South Korea can easily fly under the radar of even an astute observer of international affairs in the West.
Many Korea watchers get tricked into focusing their attention on that black box that is North Korea, perhaps because precious little can be gleaned about the hyper-secretive state.
Daniel Tudor, Korea correspondent for The Economist, avoids that trap, focusing instead on South Korea which, surprisingly, is almost as difficult a nut to crack as evidenced by the dearth of resources out there about the country.
In “Korea: The Impossible Country,” Tudor uncovers interesting facets of South Korea that were until now not adequately explored in English, describing aspects of Korean life the government should be more proud of but often is not ― good indie rock, a vibrant gay scene and modern shamanism, to name a few.
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Daniel Tudor |
For example, Tudor reveals the instrumental role of U.S. servicemen in the 1960s in cultivating Korean rock.
In an interview with Shin Joong-hyun, Korea's own godfather of rock 'n' roll, Tudor describes how Shin's success was made possible in part by American soldiers. The book is filled with such tidbits.
The success of Psy outside of Korea occurred after the book's publication, but Tudor had a lot to say about it, beyond simple regret he could not include the Psy's galloping equine dance moves in his first book.
The unexpected worldwide hit single “Gangnam Style” will “hopefully” allow the Korean music industry to open up a little, and let music be a genuine creative exercise, he said.
Tudor contrasts Psy's music with K-pop industry dolls such as Girls' Generation and Big Bang.
“It is very top-down, like factory-produced music,” he said about Korea's veritable factory of K-pop boy and girl groups. “I do not get any feeling from it at all. I don't even hate. I just find it bland.”
In his book, the 30-year-old lays out South Korea's culture, politics and economy with an expository that is both respectful and objective with spot-on research ― and includes a number of revealing interviews.
In the book, Tudor also says homosexuality negotiated a far more prominent and, by extension, acceptable place in mainstream Korean society during the Goryeo Dynasty, which may presage increased acceptance in the near future.
In another interview, this time with actor and gay rights activist Hong Seok-cheon, Tudor explores how Korean society evolved for the better for gay people.
Tudor's fascination with Korea started with a two-week vacation in Seoul during the 2002 World Cup, which Korea co-hosted with Japan.
His best friend at the time, a Korean classmate at Oxford, invited him and two other friends to visit Korea and watch a few games.
“It was crazy; it was unbelievable fun,” Tudor said about it in an interview with The Korea Herald at a cafe in downtown Seoul. “It was new and inspiring and fresh.”
“It was my first time outside the so-called Western world,” he said.
The experience sent Tudor's life on an entirely new trajectory. The vast majority of his classmates ended up in London after graduating from Britain's famously posh university and working in the world's leading financial institutions.
Tudor was somehow drawn back to Korea, by contrast. He tried his hand at a couple of investment firms in Korea and in Europe in the 2000s but, today, he is more likely to be found on his laptop at a cafe in downtown Seoul.
By Philip Iglauer (
ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)
