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The Koreans by Michael Breen
The rise of South Korea is one of the most unexpected and inspirational developments of the latter part of our century. A few decades ago, the Koreans were an impoverished, agricultural people. In one generation they came out of the fields and into Silicon Valley. In 1997, this powerhouse of a nation reeled and almost collapsed as a result of a weak financial system and heavily indebted conglomerates. The world is now watching to see whether the Koreans will be able to reform and continue their stunning growth. Although Korea has only recently found itself a part of the global stage, it is a country with a rich and complex past. Early history shows that Koreans had a huge influence on ancient Japan, and their historic achievements include being the first culture to use metal movable type for printing books. However, much of their history is less positive; it is marred with political violence, poverty, and war--aspects that would sooner be forgotten by the Koreans, who are trying to focus on their promising future. The fact that Korean history has eluded much of the world is unfortunate, but as Korea becomes more of a global player, understanding and appreciation for this unique nation has become indispensable. In The Koreans, Michael Breen provides an in-depth portrait of the country and its people. An early overview of the nature and values of the Korean people provides the background for a more detailed examination of the complex history of the country, in particular its division into the Communist north and pro-Western south. In this absorbing and enlightening account of the Koreans, Michael Breen provides compelling insight into the history and character of this fascinating nation.
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First published December 28, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 31, 2012
In strict geographical terms, I’ve only been in Korea for a few months now, but psychologically, I’ve been here for years. Back in Canada, I was dealing with Koreans on a daily basis. I worked for Koreans, taught Koreans, befriended Koreans, got drunk with Koreans, slept with Koreans, had screaming matches with Koreans, and was treated with baffling kindness by the very same Koreans. Somehow, these wonderful, exasperating people slowly took over my life. But they’re like that. They get under your skin, in both senses of that ambiguous idiom.
So, even though I don’t always agree with him, I get where Michael Breen is coming from. In The Koreans (clever title, that), he obsesses like a mystified lover about what makes his subjects tick. My only major complaint with the book is that, having been published in 1998, it’s already out of date. Like Baudelaire’s Paris, this country changes more quickly than the human heart. (Unlike Baudelaire’s Paris, it has free wifi). Still, Breen is a sympathetic, well-informed observer, and if he’s not exactly a brilliant stylist, he’s a good explainer. There were quite a few passages where I found myself going, “Oh, so that’s why they’re like that.”
According to Breen, it’s a cliché among Asia-watchers that Koreans are the Irish of the East. I’d never heard that before, but it makes sense in a way. If anything, Koreans have even more reason than the Irish to feel pissed-off and hard-done-by, at least as far as 20th-century history goes. First there was the brutal Japanese occupation—which still rankles, mostly because the Japanese remain so clueless about it—and almost as soon as that was over, a bitter, fratricidal war that left millions dead. Horrible as it was, the war decided precisely nothing: the psychotic North was still slavering away just across the DMZ. Then came a decade or two of grinding, third-world poverty (Lee Myung-bak, the current president of South Korea, was so poor growing up that he was sometimes forced to eat the rice pulp left over from distilling soju; he’d go to school half-drunk.) After that, things were pretty ho-hum for a while: just the usual run of dictatorships, assassinations, uprisings...
What’s so admirable about Koreans, though, is that they collectively said, “Fuck it. Let’s get to work.” With manic energy, they dragged their country out of the stone age and turned it into a thriving, hypermodern democracy - in a single generation. Out of nothing, really nothing. It’s one of the feel-good stories of the 20th-century. Hell, it’s one of the feel-good stories of human history.
So whenever I’m tempted to sneer at Koreans for their crass materialism or whatnot, I have to tell myself to cut them some slack. I mean, what has my country been doing these last sixty years? Pounding beers and watching the Leafs. Christ.
So, even though I don’t always agree with him, I get where Michael Breen is coming from. In The Koreans (clever title, that), he obsesses like a mystified lover about what makes his subjects tick. My only major complaint with the book is that, having been published in 1998, it’s already out of date. Like Baudelaire’s Paris, this country changes more quickly than the human heart. (Unlike Baudelaire’s Paris, it has free wifi). Still, Breen is a sympathetic, well-informed observer, and if he’s not exactly a brilliant stylist, he’s a good explainer. There were quite a few passages where I found myself going, “Oh, so that’s why they’re like that.”
