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Hola, Corea (Hello, South Korea): K-Pop - Cultura - Gastronomia - Tradicion
Korea is a global phenomenon. K-pop tops the charts, kimchi spices up meals and K-drama dominates TV screens. Now, it's time to discover more of the country and culture that's captivated the world.
It might be a powerhouse of popular culture, but South Korea is so much more than BTS and bibimbap - and with this book, it's yours to explore. Dive deeper into the country behind Hallyu and discover why you're one year older in Korean age, who the incredible haenyeo divers of Jeju Island are and how Koreans became invincible at archery.
Inside Hello, South Korea you will
- A beautifully designed gift book that reflects South Korean design.
- Seven themed chapters that unpack key facets of South Korean life the geography and language, customs and values, flourishing food scene, the arts, the entertainment industry, leisure pursuits, and innovation.
- Each theme is explored through insightful text presented in a variety of ways to reveal the key concepts of South Korean life.
Along the way, you'll get to know the people who've shaped the country and its customs, uncover the makings of the Hallyu and, of course, explore the global exports we all know and love. How did Parasite change Korea's film landscape? Why do K-pop fans send rice to their idols? And what, exactly, is the beauty ritual of "slugging"? Find out all this and more in this must-have the perfect introduction to this wonderfully varied country. Hello, South Korea is your ticket to the trip of a lifetime. Hello, South Korea is the ideal gift for South Korea fanatics, including K Pop Lovers and travellers of all ages looking for a primer to the customs and culture of South Korea.
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Corea es un fenómeno global. El K-pop encabeza las listas de éxitos, el kimchi se ha convertido en el condimento favorito para las comidas y el K-drama domina las pantallas de televisión. ¡Es hora de saber más sobre el país y la cultura que ha cautivado al mundo entero!
Corea del Sur es mucho más que BTS y bibimbap , y este libro es prueba de ello. Sumérgete en el país dónde se originó el movimiento Hallyu y descubre por qué eres un año mayor en edad coreana , quiénes son los asombrosos buzos haenyeo de la isla de Jeju y cómo los coreanos se volvieron invencibles en el tiro con arco.
En el interior de Hola, Corea, encontrará
- Un diseño moderno y colorido que sigue el estilo de Corea del Sur.
- Siete capítulos que revelan facetas clave de la vida en el país : geografía e idioma, costumbres y valores, gastronomía, artes, industria del entretenimiento, actividades de ocio e innovación.
- Cada capítulo contiene i nformación y curiosidades de la vida en Corea y fotografías de calidad
¿Cómo cambió Parasite la escena cinematográfica coreana? ¿Por qué los fanáticos del K-pop envían arroz a sus ídolos? ¿y en qué consiste exactamente, el ritual de belleza del slugging? Descubre todo esto y mucho más en Hola, Corea, y prepárate para el viaje de tu vida. Un regalo ideal para los fanáticos de Corea del Sur, desde los amantes del K pop hasta viajeros de todas las edades que buscan una introducción a la cultura y las costumbres de Corea.
It might be a powerhouse of popular culture, but South Korea is so much more than BTS and bibimbap - and with this book, it's yours to explore. Dive deeper into the country behind Hallyu and discover why you're one year older in Korean age, who the incredible haenyeo divers of Jeju Island are and how Koreans became invincible at archery.
Inside Hello, South Korea you will
- A beautifully designed gift book that reflects South Korean design.
- Seven themed chapters that unpack key facets of South Korean life the geography and language, customs and values, flourishing food scene, the arts, the entertainment industry, leisure pursuits, and innovation.
- Each theme is explored through insightful text presented in a variety of ways to reveal the key concepts of South Korean life.
Along the way, you'll get to know the people who've shaped the country and its customs, uncover the makings of the Hallyu and, of course, explore the global exports we all know and love. How did Parasite change Korea's film landscape? Why do K-pop fans send rice to their idols? And what, exactly, is the beauty ritual of "slugging"? Find out all this and more in this must-have the perfect introduction to this wonderfully varied country. Hello, South Korea is your ticket to the trip of a lifetime. Hello, South Korea is the ideal gift for South Korea fanatics, including K Pop Lovers and travellers of all ages looking for a primer to the customs and culture of South Korea.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Corea es un fenómeno global. El K-pop encabeza las listas de éxitos, el kimchi se ha convertido en el condimento favorito para las comidas y el K-drama domina las pantallas de televisión. ¡Es hora de saber más sobre el país y la cultura que ha cautivado al mundo entero!
