Taste of Patriotism

Cho Tae-kwon; Gimmyoung Publishers; 297 pp., 13,000 won

Cho Tae-kwon, CEO of local ceramics maker KwangJuYo, shares his thoughts about promoting “hansik” or Korean cuisine in his latest book.

He has been one of the most outspoken advocates for the globalization of Korean food in recent years. Aside from KwangJuYo's hand-made ceramics, Cho's businesses also include Hwayo, a distiller of soju.

The book elaborates on Cho's conviction that the most effective way to pursue the globalization of Korean cuisine is to start with the high-end. To better promote Korean cuisine overseas, he envisioned a high-end Korean restaurant that serves only the best food and liquor on elegant ceramic dishes, with a luxurious atmosphere. Such visions led to the 2003 opening of a fine dining Korean restaurant called Gaon in Apgujeong in 2003.

Besides his 20-year experience in business, the book also mentions Cho's suggestions for the government's efforts to promote hansik; menus for some fusion hansik dishes; and excerpts from previous interviews from local dailies.


Kim Sung-keun and the SK Wyverns

Kim Sung-jun, Choi Hee-jin; Wisdomkyunghyang; 360pp., 13,800 won

Kim Sung-jun analyzes his father Kim Sung-keun's time as manager of the SK Wyverns, and tells how the Korean baseball great revitalized a sixth-seed team into a three-times Korean Series winner.

The book starts with the fixture against the Doosan Bears in August 2011 in which the Wyverns lost 8-2. It was the club’s first match after the controversial sacking of Kim Sung-keun, and the author explains point by point on how the absence of the long-time boss affected the team, and affects them still.

He then goes on to explain everything a baseball team needs to consider to win and how the 69-year-old Kim’s meticulous and near-obsessive care for details transformed the Wyverns to become an opponent to be feared.

The best part of the book is the last chapter where the author probes deeply into some of the famous fixtures by comparing team line-ups and strategy.

Although the author occasionally betrays what can only be deemed as paternal admiration and reveals related anecdotes, most of the book gives an objective view.


100.art.kr (Korean Contemporary Art Scene)

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Arts Council of Korea; The Open Books; 624pp., 65,000 won

As an introduction to Korean contemporary artists for a global audience, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Arts Council of Korea has published “100.art.kr.” Written in English, they have compiled essays and images of 100 local artists from the 1960s and ‘70s such as Lee Yong-baek, Lee Soo-kyung and Jeong Yeondoo. The two agencies acted upon the complaints from the art industry that there was no reliable reference material of prominent national artists when they hold shows overseas or represent Korea at international events. For each artist, the book dedicates one page of text summarizing his or her major accomplishments coupled with five pages of photos. The book includes essays by critics within the Korean art scene as well as a glossary of keywords to provide general context to the readers.


Reconciling Enemy States in Europe and Asia

Seunghoon Emilia Heo; Palgrave Macmillan; 200 pp., $85

Rebuilding the relationship between enemy states is not an easy path to traverse.

What do we mean by “successfully reconciled?” Is it when national leaders shake hands on a red carpet or when economic interaction intensifies?

Drawing from sources in English, French, Italian, German, Korean and Japanese, this book establishes a model that clarifies why certain countries reconcile while others do not.

It first discusses the conceptualization of the term as a new focus of study in international relations theory by comparing other cooperative behaviors interchangeably used with reconciliation such as coexistence, rapprochement, alliance, cooperation and integration.

It then develops an ideal type of interstate reconciliation ranging from politico-diplomatic, economic to socio-cultural and historical at both state and people levels.

Based on historical and contemporary cases of Europe, the Middle East and Northeast Asia, this book finally suggests various means of arriving at a genuine reconciliation by adopting an interdisciplinary approach.