According to Breen, it’s a cliché among Asia-watchers that Koreans are the Irish of the East. I’d never heard that before, but it makes sense in a way. If anything, Koreans have even more reason than the Irish to feel pissed-off and hard-done-by, at least as far as 20th-century history goes. First there was the brutal Japanese occupation—which still rankles, mostly because the Japanese remain so clueless about it—and almost as soon as that was over, a bitter, fratricidal war that left millions dead. Horrible as it was, the war decided precisely nothing: the psychotic North was still slavering away just across the DMZ. Then came a decade or two of grinding, third-world poverty (Lee Myung-bak, the current president of South Korea, was so poor growing up that he was sometimes forced to eat the rice pulp left over from distilling soju; he’d go to school half-drunk.) After that, things were pretty ho-hum for a while: just the usual run of dictatorships, assassinations, uprisings...
What’s so admirable about Koreans, though, is that they collectively said, “Fuck it. Let’s get to work.” With manic energy, they dragged their country out of the stone age and turned it into a thriving, hypermodern democracy - in a single generation. Out of nothing, really nothing. It’s one of the feel-good stories of the 20th-century. Hell, it’s one of the feel-good stories of human history.
So whenever I’m tempted to sneer at Koreans for their crass materialism or whatnot, I have to tell myself to cut them some slack. I mean, what has my country been doing these last sixty years? Pounding beers and watching the Leafs. Christ.
December 12, 2016
As soon as I saw the title ‘The Koreans’, I really wanted to read this book. I have been wondering about how the Korean history, culture, and people are reflected on the ‘foreign eyes’, as I was born in Korea and raised in this country.
One thing that I’m really proud of this country is that we have always overcome difficulties then showed ‘miracles’ to the world. Korean schools have taught me that the Han Bando(Korean Peninsula) is not just a small country, and we are living in the country that gives helps started from the country who were given help. I could learn so many things from this book and some of them were shameful. Shameful history, behaviors, and culture - they were very familiar to me, but somehow they made me embarrassing. It’s true that we were not always good. Actually, I’ve seen so many shameful parts of Korea, such as racists, and my friends who are so ignorant about history. I think I wasn’t paying attention to them that much before I read this book, and this book opened my eyes to see them. Reading this book, I kept questioning, “How does this foreign guy know so much about my country? Why did he ‘analyze’ us? Does the author really understand the hardships from the dark period of Korean history?”. To be honest, I didn’t feel great for the whole time, because he ‘analyzed’ us. However, everything was the fact. They made me look back on myself. Many foreigners(or even Koreans) question how Korea developed in ‘that’ speed, and why we are separated into 2 countries. I recommend this book if you want to find the answer to the questions about Korea, or if you want to understand and love Koreans.
One thing that I’m really proud of this country is that we have always overcome difficulties then showed ‘miracles’ to the world. Korean schools have taught me that the Han Bando(Korean Peninsula) is not just a small country, and we are living in the country that gives helps started from the country who were given help. I could learn so many things from this book and some of them were shameful. Shameful history, behaviors, and culture - they were very familiar to me, but somehow they made me embarrassing. It’s true that we were not always good. Actually, I’ve seen so many shameful parts of Korea, such as racists, and my friends who are so ignorant about history. I think I wasn’t paying attention to them that much before I read this book, and this book opened my eyes to see them. Reading this book, I kept questioning, “How does this foreign guy know so much about my country? Why did he ‘analyze’ us? Does the author really understand the hardships from the dark period of Korean history?”. To be honest, I didn’t feel great for the whole time, because he ‘analyzed’ us. However, everything was the fact. They made me look back on myself. Many foreigners(or even Koreans) question how Korea developed in ‘that’ speed, and why we are separated into 2 countries. I recommend this book if you want to find the answer to the questions about Korea, or if you want to understand and love Koreans.