Corea del Sur es mucho más que BTS y bibimbap , y este libro es prueba de ello. Sumérgete en el país dónde se originó el movimiento Hallyu y descubre por qué eres un año mayor en edad coreana , quiénes son los asombrosos buzos haenyeo de la isla de Jeju y cómo los coreanos se volvieron invencibles en el tiro con arco.
En el interior de Hola, Corea, encontrará
- Un diseño moderno y colorido que sigue el estilo de Corea del Sur.
- Siete capítulos que revelan facetas clave de la vida en el país : geografía e idioma, costumbres y valores, gastronomía, artes, industria del entretenimiento, actividades de ocio e innovación.
- Cada capítulo contiene i nformación y curiosidades de la vida en Corea y fotografías de calidad
¿Cómo cambió Parasite la escena cinematográfica coreana? ¿Por qué los fanáticos del K-pop envían arroz a sus ídolos? ¿y en qué consiste exactamente, el ritual de belleza del slugging? Descubre todo esto y mucho más en Hola, Corea, y prepárate para el viaje de tu vida. Un regalo ideal para los fanáticos de Corea del Sur, desde los amantes del K pop hasta viajeros de todas las edades que buscan una introducción a la cultura y las costumbres de Corea.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published March 5, 2024
44 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 22, 2023
I still want to read a history of Korea by an actual historian, but am making do with what I can find in the library. In this case, a sumptuously presented Dorling Kindersley tourist brochure. It’s much more about the visuals than the text, but still fun to read. Dorling Kindersley encourages you to visit beautiful South Korea, which I will not be doing as I dislike travel and gave up flying 15 years ago. I prefer to visit via books, watching kdramas, and the duolingo Korean course. Hello, South Korea: Meet the Country Behind Hallyu includes some interesting, albeit brief, information on South Korean polite forms of address (which duolingo refuses to explain), food culture, festivals, and music. It’s a beautifully presented and quick and easy read. I also appreciated that the section titles were given in Hangeul as well as English, so I could sound them out.
January 9, 2024
This book was super informative but also a lot of fun to read. It doesn’t go super in depth on any topic, but instead touches upon a lot of different aspects of the history, culture, and people of South Korea. I really liked the graphic design and quality of images throughout. I did notice a few typos but it didn’t impact the content. I flew through this book and learned a lot, would definitely recommend. :)
January 2, 2024
A shockingly fantastic overview of the modern and dynamic South Korea. A great primer for me to get reintroduced to my birth country, and very accurate and timely, from my perspective. An easy 1-2 day read with beautiful illustrations. Hope they make more books for other countries in this mold. Easy 5/5!
May 23, 2025
Nice reading for a general overview about South Korea, covering society, culture and cuisine. Not too detailed but good starting point! Very lovely and colourful layout and pictures
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May 10, 2024The best part of this book is definitely the presentation. The cover is really beautiful, and each chapter intro includes similar stylized artwork as well. It contains lots of great pictures, the design in general is just really appealing. The information is generally quite good, there are lots of interesting bits about different trends that I didn't know about, as well as media in the entertainment section where I got to add some new songs to my playlist and movies to my watchlist. There is also just a great variety here, you get a really broad picture of the many aspects of Korean culture, not just the material culture, but social as well. I liked the parts focused on Koreans' daily lives, especially the section on food, dining culture, and drinking culture.
I think there were some moments where I questioned their editorial decision making in terms of what topics they put the most focus on. There is a section on history, but it is so brief that you can't really derive much useful information from it, I think it probably deserved its own chapter but it only gets a few pages. There is also a bias towards traditionally "Korean" things, which makes sense because it is a book about Korea, but I found it a bit weird that the most popular sports in Korea, Baseball and Soccer, each only got a small blurb in the sports section, whereas traditional sports like Taekwondo and Ssireum got greater attention.
