The Little Book of Jeong: The Korean Art of Building Deep Connections– And How It Changed My Life

by Charlotte Cho

"In a year where human connection has been put to the test and physical interactions limited due to social distancing, Charlotte Cho's The Little Book of Jeong reminds us how important and powerful deep connections can be... it's the call to action to slow down, be present, and revel in the deep appreciation for the people, places and things that hold a special place in your heart." -- Karin Eldor, Forbes contributor and host of the podcast Share Of Voice

In these uncertain times, jeong is needed now more than ever.

Through The Little Book of Jeong, Charlotte Cho reveals how practicing Simple Acts of Jeong can transform our relationships for the better and challenges us to cultivate jeong in our own lives. Go deeper and start building meaningful connections with Charlotte’s guidance through The Little Book of Jeong.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Health, Personal Development

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2021

About the author

Charlotte Cho is a South Korean-American esthetician, author and entrepreneur. She is best known as the co-founder of Soko Glam, a company that specializes in Korean beauty products. She is considered a major contributor to the current K-Beauty emergence in the U.S.

Reviews

[Wan Ting Ke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know absolutely nothing about Soko Glam or Charlotte Cho but I'm a sucker for an interesting video title. A month ago, a video titled "do I actually want it or do I want others to see that I have it?" popped up on my Youtube feed, and it truly could not have came at a more perfect time. This past semester, my mind has been in 20 places, which made it nearly impossible to focus on one thing. I wasn't necessarily failing at anything but it certainly felt that way because of how little I was actually retaining from everything I was doing. Even the most interesting things in my life, like my stem cell class (which I LOVE and the best class I've taken in college to date), became tasks to check off on my calendar, and it honestly felt so draining. Even though the video was mostly about post-graduation pressures, the question in title still had me thinking about I genuinely enjoy doing. Since then, I've decided to take things slower. During the video, the girl had briefly mentioned this book as one of her favorites, so I decided to bookmark it for a rainy day.

That being said, while today was not rainy, this week has been a needed break from college and work. It allowed me to reach some mental clarity and unload some emotional baggage. So, I decided to read this semi-short book. For the most part, it was wholesome and emphasized the power of jeong (affection and connection with people, places, and things developed through experiences and time). From sharing meals with co-workers to talking to the server, Charlotte's anecdotes from her experiences working at Samsung in Korea were special and appreciated windows into Korean culture. I loved how she discussed jeong as a double-edged sword in that it can also drive you to do things you wouldn't do ordinarily. I particularly resonated with the idea of how you can dislike something/someone but still feel upset/resentful about leaving it because of jeong. It's so interesting how powerful and tenable a connection can be. However, when she ended up connecting jeong to how she built Soko Glam, it felt slightly out of left field and took me out of the book. It would probably be interesting to fans of Soko Glam but unfortunately I was not the target audience. Still, it was a fine read.

[BiblioBrandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Cho's story and the introduction to Jeong. We all need more Jenny in our lives. Her first book, The Little Book of Skin Care, totally changed my skin routine when I read it in 2015 and I’ve been following her and the Korean skincare industry ever since. I’m a fan.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think my relationship with Korea predisposes me to reading this book with a critical lens, however I took issue with this book and how little it actually delves into jeong as a concept. This book came off more autobiographical than exploratory (perhaps that was the author's intent) and focuses, in my opinion, far too much on how jeong is a positive force in life and how it is a means through which you can solely experience success and meaningful relationships. Her particular demonization of common western practices, paying dutch style for example, as unequivocally inferior left a bad taste in my mouth, not because I have a strong affinity for western practices but because she seems to either ignorantly or purposefully only skim over the negative side of jeong. The book felt entirely too one sided and not as inspirational as I had hoped. Much of this novel is spent explaining Korean culture and idiosyncrasies. The author's frequent vilification of the use of technology and her yearning for the forgotten "better days of the past" was off putting. Overall I can tell the author is well intentioned.

[Lili Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE Charlotte Cho, her first book, and her skincare products!!

This book reminded me of all the jeong I've experienced in my life, especially jeong for college, Korea, and loved ones. I didn't realize the jeong I experienced when bowing to elders, fighting over paying the bill, talking to servers over Korean BBQ, watching dramas (VHS tapes!), and having miweon jeong. I also liked her advice, to not let jeong manipulate you to feeling indebted or pressured, but to instead set limits and stay firm. Her little tips (such as not flaking-totally agree!) were helpful as well.

[Kryslori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book way more than I expected, I listened to it on audible and it was lovely to hear Charlotte narrating everything. She explained what Jeong was and all the way you experience it. I really liked how she explained how you can love where you while at the same time hating some things but feeling a complicated emotion when you realize you are leaving. I have followed Charlotte since Soko Glam started gaining traction and it’s been amazing seeing her journey. She is truly an inspiration while never forgetting all the people and the struggles that helped her to get where she is today. I hope she releases another book and book publishing agency’s where silly to pass this book up. I hope to get a physical copy of this book in the future.

[Yvonne D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Key takeaway: Having a community is a beautiful thing. Also, the author highly recommends watching Korean drama "Reply 1988" to understand the concept of "jeong". So for K-drama fans, this is for you :)

A short book with a lot of heart. Love seeing an author so passionate about their cultural identity and their love for life. It's self-help, picture book, memoir, and an educational read about Korean culture/collectivism, all in one.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Charlotte + Soko Glam for years and loved getting to learn more about the intentionality behind Then I Met You and Soko Glam. Charlotte's personal journey was inspiring and she is so humble. Thank you for this window into cheong, Korean culture, entrepreneurship, and life!

[Jeanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love and appreciate this book so much. Thank you Charlotte for sharing your story and the general meaning of jeong and simple acts of jeong.

[Aaron Lindahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like how this book started, but as I continued reading, it just got kinda boring. Rather than a memoir, it seemed more like a "manual" at some points and I feel like "jeong" is not something that you can manifest, it's kinda just there. Not sure how to explain it. But it was overall a good read!