August 3, 2008
While this book had a few editing mistakes, this book was a tremendously insightful and readable book--this coming from someone who would rather read just about anything than something historical. The examples and analysis were very clear and clever. This is from the perspective of an Englishman, so his thoughts and perspectives on America's role in Korea's development are less biased than an American's viewpoint might be.
I'm going to add a couple of examples:
"The story of the two Koreas is not a tale of two bickering brothers in the family of nations. It is more like the Man in the Iron Mask. Each considers the other to be an impostor. Each has cast the other into a dungeon, refusing to recognize its right to exist. Each fears the other's murderous intent" (244).
"They [the Koreans] are a vigorous and expressive people. But they also bear a terrible sadness and anger because of their history, which they can neither express nor completely shake off, and which outsiders fail to understand. Foreigners who have entered that world of the Korean heart, through marriage or long exposure to the culture, find themselves in love and in hate with the people, plunging to great depths when touched by their passions, and released to the surface again in paroxysms of rage when expelled. For Koreans are a closed shop. There is probably no more homogenous a country on earth. You feel that you are forever the guest, never the family member" (x).
I'm going to add a couple of examples:
"The story of the two Koreas is not a tale of two bickering brothers in the family of nations. It is more like the Man in the Iron Mask. Each considers the other to be an impostor. Each has cast the other into a dungeon, refusing to recognize its right to exist. Each fears the other's murderous intent" (244).
"They [the Koreans] are a vigorous and expressive people. But they also bear a terrible sadness and anger because of their history, which they can neither express nor completely shake off, and which outsiders fail to understand. Foreigners who have entered that world of the Korean heart, through marriage or long exposure to the culture, find themselves in love and in hate with the people, plunging to great depths when touched by their passions, and released to the surface again in paroxysms of rage when expelled. For Koreans are a closed shop. There is probably no more homogenous a country on earth. You feel that you are forever the guest, never the family member" (x).
March 8, 2012
Sure, it's dripping with stereotypes and a bit outdated, but I enjoyed it all the same. I found myself readily agreeing to Breen's guiding "insight." Well, that is until the bitter taste lingered on and on and I started thinking...
Personally I've been trying to understand Koreans for some time having lived in Korea now for just over a year. It can be unbelievably frustrating but also amazingly heartwarming at times.
One thing Breen got spot on: Korea is changing. Very fast. In fact, it probably won't even resemble its present state by the next decade.
I'll admit that I could relate to his anecdotes. But there is so much that he missed, and his dependence on anecdotes weakens the credibility in the end. In particular, there are several times in the book when I did a double-take as he almost resorts to bigoted ethnocentric accounts of Koreans.
It provides a nice basis with a brief history of the economic, cultural, and political atmosphere following the Korean War, but overall describes Korea in the 1990s. Even the updated version makes a mild revision essentially saying that everything is different now... but then what about what I just read? It no longer applies. Still interesting to read because it does capture a lot of vivid details from a foreigner's perspective that could shed light on the older generation of Koreans.
Personally I've been trying to understand Koreans for some time having lived in Korea now for just over a year. It can be unbelievably frustrating but also amazingly heartwarming at times.
One thing Breen got spot on: Korea is changing. Very fast. In fact, it probably won't even resemble its present state by the next decade.
I'll admit that I could relate to his anecdotes. But there is so much that he missed, and his dependence on anecdotes weakens the credibility in the end. In particular, there are several times in the book when I did a double-take as he almost resorts to bigoted ethnocentric accounts of Koreans.
It provides a nice basis with a brief history of the economic, cultural, and political atmosphere following the Korean War, but overall describes Korea in the 1990s. Even the updated version makes a mild revision essentially saying that everything is different now... but then what about what I just read? It no longer applies. Still interesting to read because it does capture a lot of vivid details from a foreigner's perspective that could shed light on the older generation of Koreans.
May 7, 2012
One of the most fascinating, concise history texts available. Its curiously long title might come off as zealous but chalk it up to poor marketing because the book itself is a valuable piece of work that is far easier to delve into. Breen breaks each chapter down into manageable pieces that impressively read like page-turning newspaper articles and less like dry scholarly papers.
