A French professor who has been living in South Korea for more than 20 years has published an English-language book introducing Korean culture seen from the perspective of foreigners, not Koreans.
Written by Benjamin Joinau, a professor of French Language & Literature at Seoul’s Hongik University and a cultural anthropologist specialized in Korean Studies, “Sketches of Korea: an illustrated guide to Korean culture” provides a comprehensive guide to everyday life in Korea.
Joinau introduces readers to the various and unpolished faces of Korea outside typical ones that most people get when they think of Korea such as kimchi, K-pop, taekwondo and Samsung and those that Koreans typically like to present.
Containing 47 subjects ranging from Korea’s latest trends, traditional culture, social stereotypes, arts and religions, the book captures modern-day images of Korea — middle-aged married women in permed hair and wearing huge skin-protecting sun shades and subway riders killing time either by chatting or watching TV dramas on smartphones.
The 210-page book also explains Korean etiquette; street vendors and what kind of dishes pojanmachas, tented food stalls on the streets, serve; and how to enjoy mokyoktangs and jjimjilbangs, public baths and saunas as well as make a boilermaker or poktanju, guided by detailed illustrations by Elodie Dornand de Rouville. A graduate of Paris’ National School of Fine Arts, Dornand de Rouville has been living in Korea for 10 years.
Published by Seoul Selection on April 27, the book will be available at local bookstores and amazon.com. Joinau also plans to release a French version of the book later. (Yonhap)