I think there were some moments where I questioned their editorial decision making in terms of what topics they put the most focus on. There is a section on history, but it is so brief that you can't really derive much useful information from it, I think it probably deserved its own chapter but it only gets a few pages. There is also a bias towards traditionally "Korean" things, which makes sense because it is a book about Korea, but I found it a bit weird that the most popular sports in Korea, Baseball and Soccer, each only got a small blurb in the sports section, whereas traditional sports like Taekwondo and Ssireum got greater attention.
January 29, 2024
As a kpop stan I HAD to check out this book! I love how neatly detailed the book is, but with beautiful pictures included. It has info on all the popular topics, but don't expect a full chapter on your favorite kpop group or anything. ;) This book included far more than that of course. I would recommend this to anyone with a curiosity about South Korea from teens and up. It's a great all-rounder about the beautiful culture and history, both modern and in the past.
January 22, 2025
I felt like you could often feel that it was written by someone of a different culture and it was putting me off at times
January 20, 2025
An undeniably interesting book, though perhaps a bit too... propagandistic.
The hardcover, the eye-catching graphics, the vibrant colors, and the abundant photographs certainly make quite the impression. However, the content feels decidedly one-sided, as if wrapped in a layer of slightly naive - if not outright exaggerated - enthusiasm.
Reading these pages, one might get the impression that everything we Westerners associate with "the East" was invented and exported by Koreans before anyone else. In reality, it was Japan that pioneered much of this about forty years ago - along with many aspects Korea began to adopt just as it was emerging as a democracy.
The book, at least in my opinion, also seems to blatantly sidestep some of the core issues that are common to all Confucian-based societies: the role of women as subordinate and inferior, the "live to work" ethos, blind veneration of the elderly, and the emphasis on appearances (both in terms of physical beauty and social honor) over substance. These issues are glossed over in brief asides with a breezy but times are changing dismissal.
All in all, it's a lovely coffee table book that sparks curiosity for those approaching South Korea for the first time. But it may feel a touch surreal to anyone already familiar with the lights and shadows of the Korean peninsula.
The hardcover, the eye-catching graphics, the vibrant colors, and the abundant photographs certainly make quite the impression. However, the content feels decidedly one-sided, as if wrapped in a layer of slightly naive - if not outright exaggerated - enthusiasm.
Reading these pages, one might get the impression that everything we Westerners associate with "the East" was invented and exported by Koreans before anyone else. In reality, it was Japan that pioneered much of this about forty years ago - along with many aspects Korea began to adopt just as it was emerging as a democracy.
The book, at least in my opinion, also seems to blatantly sidestep some of the core issues that are common to all Confucian-based societies: the role of women as subordinate and inferior, the "live to work" ethos, blind veneration of the elderly, and the emphasis on appearances (both in terms of physical beauty and social honor) over substance. These issues are glossed over in brief asides with a breezy but times are changing dismissal.
All in all, it's a lovely coffee table book that sparks curiosity for those approaching South Korea for the first time. But it may feel a touch surreal to anyone already familiar with the lights and shadows of the Korean peninsula.
January 1, 2026
Jak jinak vstoupit do dalšího roku, když ten celý předešlý byl ve znamení k-popu :)
Kniha podává ucelený, ale velmi zkrácený a obecný vhled do malé země coby rozlohou, ale velkolepé, co se týče všeho ostatního. Od slavných k-dram, k-popu, filmového průmyslu, elektroniky až po nejnovější výdobytky jako jsou roboti, družice a nejmodernější přístroje na virtuální realitu. Toho všeho, včetně tradic, historie, hierarchického vedení společnosti a mnoho dalšího, se kniha dotýká a čtenáři otevírá možnosti a hlavně chuť si zjistit daleko více.
Kniha je opravdu super startovací pozicí, pokud se o Jižní Korei chcete dozvědět co nejvíc informací za co nejkratší dobu. Pak už je jen na vás, co si z témat vyberete a dál budete zkoumat jinde. Mou jedinou výtkou zůstává fakt, že jsou některé informace často opakované a to dokonce kolikrát v rámci jednoho odstavce nebo tématu. Nuž, asi se počítá, že knihu bude číst někdo jen jako průvodce a vyzobávat si jednotlivé informace, čtenáři, který si chce knihu užít jako celek, to bude připadat jako text pro opice.
