A guide to online book buying, Jeju, South Korea

October 19, 2008 by Dan Nabben · 1 Comment
Filed under: Books

‘Whatthebook.com.’ Based in Seoul. Run by Chris Chiavetta. Web site is available in both English and Korean. Domestic bank-to-bank transfers and Paypal available. Free shipping on most orders of two books or more, but there are exceptions. It is essentially Amazon.com for Korea. Books priced on What the Book will be three or four thousand won more than on Amazon to cover the per-book shipping cost. There are certain combinations of books and certain order sizes that are cheaper through What the Book while some are cheaper through Amazon – some significantly so, and some not. What the Book’s other distinct advantages are its used bookstore and fast books - new books in stock; delivered in two days.

Tags: , Guide, JEJU, korea, Online book buying, SOUTH KOREA

Book review: ‘The Dawn of Modern Korea’, Jeju, South Korea

September 27, 2008 by Joy Leman · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Books

There are few countries that can match Korea’s last century of explosive social and economic expansion and modernization. In his pleasantly readable novel The Dawn of Modern Korea, Andrei Lankov covers the recent and tumultuous history of our beloved Korea. Lankov, a Russian educated in Russia, North Korea, South Korea, and Australia, brings a unique perspective to his book, not being Western or Korean, and as a long-time resident of Seoul.

The Korean royalty of the late 1800s was quick and excited to introduce Western influences that came through missionaries and travelers. Pre-colonial Korea, or, rather, the young and impulsive King Kojong, was eager to accept Western ideas and discoveries such as Christianity, electricity, radio, and telephones- seeing these means as a way to modernize and separate themselves from their Japanese and Chinese neighbors.

Tags: , Books, JEJU, korea