanese occupation during WWII, 1932 to 1945. Taking its title from the grim fact that the occupiers forced the Koreans to renounce their own names and adopt Japanese names instead, the book follows one Korean family through the Japanese occupation to the surrender of Japan and dissolution of the Japanese empire. Examining the intersections of Japanese and Korean history that influenced Korea-Japan relations at the time, Lost Names is at once a loving memory of family, an ethnography of Zainichi Koreans in 1930s Japan, and a vivid portrayal of human spirit in a time of suffering and survival. Read more

"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. Read more

Exploring Korean history from its ancient roots to the present day, A Brief History of Korea is the story of a people with a rich and united culture that has become two Koreas in modern times—one isolated and secretive and the other among the world's most successful economies. Korean culture developed on a 600-mile-long peninsula, bordered on the north by mountains and three sides by the sea, set apart from the Asian mainland. Korea was one of the last countries in Asia to be visited by Westerners and its borders have remained largely unchanged since it was unified in the seventh century. Though it is one of the world's oldest and most ethnically homogeneous states, Korea was not born in a vacuum. Geographically isolated, the country was heavily influenced by powerful China and was often used as a bridge to the mainland by Japan. Calling themselves as "a shrimp among whales," Koreans borrowed elements of government, culture and religion all the while fiercely fighting to maintain independence from powerful neighbors. This fascinating book tells the story of Korean domestic dynasties, empires and states, as well as foreign conquest, occupation and division. Today, the two Koreas are starkly different—North Korea a nation closed to the world and South Korea an economic powerhouse and center of Asian democracy. Chronicling significant events right up through 2018's Singapore Summit, author Michael J. Seth presents a relevant, interesting and important history of Korea within a larger global context. Korea's history is a turbulent one, but ultimately the story of a resistant and resourceful people in search of lasting peace. Read more

Korean War
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The Korean War, which began in 1950 and ended in 1953, is not considered one of the major wars of the twentieth century. However, in reality, it was profoundly impactful on global history. As an early crisis of the Cold War, it set important precedents for how conflicts would be handled during this era. But also, it has shaped Korea’s history for more than half a century.

Inside you will read about...
✓ Korea before World War II
✓ The End of World War II and the Cold War Context
✓ The Korean War Begins
✓ The United States Enters the Korean War
✓ The Korean War Escalates
✓ Stalemate at the 38th Parallel
✓ After the War

It was destructive, and brought many atrocities on both sides. What is more, still to this day, Korea remains divided along the 38th parallel, and the people of North and South Korea live very different lives. Read more

Q is for Queen Seondeok: An Alphabetical Journey Through the Life of Korea’s First QueenDiscover the remarkable story of Queen Seondeok of Silla, the first reigning queen in Korean history! Q is for Queen Seondeok takes young readers on an engaging A-to-Z journey through her life, achievements, and lasting legacy.From astronomy to architecture, wisdom to warfare, this beautifully illustrated book introduces children to a visionary ruler who defied expectations and shaped the future of her kingdom. Learn about her love for the stars, the construction of Cheomseongdae Observatory, and her leadership during a time of great change.Perfect for Young Historians and Curious Minds!Educational & Engaging – A fun and informative introduction to Korean historyVibrant Illustrations – Captivating artwork brings Seondeok’s world to lifeSTEM & History Connections – Learn about ancient astronomy, architecture, and leadershipIdeal for Classrooms & Libraries – A great addition to world history or women’s history collectionsWhether you're a parent, teacher, or history enthusiast, Q is for Queen Seondeok is a must-have for anyone eager to explore the inspiring story of one of history’s most fascinating queens.For ages 7-12 Perfect for homeschool, classroom, or bedtime reading! Read more

From the surprisingly placid criminal gangs of Pyongyang, to the rules of decorum that apply to women, to the decline in army recruitment as black market entrepreneurs grow increasingly wealthy: these articles cover all aspects of North Korean society.One of the rare foreigners to have studied in North Korea, Dr. Andrei Lankov is in a unique position to interpret North Korea's culture and society to a foreign audience. Accepted into the prestigious faculty of Oriental Studies at Leningrad State university during the declining days of the Soviet Union, Lankov had originally hoped to study Chinese. Instead, he found himself specialising in North Korean studies, an eccentric option even within the Soviet Bloc.The Faculty of Oriental Studies was world apart from the daily life of the average Soviet citizen, in which well-paid Professors avoided their students as much as they possibly could and took refuge from current political troubles in obscure corners of classical philology. Even within this world, North Korean studies were a minority interest. As Lankov himself put it: “Most of the time, Korean departments played host to undergraduates deemed not good enough to be accepted to more prestigious and competitive majors like, say, Japanese and Arab studies. This meant that interest in things Korean was present but not necessarily enthusiastic. It did not help, of course, that North Korea, with its bizarre political system, hysterical propaganda and crazy personality cult was seen as a laughing stock in the entire socialist bloc of the time.”Despite this, Lankov pursued his studies and was eventually dispatched to Pyongyang to study at Kim Il Sung University. Here he gained first-hand experience of life in North Korea: restrictions on movement, ideological proselitizing, corruption and black-market trading. After graduating he taught Korean history and language at his alma mater before moving on to the Australian National University and Kookmin University in Seoul and bringing his knowledge of the closed world of North Korea to a wider audience via a variety of media outlets, including NK News.In this volume we bring together a selection of Andrei Lankov's most popular columns for NK News, illustrated with luminous photographs by Eric Lafforgue. Read more