Kniha podává ucelený, ale velmi zkrácený a obecný vhled do malé země coby rozlohou, ale velkolepé, co se týče všeho ostatního. Od slavných k-dram, k-popu, filmového průmyslu, elektroniky až po nejnovější výdobytky jako jsou roboti, družice a nejmodernější přístroje na virtuální realitu. Toho všeho, včetně tradic, historie, hierarchického vedení společnosti a mnoho dalšího, se kniha dotýká a čtenáři otevírá možnosti a hlavně chuť si zjistit daleko více.
Kniha je opravdu super startovací pozicí, pokud se o Jižní Korei chcete dozvědět co nejvíc informací za co nejkratší dobu. Pak už je jen na vás, co si z témat vyberete a dál budete zkoumat jinde. Mou jedinou výtkou zůstává fakt, že jsou některé informace často opakované a to dokonce kolikrát v rámci jednoho odstavce nebo tématu. Nuž, asi se počítá, že knihu bude číst někdo jen jako průvodce a vyzobávat si jednotlivé informace, čtenáři, který si chce knihu užít jako celek, to bude připadat jako text pro opice.
August 8, 2024
🇰🇷Ну "Привіт Південна Корея" - ваш путівник країною ранкового спокою.
Чудовий посібник, щоб познайомитись із георгафією, історією, культурними традиціями, сучасними тенденціями в соціумі, новинками в кіно та літературі Кореї. Такий собі мікс цікавинок.
Сеул - серце Кореї, але тут описано чим можуть вас зацікавити інші міста, які фестивалі проводяться, де краще відпочити😜
Вже давно точаться суперечки про те, чи є конфуціанство релігією, чи системою етики, але ясно одне: ця філософська школа є основою Кореї. Також чималу роль відіграє шаманізм, буддизм, даосизм і як не дивно християнство. Дуже часто це все переплітається в щось дивне і незрозуміле🧐, що і додає інтересу та унікальності цьому регіону. В літературі часто використовують натяки, цифри, символи і філософські концепти цих вчень, але без додаткових знань це не помітити 🧐
Жінки продовжують стикатися з нелегкою боротьбою, оскільки Корея залишається затятим патріархальним суспільством. Коли йдеться про гендерну рівність, оплата праці залишається важливою проблемою - це головна тема і в багатьох сучасних новелах, дорамах і навіть в законодавстві.
Про культуру споживання різного контенту🙂, розумні міста, швидкий економічний бум, k-pop, дорами, як корейці пробуджують інтерес в усього світу знайомитись із їхньою культурою, вивчати мову, задавати модні тенденції.
Книга захоплююча, багато ілюстрацій, цікавинок, підійде для швидкого знайомства із Кореєю.
Чудовий посібник, щоб познайомитись із георгафією, історією, культурними традиціями, сучасними тенденціями в соціумі, новинками в кіно та літературі Кореї. Такий собі мікс цікавинок.
Сеул - серце Кореї, але тут описано чим можуть вас зацікавити інші міста, які фестивалі проводяться, де краще відпочити😜
Вже давно точаться суперечки про те, чи є конфуціанство релігією, чи системою етики, але ясно одне: ця філософська школа є основою Кореї. Також чималу роль відіграє шаманізм, буддизм, даосизм і як не дивно християнство. Дуже часто це все переплітається в щось дивне і незрозуміле🧐, що і додає інтересу та унікальності цьому регіону. В літературі часто використовують натяки, цифри, символи і філософські концепти цих вчень, але без додаткових знань це не помітити 🧐
Жінки продовжують стикатися з нелегкою боротьбою, оскільки Корея залишається затятим патріархальним суспільством. Коли йдеться про гендерну рівність, оплата праці залишається важливою проблемою - це головна тема і в багатьох сучасних новелах, дорамах і навіть в законодавстві.
Про культуру споживання різного контенту🙂, розумні міста, швидкий економічний бум, k-pop, дорами, як корейці пробуджують інтерес в усього світу знайомитись із їхньою культурою, вивчати мову, задавати модні тенденції.
