Overview

[A]uthor Gonzalez, with co-author Lee, offers a searching reflection on the tension between South Korea's embrace of globalization and its ancient culture... Gonzalez astutely charts this tension, and overall, his appraisal of South Korea is impressively comprehensive, encompassing many aspects of its complex culture... [He] combines his rigorous research with a depth of personal experience, lucidly presented in this admiring but critical account. An edifying analysis that's exacting but fair."" Kirkus Reviews In COREA DEL SUR: El precio de la eficiencia y el éxito, authors John Gonzalez and Young Lee combine their backgrounds and professional experiences to look behind the public face of South Korea. Through stories, anecdotes, and hard evidence, they capture Koreans being themselves without the glamour and glitz of K-pop, K-beauty, and K-drama. They examine the conditions, behavioral patterns, and cultural values that helped lift the country from the ashes after the Korean War to the international stage as the fourth-largest economy in Asia and 12th in the world. Their analysis includes the price Koreans have paid for the country's astonishing achievements and the existing social inequality.

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9781737651307

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Reviews

"""[A]uthor Gonzalez, with co-author Lee, offers a searching reflection on the tension between South Korea's embrace of globalization and its ancient culture... Gonzalez astutely charts this tension, and overall, his appraisal of South Korea is impressively comprehensive, encompassing many aspects of its complex culture... [He] combines his rigorous research with a depth of personal experience, lucidly presented in this admiring but critical account. An edifying analysis that's exacting but fair."" Kirkus Reviews (U.S.) ""John Gonzalez and Young Lee present a thorough portrait of Korean society and their warnings about the price of success are worth attending, both for other nations and for individuals in SOUTH KOREA: The Price of Efficiency and Success."" IndieReader (U.S.) ""The book is written with care and scholarly diligence... [Gonzalez's] personal experiences in South Korea... provide some of the most memorable moments. For example, Gonzalez recalls how complete strangers would offer him food during his travels, a practice that 'will remain engraved in my heart for as long as I live.'"" BlueInk Review (U.S.) ""This study will interest Westerners looking for a sympathetic and self-aware outsider's take on 21st-century South Korean cultural shifts."" BookLife (U.S.) ""A fascinating insight into South Korean culture, specifically its rapid economic development over the last half century. The book is superbly crafted, and the layout has been thoughtfully constructed. Highly recommended."" The Wishing Shelf (U.K.) ""It is a fascinating insight into how Korean society operates. But what makes it more interesting is it is from a Westerner point of view in Korea... [W]ith all this knowledge I can now understand why some of the characters in some Korean Drama[s] behave the way they do and the storylines."" LoveReading (U.K.)"

Author Information

John Gonzalez was born in a small town of 12,000 people in the highlands of Mexico. At age 13, his family immigrated to the U.S., hoping he would forge a solid future for himself. Gonzalez always remembered why his parents decided to leave their home country and the sacrifices they made while uprooting the family. He learned English and French and earned several degrees, including a doctorate in educational leadership from UCLA. After receiving his doctorate, Gonzalez was appointed American Council on Education Fellow. He has worked in academic positions from middle to graduate school in the U.S. He lived in South Korea for five years, where he worked at an American School as a Spanish and English teacher and academic counselor. After completing his assignment, he was offered the position of school principal. While living in Korea, he immersed himself in the culture. He chose to write COREA DEL SUR: El precio de la eficiencia y el éxito to express his gratitude to the Korean people. Gonzalez enjoys traveling, spiritual retreats, and meeting people from all walks of life. In his spare time, he volunteers to teach yoga and meditation in the community. Young Lee was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. At age 20, he immigrated to the U.S., where he attended college and received a baccalaureate and a master's degree in applied mathematics. Most of his professional experience is in financial analysis in U.S. companies. Twenty-five years after leaving his native Korea, Lee returned and taught as a visiting professor at a university for three years. During this visit, he experienced an unexpected culture shock related to the question: How could South Koreans achieve such remarkable financial success so quickly? This question inspired him to write this book using the analytical and problem-solving skills he learned from his educational and professional experience. Lee enjoys camping in the mountains, meditating in his home in California, and traveling the world to learn about different cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles.

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