After watching a Korean Netflix Series I got interested in South Korea, its culture, people, way of life etc. Can you recommend a book from which I can learn more about Modern Day Korea? Thanks very much in advance.
PS: I‘ve already read Born in 1982 by Kim Jiyoung and liked it very much!
by Witty-Variation-1930
2 Comments
Might be pushing modern, but Skull Water, by Heinz Insu Fenkl. Coming of age story set in the aftermath of the Korean War
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha is a fascinating and disturbing book about the obsession in South Korea with plastic surgery and impossible beauty standards.
Island of the Sea Women by Lisa See is about the female free divers on Jeju island – it’s mainly set in the early to mid 1900s so it’s not exactly modern day, but this period was so significant for Korea that it’s important to know about it if you want to understand Korea today. It’s a beautifully written book with themes of friendship, forgiveness and strong female characters.