Showing results for "Korea" in History

Long overshadowed by Japan and China, South Korea is a small country that happens to be one of the great national success stories of the postwar period. From a failed state with no democratic tradition, ruined and partitioned by war, and sapped by a half-century of colonial rule, South Korea transformed itself in just 50 years into an economic powerhouse and a democracy that serves as a model for other countries. With no natural resources and a tradition of authoritarian rule, Korea managed to accomplish a second Asian miracle.

Korea was one of the last countries in Asia to be visited by Westerners, and its borders have remained largely unchanged since it was unified in the seventh century. Though it is one of the world's oldest and most ethnically homogeneous states, Korea was not born in a vacuum. Geographically isolated, the country was heavily influenced by powerful China and was often used as a bridge to the mainland by Japan. Calling themselves as "a shrimp among whales", Koreans borrowed elements of government, culture, and religion, all the while fiercely fighting to maintain independence.

Having spent centuries in the shadows of its neighbors China and Japan, Korea is now the object of considerable interest for radically different reasons - the South as an economic success story and for its vibrant popular culture; the North as the home to one of the world's most repressive regimes, at once both bizarre and menacing. Korea: A Very Short Introduction explores the history, culture, and society of a deeply divided region.

Korea has a long, riveting history—it is also a divided nation. South Korea is a vibrant democracy, the tenth largest economy, and is home to a world-renowned culture. North Korea is ruled by the most authoritarian regime in the world, a poor country in a rich region, and is best known for the cult of personality surrounding the ruling Kim family. But both Koreas share a unique common history. Victor Cha and Ramon Pacheco Pardo draw on decades of research to explore the history of modern Korea, from the late nineteenth century, Japanese occupation, and Cold War division to the present day.

Bloomsbury presents Korea: War Without End by Richard Dannatt and Robert Lyman, read by Mark Elstob A ground-breaking history of this global conflict including the errors and miscalculations made on both sides. Korea: War Without End examines the stand-off between East and West in Korea that...

Bloomsbury presents North Korea: A History by Michael J. Seth, read by John Sackville. North Korea is perhaps the most intriguing, infamous and enigmatic nation of our modern world. Yet how many of us know its full history, and how it came to be? How can we understand such a strange, isolated...

In this book, former North Korea lead foreign service officer at the US embassy in Seoul, Patrick McEachern, unpacks the contentious and tangled relationship between the Koreas in an approachable question-and-answer format. Why have the two Koreas developed politically and economically in such radically different ways? What are the origins of a divided Korean Peninsula? Who rules the two Koreas? How have three generations of the authoritarian Kim dictatorship shaped North Korea?

This accessible and engaging new edition continues to be one of the leading introductory textbooks on Korean history. Fully revised throughout, the author takes a thematic and chronological approach to guide listeners from early state formation and the dynastic eras to the modern experience. Episodic accounts in each chapter are discussed in context with extensive examination of how the events and themes under consideration have been viewed up to the present day. 

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...

North Korea remains the world's most opaque and enigmatic state, a hermit kingdom forged in the crucible of Japanese colonialism, the Korean War, and the Cold War. This show, hosted by Lucas and Luna, peels back the layers of secrecy to explore the full sweep of North Korean history from the ancient kingdom of Gojoseon to the Kim dynasty's nuclear brinkmanship. We delve into the rise of the Kim Il-sung personality cult, the brutal purges of the 1950s and 1960s, the devastating Arduous March famine of the 1990s, and the country's controversial Juche ideology. We examine the dynastic succession ...

A haunting account of teaching English to the sons of North Korea's ruling class during the last six months of Kim Jong-il's reign Every day, three times a day, the students march in two straight lines, singing praises to Kim Jong-il and North Korea: Without you, there is no motherland. Without...

Of the many myths that emerged following the end of the Korean War, the prevailing one in the West was that of the absolute supremacy of US Air Force pilots and aircraft over their Soviet-supplied opponents. The claims of the 10:1 victory-loss ratio achieved by the US Air Force fighter pilots flying the North American F-86 Sabre against their communist adversaries, amongst other such fabrications, went unchallenged until the end of the Cold War, when Soviet records of the conflict were finally opened. From that point onwards, a very different story began to emerge.

Bloomsbury presents Holding the Line: The Naval Air Campaign In Korea by Thomas McKelvey Cleaver, read by Robert G Slade. Naval and air power were crucial to the United Nations’ success in the Korean War, as it sought to negate the overwhelming Chinese advantage in manpower. In what became...

On 25 June, 1950, the invasion of South Korea by the Communist North launched one of the bloodiest conflicts of the last century. The seemingly limitless power of the Chinese-backed North was thrown against the ferocious firepower of the UN-backed South in a war that can be seen today as the stark prelude to Vietnam.

Bloomsbury presents The Frozen Chosen: The 1st Marine Division and the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir by Thomas Mckelvey Cleaver, read by Matthew Hendrickson. Based on unpublished first-hand accounts of the battle, this is a dramatic retelling of the desperate Battle of the Chosin Reservoir...

How did a nation devastated by the Korean War transform into a global economic and cultural powerhouse? Lucas and Luna trace South Korea's extraordinary arc from the fall of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) through Japanese colonial rule, the division at the 38th parallel, the Korean War (1950–1953), and the authoritarian development era under Park Chung-hee. They explore the chaebol conglomerates (Samsung, Hyundai), the democratization movement of 1987, and the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Cultural topics include the Hallyu wave (K-pop, K-drama, cinema), the debate over comfort women, the ...

From the mythic founding of Gojoseon to the nuclear standoff on the 38th parallel, the Korean Peninsula has been a crucible of dynastic ambition, foreign invasion, and fierce cultural identity. Lucas and Luna guide listeners through four thousand years of Korean history: the Three Kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla locked in centuries of warfare and cultural exchange with Tang China; the unifying Goryeo dynasty that gave the West its name for Korea; the Confucian revolution of Joseon, which produced the Hangul alphabet, the turtle ships of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and a rigid social order that...

Bloomsbury presents… Emperor of the Seas: Kublai Khan and the Making of China by Jack Weatherford, read by Mark Elstob Control the sea, and you control everything...a gripping tale of naval warfare, dynastic rivalry, and technical innovation, from the author of the classic work Genghis Khan...

Fifteen Years Among the Top Knots: Life in Korea is a firsthand memoir by Lillias Underwood recounting her years of living and working in Korea during a period of profound cultural encounters and historical change. Writing from direct experience, she offers vivid observations of daily life, customs, family structures, and social traditions, while also sharing her Christian perspective and reflections on gospel mission work.

Join us on an intriguing journey through Japan and Korea, where we delve into the rich tapestry of their governments, vibrant cultures, and unique agricultural practices. This immersive exploration offers a closer look at the people, their customs, and the spiritual beliefs that shape their lives. Whether you’re curious about the historical significance or the everyday experiences of these nations, this volume promises to enlighten and inspire. (Summary by Betty B)