Книга захоплююча, багато ілюстрацій, цікавинок, підійде для швидкого знайомства із Кореєю.
January 23, 2024
This one was such a fun nonfiction travel read with the sleekest photos & illustrations! It’s up-to-date & contains a ton of fun information about Korean history, culture, and influence beyond what most of us know about K-entertainment & K-beauty.
Like??? There’s an entire sustainable city called Songdo that’s living in the future. And that’s ??? SO COOL???
저는 한국에 가고 싶어요 😎
Like??? There’s an entire sustainable city called Songdo that’s living in the future. And that’s ??? SO COOL???
저는 한국에 가고 싶어요 😎
December 29, 2024
Love it soooo much. You can learn every bit of this and that. Don’t expect you’ll get a thorough explanation about its history, instead you get briefly pieces of its culture, art, food, music, origin, problems, etc.
Super love the picture and illustration!! Beautifully made. Fun to read, not boring at all. 5 stars!
Super love the picture and illustration!! Beautifully made. Fun to read, not boring at all. 5 stars!
March 10, 2024
Molto carino! Pensavo fosse più una sorta di “guida viaggio” ossia cose da sapere prima di andare in Corea, ma in realtà è proprio un libro informativo sulla cultura coreana. Si parla veramente di tutto!
April 6, 2025
Este libro me parece perfecto si se quiere conocer un poquito de todo. No profundiza mucho en ningún tema, pero da un gran overview para conocer el país.
Puntos por el diseño, me gustó mucho, e hizo la lectura más amena.
Puntos por el diseño, me gustó mucho, e hizo la lectura más amena.
January 9, 2026
This book combines personal anecdotes with factual information, making it both relatable and informative. Overall, it serves as a valuable guide for prospective travelers and anyone interested in gaining insight into South Korean society.
September 25, 2023
Great book for both adults and teens, great over view of South Korea both for its past and its future.
March 7, 2024
Great visual explanation of some of the key features of South Korea.
Interesting read 4.5 stars
Interesting read 4.5 stars
August 24, 2024
Fun short read. Not worth buying, just borrow from the library.
November 16, 2024
This is really well set up with a great, quick overview of the history and culture
August 4, 2025
Like a lot of DK a bit dense but lots of info
August 6, 2025
Probably a pretty good book, but the audiobook was subpar and make everything sound really bland. :/
nice to know about the history of South Korea though. I learnt a lot of new facts.
nice to know about the history of South Korea though. I learnt a lot of new facts.
January 17, 2026
Good summaries and deep dives into South Korea’s history, culture and people. Definitely provided some inspo for travels.
August 11, 2023
If you, like me, have a deep love of K-pop and wish to learn more about the country from which it originated, this is a great starter guide! Hello South Korea covers many different aspects of Korean culture, from popular bands in the K-pop world, popular Korean TV shows like Squid Game, and the delicious foods of Korea. It's brightly colored and full of photos to go with each section, so it's a nice starter guide for those interested. It would also be a great guide if you were planning a visit to Korea and wanted to get more acquainted with the culture and customs of the area before a trip. I really enjoyed the way this book was structured, and I hope DK publish more in this style.
Blog / Twitter / Instagram
Blog / Twitter / Instagram
August 28, 2024
Enjoyed this travel guide with a difference -- it's more of a comprehensive primer on South Korean history and culture. The cover alone will catch your eye, featuring wild colourful illustrations by Jinhwa Jang. Inside, you'll find gorgeous photos and engaging copy that make this a highly recommended read if you'd like to learn more about the amazing country beyond its famous cultural exports-- K-pop, K-drama, K-beauty, K-cuisine.
You might also like to read How to Live Korean by Soo Kim (2020) for a native Korean's perspective on what it means to be Korean and live the Korean way.
You might also like to read How to Live Korean by Soo Kim (2020) for a native Korean's perspective on what it means to be Korean and live the Korean way.
September 1, 2025
The more read books like this, the mighty need to go gets stronger.
Beautiful book with beautiful photos and informative however there is no mention of Big Bang who have influenced many many idols and are considered legends
Beautiful book with beautiful photos and informative however there is no mention of Big Bang who have influenced many many idols and are considered legends
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews