The British Council Korea presents Brits Talk Korea, a series of presentation by British authors, journalists and public figures who live in Korea. The sixth presenter is Seoul-based reporter and author Andrew Salmon and he returns to the British Council with a presentation entitled ‘Korea: Land of Extremes’, based on his new book, “Modern Korea” from the Hodder-Stoughton/McGraw-Hill series “All That Matters”.
Brits Talk Korea: Special Presentation Series 06
- Time / Date: 19:00, 13 February
- Venue: Gwanghwamun Centre of the British Council Korea
- There is no admission fee.
- Online booking is required.
ABOUT THE PRESENTATION
To explain why North and South Korea have trodden such radically different paths, he has adopted the rubric of “Land of Extremes.” In this presentation, he will explain why he thinks this applies not just to North-South division, but also to domestic South Korea: its confrontational politics, regional relations, top-heavy business landscape, torrid education, cookie-cutter architecture, high technology, fast-paced social culture and even personal looks.
In the presentation, Andrew will raise some quirky questions:
- Is South Korean capitalism as different from its Anglo-Saxon cousin as North Korean communism is from its Russian forebear?
- Viewed through its own prism, is North Korean as successful a polity as South Korea is an economy?
- What do Joseon kings, North Korean Kims and chaebol chairmen have in common?
- Were the 1990s to South Korea what the 1960s were to the Western world?
- Is South Korea’s ultra-competitive society a result of ultra-fast paced development, of traditional culture - or both?
- Why do so many “historical” buildings in South Korea look so shiny new?
- And could there be a connection between shamanism and cyberspace?
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Andrew Salmon
Englishman Andrew Salmon, 48, covers the Koreas for Al Jazeera, Forbes, France 24 and The South China Morning Post, writes a biweekly column for The Korea Times and presents the weekly show “Bizline” on Arirang TV. His writing has also appeared on BBC, CNN, The Daily Telegraph, Monocle, The New Republic, The New York Times, The Times and The Washington Times.
His five published books include works on the Korean War, Korean restaurants and American business in Korea. His To the Last Round: The Epic British Stand on the Imjin River, Korea, 1951 (London, 2009) was awarded the “Best Military Book of 2009” prize in the UK; a “Korean Wave” award in South Korea’s National Assembly; and was named one of the “Top 10 Books on Korea” by the Wall Street Journal. Andrew holds a BA in History/Literature from the University of Kent and an MA in Asian Studies from SOAS, University of London. He is also a Council Member of the Royal Asiatic Society’s Korea Branch.
BRITS TALK KOREA
The British Council presents 'Brits Talk Korea', a new series of presentations by British authors, journalists and public figures who live in Korea. You are invited to attend a talk at our centre in Gwanghwamun by speakers who will share their unique insight into their special topic.