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Recent books

History of Korean Herbal CosmeticsKim Nam-il; Dulnyouk Publishing Company: 284 pp., 15,000 won Korean cosmetic companies have long released products that contain ingredients used in traditional herbal medicine, from shampoos and body wash to make-up. These have been popular among local customers for years and are increasingly finding markets overseas.In this book, the author, who is the dean of Kyunghee University’s College of Korean Medicine, cites a number of historical documents, including the Joseon Kingdom medical text, Dongeuibogam, to show that the herbal cosmetics of today have roots dating back to medieval times.According to Kim Nam-il, herbal ingredients were used frequently in traditional cosmetics and were believed to contribute to a person’s health. He also illustrates the methods and substances used for skincare throughout history and how royalty and aristocrats tried to keep themselves healthy and looking good.― Baek Byung-yeul Management Lessons from Chinese War Strategies Xiang-ru; Pyongdan Publishing; Translated from Chinese to Korean

Apr 5, 2013

Rhyu explores the death question

By Jung Min-ho Rhyu Si-min says "How to Live,” released after his retirement from politics in February, is his first book in a long time he didn’t self-censor for political reasons.                                      / Korea Times“How to Live,” Rhyu Si-min, Aporia PublishingRhyu Si-min, who was one of the most influential liberal politicians of the past decade, has a talent for provoking both the right and left.Conservatives hated his "manners,’’ while those in the progressive camp grew weary of their opinionated spokesman who was a magnet for controversy.Rhyu, a two-term lawmaker and a former health minister in the Roh Mu-hyun administration, presented himself as one of the last defenders of liberal values in a political landscape shaped by unpredictable elections and dirty compromises.It appears that the past 10 years has irrevocably altered how Rhyu, who entered the political arena as an influential journalist and civic activist, remembers

Apr 5, 2013
Rhyu explores the death question

Recent Books

How to become a celebrity Lee Hyun-sook; Intelligence Channels: 256 pp., 13,500 wonBeing a celebrity is not a job - it is a word that refers to famous people. Nonetheless, according to many occupation preference surveys of elementary school students, celebrity often tops the list.Veteran screenwriter Lee Hyun-sook talks about the nuts and bolts of how to become a famous personality and what it really takes to stay in the limelight.The book covers specific ways of making an eye-catching portfolio, making a good impression on interviewers, and even major entertainment management companies’ appearance preferences in their search for “talent.”“Only one percent of all wannabes end up becoming a celebrity. It is that hard,” she wrote.The current KBS’ Entertainment Weekly writer quoted many stars such as Jang Geun-suk, Kim Nam-joo and Shin Hyun-jun to add vividness to her story.Referring to tough screen-out procedures and the competitiveness in the industry, the author wrote that having a specific action plan and the right attitude are the most impor

Mar 29, 2013
Recent Books

Leslie, the unforgettable

Hong Kong’s superstar Leslie Cheung in the early 1990sEssay reveals the person behind the Hong Kong icon By Do Je-haeIn the heyday of Hong Kong cinema, it was a regular practice for entertainers there in the 1980s and 1990s to both sing and act.By achieving iconic status in both film and music, Leslie Cheung (1956-2003) is remembered as one of biggest superstars Asia has ever had.Ten years after Cheung's death, his legacy in film and music still moves many fans in their 30s and 40s. For them, he remains an unforgettable “Gor Gor,” or big brother.Fans within and outside Hong Kong are organizing various activities to pay tribute to the tragic superstar, who took his own life by jumping off a landmark hotel in the territory on April 1, 2003.  For the first time, an essay on Cheung's life and work has been published in Korea. "Memories of Leslie Cheung" was released this week.It is not surprising that Ju Sung-chul, the author, has taken up the task of tracing Cheung's life. Ju is a fantastic storyteller when it comes to Hong Kong. His books are a must-rea

Mar 29, 2013
Leslie, the unforgettable

Gatsby of the developing world

A shopkeeper counts Thai baht banknotes as he buys gold from a customer in Bangkok’s Chinatown.                                                                                / AP-YonhapHamid brilliantly illustrates how ‘rising Asia’ goes deeper than wealth, politicsBy Kim Young-jin “How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia,” Mohsin Hamid, PenguinBooks that tackle the theme of “rising Asia” are prone to focus on the big – the geopolitics, for instance, of the world’s most populous country increasing its economic and political might; or the “miracle” of one that quickly rises from poverty to prominence.It is refreshing then, that renowned Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid’s new novel, “How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia,” focuses on a smaller scale. Written under the guise of a business self-hel

Mar 22, 2013
Gatsby of the developing world

Recent Books

Moonlit TalesShin Kyung-sook; Munhakdongne: 212 pp., 12,000 wonIn her much-anticipated follow-up to “Please Look After Mom,’’ an imaginative and subtly tragic tale of familial loss, Shin Kyun-sook unveils her lighter side in this collection of short stories she wrote between the breaks of working on her longer novels in recent years.All the stories on “Moonlit Tales’’ are short, easy to read and avoid the heavy themes that dominated Shin’s previous works, including Mom. While Shin’s biting insight on family life and society is displayed here and there, it fuels humor instead of commentary. Shin’s imagination and brilliant wordplay are clearly the strength of the book as she weaves warm and witty tales of love, nature and the frustrations of getting old from the mundane details of daily life.―Kwon Mee-yoo A Leader Leaves No One BehindKim Sung-keun; Lee and Woo; 240 pp., 15,000 wonDuring his days as a baseball skipper, Kim Sung-keun was old-school in every sense of the term, ruthlessly demanding intensity from his players and y

Mar 22, 2013
Recent Books

Novelist Shin returns with lighter material

By Kwon Mee-yoo Shin Kyung-sookShin Kyung-sook’s follow-up to "Please Look After Mom’’ a heart-wrenching novel of familial loss and female sacrifice that made her international known, is dramatically more light-hearted.Published by Munhakdongne, Shin’s ``Moonlit Tales’’ is a collection of 26 short stories she serialized in a literary review journal from 2008 to 2010, while she was working on her novels ``Yi Jin,’’ ``From Somewhere Afar the Phone Keeps Ringing for Me’’ and “Mom.”Shin is known for the depth and complexity she gives her characters, and her intellectual and penetrating arguments on family life and society. Moonlit Tales, however, shows her less serious side.Most of the stories in the new book are short ― some of them just six pages long ― and make for light reading. Her biting insight is still there and there are some memorable sentences, but it’s obvious Shin made an effort to be more witty and humorous and less emotionally tolling.Mom, a story of an elderly mother and her famil

Mar 21, 2013
Novelist Shin returns with lighter material

Recent books

Creator's Bookmarks Editorial staff; g Colon Book: 447 pp., 19,000 wonIn the Internet era, bookmarks saved on Web browsers double as the fingerprints of one’s personality. Peeping at the bookmarks of others therefore can be a revealing and delightful experience, especially if they belong to people with jobs that require them to be highly creative and experimental.``Creator's Bookmarks’’ illustrates how a person’s Web browsing habits can reveal the owner's individuality and intelligence. The author looks at the Internet bookmarks of 23 notable people with creative jobs, and studies how their Web browsing habits relate and contribute to their creative process.In the first chapter, titled ``Optimum Timing,” Graphic designer Lee Choong-ho, photographer Angeles Pena and design researcher Alia Farid describe what’s in their bookmarks and how they rely on the Internet for inspiration.The second chapter features typographer Chris Ro, industrial designer Dean Brown and illustrator Shoboshobo. The last chapter, ``Beyond Boundary,’’ introduce

Mar 8, 2013
Recent books

Modern history in vivid black and white

Shin Nak-kyun’s 1933 photo of iconic Korean modern dancer Choi Seung-hee. “Exclusive: Photos that Testify History;” Noonbit PublishingKim Seong-bae’s 1967 photo of commuters pulling up a woman onto a train to Mokpo the day before Chuseok, the Korean version of Thanksgiving.Limb Eung-sik’s 1953 photo of a man looking for a job.Hwang Kyu-tae’s 1963 photo of late President Park Chung-hee and his late wife Yuk Young-soowalking in the woods behind Cheong Wa Dae.Choi Dong-wan’s 1970 photo of Jung In-sook, a well-known bar hostess-turned-socialite, founddead in a car in a road in Seoul. Police later found name cards of several high-profile figures, including former President Park Chung-hee and former spy chief Lee Hu-rak, at her home. The events surrounding Jung’s death remain a mystery.Kim Gyeong-tae’s 1968 photo of Kim Jong-pil,political heavyweight and founder of the KoreanCentral Intelligence agency, playing a boardgame in style.By Kim Tong-hyungHuh Jeong, the late photojour

Mar 8, 2013
Modern history in vivid black and white

For the local book market, it's apocalypse now

Government data shows that book readership among Koreans is hitting new lows.                                                                                                           /  Korea Times By Kim Tong-hyungKoreans don’t read books and don’t read newspapers. They flock to the movies, however.A report from Statistics Korea Monday showed that book consumption — measured by the sales of hardcovers, paperbacks and magazines — hit a new low last year with the average spending of households sinking below 20,000 won (about $18.44). Add to this the sorry state of the newspaper industry, and the future of the dead-tree media has never been bleaker.New books released by publishers decreased by a staggering 20 percent in 2012. The online purchases of books pulled back for the first time

Mar 4, 2013
For the local book market, it's apocalypse now
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