Korea: The Impossible Country

“Tudor, Seoul correspondent for The Economist, provides a fairly perfunctory account of the ‘miracle on the Han River,’ which saw South Korea transformed from postwar ruin to prosperous democracy within four decades. The book’s real value comes in its exploration of the cultural forces behind the country’s zeal for self-improvement.” –Financial Times“Sixty years ago, South Korea was an economic wasteland. Today, it is not only the world’s 11th largest economy but also a vibrant democracy and an emerging cultural force. This transformation is the subject of a new book, Korea: The Impossible Country, by Daniel Tudor, Korea correspondent for The Economist.‘” –Time Magazine“Mr. Tudor pushes into new social and economic territory with his book, including the rising role of immigrants, multicultural families and even gay people in South Korea. He lays out some of the contradictory behavior one finds in South Korea, such as the unending desire for new and trendy gadgets and fashion and yet the tunnel-like view of what constitutes a successful life.” –Wall Street Journal

Daniel Tudor is from Manchester, England, and graduated with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford University. He has lived in Seoul for many years and served as Korea Correspondent for The Economist from 2010-2013. The first edition of Korea: The Impossible Country received high praise and has been translated into Korean, Chinese, Polish, and Thai. His subsequent book, North Korea Confidential (with James Pearson), was selected by The Economist as one of the best books of 2015. He is also co-founder of Seoul-based The Booth Brewing Company.