The Birth of Korean Cool

Hong recounts how South Korea vaulted itself into the 21st century, becoming a global leader in business, technology, education, and pop culture. Along the way we meet teachers, cultural critics, Michelin-starred chefs, pop music superstars, and government ministers in charge of creating boy bands with highly synchronised dance moves. The strict rigours of the Korean education system now lead to a society that works and plays hard - with a Ministry of Culture that churns out movies, TV dramas, pop bands, and video games exported the world over. The book reveals how a really uncool country became cool, and how a nation that once banned miniskirts, long hair on men, and rock and roll could come to be known for its pop music and the smartphone. This revision features a new afterword and three new chapters focusing on the global K-pop phenomenon BTS, as well as the film Parasite, and Squid Game.