An obviously brilliant writer, Breen's journalistic fact-then-opinion approach helps to identify what is interpretation and what is generally understood to be factual. His sprinkled personal anecdotes are appropriate and charming. He's also humbly modest when he claims that ancient Korea is not his field of study because he does a fine job at covering the important aspects of ancient Korea and her vast history.
All in all, this is a must read for those wanting to gain a well-educated and experienced look into Korea.
An obviously brilliant writer, Breen's journalistic fact-then-opinion approach helps to identify what is interpretation and what is generally understood to be factual. His sprinkled personal anecdotes are appropriate and charming. He's also humbly modest when he claims that ancient Korea is not his field of study because he does a fine job at covering the important aspects of ancient Korea and her vast history.
All in all, this is a must read for those wanting to gain a well-educated and experienced look into Korea.
November 22, 2015
After living in Seoul for a year I found this biog a great insight into the Koreans and their culture. A lot of the book confirmed my suspicions / observations of their mindset. Everything from corruption, education. democracy, leadership, gender roles is covered.
May 8, 2010
The Koreans is a good, if somewhat dated, read for people who want a broad overview of Korean culture. Written by a British journalist and long-time resident of South Korea, it is a sometimes fascinating, sometimes boring look into a wide range of historical, cultural, and social topics. The book really excels when it describes the motivations behind the Korean way of thinking, and really drags when it deals with Korea's long, twisted history. Not that the history isn't interesting, but Breen rushes through it all much too fast for it to be particularly informative of memorable. Breen also comes across as a bit condescending toward his subject at times, but that's mostly the result of a couple of ill-advised jokes and spending a lot of time dealing with the negative aspects of the culture. Unfortunately, as Breen himself points out, just about all westerners who love living in Korea also find themselves constantly railing about its shortcomings. That's probably because the Korean mindset is so difficult for us to relate to in a lot of ways, making much of their behavior seem utterly inexplicable. Still, this book will go a long way toward alleviating that problem, if you've got enough patience for it.
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November 26, 2012"In advance of a recent trip to Seoul, Korea, I read four books about this remarkable country. The first three were about North Korea. Nothing to Envy is an account of day-to-day life in the North pieced together by an American journalist who interviewed defectors to the South. It is gripping and tragic. You will not be able to put it down, and it will change your perspective on the world. The Aquariums of Pyongyang is a first-person account of a young boy who, simply because of his grandfather's relatively benign actions, spent 15 years in a North Korean gulag. Every time my kids complain, I want to read them passages of this book so that they realize how lucky they are to be Americans. The Orphan Master's Son is a fictional account of life in North Korea, including an extraordinary trip by a North Korean delegation to Texas. It is a fun yarn. The final book is a nice introduction to the remarkable transformation of South Korea from rubble to one of the world's most prosperous countries in just fifty years. (After the Korean War, South Korea had about the same wealth as Kenya; today it is about 30 times greater.) It is called The Koreans. I recommend them all highly." - M. Todd Henderson
December 3, 2010
Great book if you want a quick rundown on the minds of Koreans. The book is slightly outdated as its latest edition briefly covers the events after 9/11. However, it does do a great job of attempting to understand the motivations and behavior of the Korean populace. While much of it is not new to me (I live in South Korea) it was refreshing to see that many of my observations were mirrored in the book.
I even learned a great deal of history that I had not known previously. If you are considering coming or staying in Korea it may help you gain some valuable insight into the minds of a truly intriguing country and culture.
I even learned a great deal of history that I had not known previously. If you are considering coming or staying in Korea it may help you gain some valuable insight into the minds of a truly intriguing country and culture.
August 31, 2016
If you are interested in learning about North and South Korea and, like myself, know very little, this book is a great intro. The Koreans is divided into four sections (society, history, economy, and politics) for a well-rounded overview of many aspects of Korean culture. I particularly liked Breen's storytelling style, which saved the book from becoming boring even when covering topics that were not as interesting to me. My only complaint is that this book was published in 1998 and so it's a bit dated. A lot has happened in N&S Korea since then. But I still recommend The Koreans and hope that Breen will publish an updated version one of these days.
