Today, South Korea is an economic, technological and entertainment superpower. How, as a country, did they rebound from war, poverty and political unrest? And how can that success be replicated in other cultures? The answers can, in fact, be found by understanding Korean customs, values and beliefs. Author Boye Lafayette De Mente identifies the unique qualities that comprise the Korean identity and articulates their modern expressions of Korean culture and history in this book.

Organized alphabetically by topic, De Mente explains the critical cultural code words that make Korea the country it is today. Anyone interested in Korean etiquette, whether for travel or work, will discover that their meanings extend far beyond superficial English translations to deeper interpretations.