A revolutionary new book challenges conventional approaches to Korean martial arts history by presenting an unprecedented chronological framework that transcends traditional dynasty-based periodization. "A Brief History of Korean Martial Arts" by Dr. Bok Kyu Choi offers a fresh perspective that traces martial arts development through four distinct evolutionary stages: primitive fighting, ancient martial arts, modern martial arts, and contemporary martial arts.Unlike previous works that view Korean martial arts through the lens of successive dynasties, Dr. Choi's research presents a comprehensive analysis of how combat techniques evolved from survival-based primitive fighting to sophisticated military systems, and ultimately to today's diverse martial arts landscape. The book reveals fascinating insights into the transformation of martial arts from lethal battlefield techniques to modern disciplines focused on personal development.Key Historical Revelations:Detailed examination of the transition from primitive survival techniques to systematic combat methodsAnalysis of "cold-weapon" martial arts from the Bronze Age through the 18th century, including the pivotal role of cavalry combatDocumentation of how firearms transformed martial arts, leading to increased emphasis on empty-hand techniquesCritical examination of post-liberation developments, including the complex process of "Koreanization" of martial artsScholarly Foundation:Dr. Choi holds both a Master's degree and Ph.D. from Seoul National University, with groundbreaking research on Korean martial arts traditions and the historical Muyedobotongji combat manual. As director of the Korean Institute for Martial Arts and a regular contributor to major Korean publications, Dr. Choi brings unprecedented academic rigor to this field."A Brief History of Korean Martial Arts" provides martial arts practitioners, researchers, and enthusiasts with a clear, evidence-based understanding of how Korean martial arts evolved from prehistoric times to their current global presence. The work particularly illuminates the fascinating transition period when martial arts transformed from battlefield techniques to modern disciplines, offering crucial context for contemporary practice. Read more

YOUR PASSPORT TO AUTHENTIC FOOD EXPERIENCES IN SEOUL, KOREA What’s the best part of traveling? The food! And in Korea, the culinary scene is unforgettable—if you know where to go. Don’t settle for tourist traps or bland menus. With this insider guide written by locals, you’ll uncover Korea’s hidden gems, from sizzling BBQ spots to serene tea houses, trendy dessert cafes, and even animal cafés! (Who knows Korea better than the locals?)WHY THIS BOOK IS YOUR MUST-HAVE TRAVEL COMPANION: - A Spotlight on Korean Specialties: This book primarily focuses on Korean food because we believe you're coming to Korea to experience its authentic flavors. Korea is the ultimate destination for Korean cuisine, and we want you to make the most of it. That’s why we’ve thoroughly divided Korean cuisine into specialty categories for a deeper dive into its diversity.- Master Korean Cuisine: Learn the history, variety, and preparation of Korean dishes, so you know what to order and savor every bite.- Make Seamless Reservations: Get step-by-step instructions on using Korea’s tech-savvy reservation systems like a pro.- Dine Like a Local: Avoid cultural missteps with our tips on dining etiquette and drinking customs. (Yes, when eating a Korean BBQ lettuce wrap, you shouldn’t bite it in half like you would with a taco!)- Navigate Menus with Confidence: Decode Korean menus, understand pricing, and never feel lost—even when there’s no translation. We have a solution for that.- Standout International Cuisines: Besides Korean food, Korea is home to amazing international cuisines. Get ready to be surprised by their authenticity and amazed by their creativity in combining both cultures.YOUR FOOD JOURNEY ORGANIZED: We’ve divided Seoul into 10 regions, each featuring a curated selection of must-visit spots. Use QR codes for instant interactive maps and turn-by-turn directions—no typing required!EACH RESTAURANT PAGE HAS: - Reservation QR Code: If a restaurant offers an online reservation feature, we will show you how. If not, we’ll provide the phone number to call or let you know if walk-ins are accepted.- Restaurant Details: Includes reviews by our staff members and meta-analysis of online patrons, plus photos of the exterior, interior, and signature dishes to help with your decision-making.- Ambiance Insights, Menu Highlights, and Practical Tips for every location.UNIQUE CAFÉ EXPERIENCES:Discover traditional Korean tea houses, where you can savor refreshing Korean treats amidst serene, authentic architecture. You’ll also find a selection of Korean and trendy fusion desserts, showcasing the beautiful mingling of cultures. Finally, explore animal cafés, where you can relax and recharge with the affection of adorable, love-giving animals.This isn’t just a guidebook—it’s your gateway to Korea’s vibrant food culture. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, this book ensures every meal is unforgettable.DON’T GO TO KOREA WITHOUT THIS BOOK! Your taste buds will thank you! Read more

An expansive case for bibliography as infrastructure in information science.Cats, Carpenters, and Accountants argues that bibliography serves a foundational role within information science as infrastructure, and like all infrastructures, it needs and deserves attention. Wayne de Fremery’s thoughtful provocation positions bibliography as a means to serve the many ends pursued by information scientists. He explains thatbibliographic practices, such as enumeration and description, lie at the heart of knowledge practices and cultural endeavors, but these kinds of infrastructures are difficult to see. In this book, he reveals them and the ways that they formulate information and meaning, artificial intelligence, and human knowledge.Drawing on scholarship from areas as diverse as data science, machine learning, Korean poetry, and the history of bibliography, de Fremery makes the case for understanding bibliography as a generative mode of accounting for what has been received as data, what he calls “carpentry-accounting.” Referencing a well-known debate in the Anglo-American bibliographical tradition that features a willful cat, he suggests that bibliography and bibliographers are intentionally marginal figures who, paradoxically, perform foundational work in the service of the diverse disciplinary ends that formulate, however loosely, information science as a field. When we attend to the marginal but essential work of accounting for what humankind has fashioned as recorded knowledge, it becomes easier to consider the ways that human accounts can serve and, sometimes, injure us.Relevant to scholars and students from the sciences to the humanities, Cats, Carpenters, and Accountants is a highly original argument for bibliography as a marginal but foundationally powerful force shaping information science as a field and the ways that we know. Read more