Not Only Kimchi: History, Culture and Everyday Life of Korea

Main Ideas

• Korea emerges as a country where ancient traditions and modern trends weave together into a striking pattern, forming a unique cultural fabric in which the past is inseparable from the present.
• The author reveals the roots of Korean identity, showing how historical upheavals, external influences, and internal contradictions have forged a distinctive national character marked by resilience, diligence, and a striving for harmony.
• The book explores the everyday life of Koreans, where beneath outward restraint and ritual lies a deep world of emotions, social connections, and unspoken rules that govern behavior and relationships.
• Lankov masterfully analyzes the phenomenon of the Korean family, education, attitudes toward authority and the collective, uncovering the subtle mechanisms that define a person's place in society and their path to success.
• Special attention is given to how Korea, while remaining true to its roots, has managed to become a leader in global technological progress without losing its spiritual depth and cultural uniqueness.
• The author invites readers to look at Korea not only through the prism of stereotypes, but also through the lens of real human stories that reflect the complexity and multifaceted nature of the Korean soul.