Cover text

The Story of Korea as it was never told before!

In Korea Unmasked, Won-bok Rhie tells the story of the Korean people as it has never been told before. Rhie's personal insights provide a delightful and humorous portrait of the Korean people. It is comical yet serious, well-informed but objective. If you have time for juyt one book on Korea, this is the one!

A book that was published to wide acclaim in Korea in 2002, Korea Unmasked presents a hilarious and often unflattering look at Korean society and its people. Through skillfully chosen subjects -- e.g., spicy food, education fever, conglomerates, the tension between North and South Korea -- Won-bok Rhie explores the unique manifestations of Korean attitudes that are often misunderstood by foreigners. It is a fascinating exploration of the Korean mindset that weaves together history, sociology and cultural anthropology. The insightful discussions of Korea's place between China and Japan, its more well-known neighbours, also clear the fog away as to who the people of Korea are.

Comment by Seoul Selection:

"There are many books about Korean traditional aspects, but only a few that explains about what contemporary Koreans are like. Actually many customers of Seoul Selection wanted to have some more books about the matter and now here is another book. Unmasked," a cartoon book, gives a good answer to that. The book takes historical, economical, political and sociological approaches towards defining Korea and its people. Why don't Koreans like to adopt kids? Why Korean youngsters are crazy over Internet online games instead of CD Rom games preferred by their Japanese counterparts? What made it possible for the nation to have the world's biggest five Christian churches in Seoul? Why do Koreans always try to compare themselves with other Koreans? What similarity do South Korea and North Korea have? All these questions are properly answered in the book. The explanations are insightful and persuasive enough. Korean's old neighbors of Japanese and Chinese are also illuminated, for the author Rhie Won-bok cast some comparative researches among the three peoples. Here is the contents: "Neighbors but Strangers: Korea, China and Japan," "The Korean People," "The successes and Tribulations of the Koreans," and "The Long and Treacherous Road to Reunification." Rhie is the author of numerous comic books that focus on introducing historical, cultural and economic issues to the layman."

Contents
Foreword
Introduction

1. Neighbours but Strangers: Korea, China and Japan
2. The Korean People
3. The Successes and Tribulations of the Koreans
4. The Long and Treacherous Road to Unification

Translators' Notes: Jung Un
Louis Choi

About the Author

Won-bok Rhie is one of Korea's most famous cartoonists. He is the author of numerous comic books that focus on introducing historical. cultural and economic issues to the layman. He has also run many comic strip series in Korea's most prestigious daily newspapers and magazines.