December 29, 2013
If you're interested in Korea this is a good book to start with. Mainly written in 1998, the book feels a little outdated now, but you will still glean important points and understandings on what makes Koreans, Korean.
What is to become of this massively successful, hugely homogenous country where 70 percent of the kids go to college? A country that leads the world in suicides, that has little influx of immigrants, and where the old people outnumber the young on a massive scale. I think Koreans simply have to look across the Sea of Japan to see where their future lies.
What is to become of this massively successful, hugely homogenous country where 70 percent of the kids go to college? A country that leads the world in suicides, that has little influx of immigrants, and where the old people outnumber the young on a massive scale. I think Koreans simply have to look across the Sea of Japan to see where their future lies.
April 1, 2008
This book is good in it's wide array of information about Korea: there's a little bit of everything from table manners to the "Korean War." It's quite easy to read after the history bit and has an excellent balance of personal experience and book facts. However, the author is pretty male and pretty middle-class white... he refers to women as "the wives" a few times, and at one point insults a sex worker, ouch.
March 27, 2012
I liked it, but like other reviewers have said, it is a little over simplistic.
Korean society may make no sense to western eyes, and we often try to explain away this culture shock with nice theories that wrap up the race into a neat and digestible package-- but they will shock you every time.
Having lived in Korea for two years now, I found the book helpful and would still recommend it to anyone who is here or thinking of coming here.
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October 4, 2015his is the primer for all things South Korean history during the 20th century. Starting with the history and effects of the long embedded Japanese occupation, then moving through the Korean War, the rebuilding, the Korean economic development and social & political upheaval, the Seoul Olympics which was instrumental to South Korea's rise to the global stage, and North & South relations through out. A must read.
October 3, 2011
A colleague gave me this book and while I found it interesting, I also found it quite dated and condescending. The author appears to have lived for years in Korea without trying to positively engage with people here and as a result comes across as chauvinistic and jaded. It's a pity as it doubtless obscures wise observations.
August 25, 2017
I "read this" (actually, the previous version before 2004) while I was living in South Korea. It was a great way to understand the world around me when all the historical books that were not guidebooks seemed solely centered on military history in English and the good ones I wanted to read were in Korean.
August 12, 2016
Extremely fascinating for someone like myself living in Korea. I had so many "ooooooh" moments of understanding. Breen's writing is engaging and while wordy he rarely lost my interest. For anyone living or visiting Korea, I would recommend this book for the best overview of Korea's history and culture.
November 8, 2007
This book provided some real insights on Korean culture and the history that got it to where it is today. Not the easiest of all histories, but it was definitely a must-read for anyone who is living in Korea (as an ex-pat!)
June 29, 2009
This book is great for cultural context. It's not so touristy. A little more depthy than that. It's one of the few books that relates cultural thinking to history and current context for a more modern view.
August 31, 2014
A perfectly fine survey of Korean history and culture (especially in the 20th C.) told in the first-person, allowing its journalist author to sprinkle the book with interesting personal anecdotes and opinions formed from his own twenty-plus years in the country.
December 10, 2013
I was given this book to read by a lecturer at university as I will hopefully be going to study in Korea. It was a pretty interesting read that didn't really cover any new historic ground, but did provide an interesting look into the Korean mindset (to grossly generalise).
December 23, 2007
Good book if you are interested in Korea and the culture.
February 16, 2010
I'm not sure how helpful the information is for current culture but it's a nice introduction to Korean history.
September 4, 2008
I still want to find a book on this topic written by a native Korean, but this was an excellent start.
September 21, 2009
you want to know, you got it. a little harsh but what can you expect from a Breen.
October 14, 2010
Really interesting look into a country I know little about. Much more fleshed out than government produced faire (since Breen was an in-country journalist for years).
January 8, 2011
good book to get acquainted with the Korean culture and history...however, it's entirely from a foreigner's point of view so its fairly biased.
September 6, 2012
Must read for anyone living in Korea who does regular business with Koreans.
May 26, 2013
Well worth a read especially after living in Korea for a little while. Out of date but still had plenty of useful background and insights you would going get living in a place.
May 5, 2014
Korea for beginners. Fantastic book, covering four wide subjects in a captivating way.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews