Books, blog and other blather
I can remember when the first Starbucks opened in Korea — just outside of the front gate of Ehwa Womans University (sic). Reportedly, it was then the only Starbucks in the world with a smoking section.
Anyhow, I was looking for a Starbucks to meet someone for an interview, and this is what Shinchon/Hongdae looks like now:
And Jongno/downtown Seoul:
And all of Seoul:
Pop Goes Korea: Behind the Revolution in Movies, Music and Internet Culture (2nd edition) is the only English-language book to examine the whole of Korea's entertainment industry and how it became such a powerhouse over the past 20 years. With profiles of many of Korea's top stars (including Lee Byung-hun and Rain), Pop Goes Korea features chapters on movies, music, television, comic books, the Internet, and more.
On sale now at:
Amazon.com
Kobo eBooks
And hopefully more ebooks stores very soon.
The original edition of Pop Goes Korea is now out of print.
K-Pop Now! takes a fun look at Korea’s high-energy pop music, and is written for its growing legions of fans. It features all the famous groups and singers, and takes an insider’s look at how they have made it to the top.
You can buy at:
Amazon.com
Chapters Indigo
Tuttle (my publisher)
Kyobo Books (in Korea)
Goodreads (not for buying, but still a good link)
© 2024 Mark James Russell
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Worst coffee in the world.
Worst? It’s not great coffee, but I don’t think it is terrible. I’m not fan of coffee gourmands (or beer connoisseurs, or oenophiles, etc.). There’s so much worse out there.