John Mahelm Berry Sill's role as the American Minister to Korea (1894-1897) is one of controversy. He has been described as weak, ineffective, and reluctant by some and as independent, proactive, and alert by others, depending on the researcher. He served during an extremely turbulent period of Korean history, a span of time that encompassed the Sino-Japanese War, the Gabo Reforms, the murder of the Korean queen, and King Gojong's subsequent refuge in the Russian legation. While this book does utilize some diplomatic despatches, it generally relies upon the personal correspondences between the Sills in Korea and their family in the United States. These letters provide a candid view of life in not only the American community in Seoul, but also in the Russian legation, where King Gojong and the crown prince sought refuge following the murder of Queen Min. The letters also give evidence of the rumors and speculation that plagued the daily lives of not only the Western community in Seoul but the Korean community as well.

By expanding the definition of "epistle" to include any writing that addresses the intended receiver directly, JaHyun Kim Haboush introduces readers to the rich epistolary practice of Chos?n Korea. The Chos?n dynasty (1392-1910) produced an abundance of epistles, writings that mirror the genres of neighboring countries (especially China) while retaining their own specific historical trajectory. Written in both literary Chinese and vernacular Korean, the writings collected here range from royal public edicts to private letters, a fascinating array that blurs the line between classical and everyday language and the divisions between men and women. Haboush's selections also recast the relationship between epistolography and the concept of public and private space. Haboush groups her epistles according to where they were written and read: public letters, letters to colleagues and friends, social letters, and family letters. Then she arranges them according to occasion: letters on leaving home, deathbed letters, letters of fiction, and letters to the dead. She examines the mechanics of epistles, their communicative space, and their cultural and political meaning. With its wholly unique collection of materials, Epistolary Korea produces more than a vivid chronicle of pre- and early modern Korean life. It breaks new ground in establishing the terms of a distinct, non-European form of epistolography.

Olympic Boulevard is a full-length novel by Philip Onho Lee that depicts the joys and sorrows of Korean immigrants in the United States. The story centers on a group of Koreans who emigrated in 1981 to build a new life and pursue the American Dream. Drawing on his experiences as a first-generation immigrant, Lee vividly depicts the ups and downs of Koreans’ struggle to adjust to American life through lively storytelling and humor. This version was rendered into English by Korean-American translator John Cha. A warmly witty, often comical depiction of the loves, joys and sorrows of first-generation immigrants, and above all, their ardor for life Philip Onho Lee has written a Korean-American novel worth lauding. In his honest portrayal of newly middle-class families who find in their lives equal cause for celebration and lament, Lee reminds us that living a meaningful life is not about where we are but about how fully we embrace our shared humanity. – Lim Heon-yong, literary critic With jaunty wit, a rich sense of humor and a concise style faithful to the rhythms of natural speech, Philip Onho Lee spins a delightful tale. Readers will find themselves deeply invested in this story of everyday adversities, cultural negotiation and nostalgic longing—the comprehensive firstgeneration immigrant experience. – Jaemin Rho, former librarian, Los Angeles Public Library

This book is a complete guide for people who want to learn the Korean language, starting from the very beginning, and learn the alphabet and the correct sounds of vowels, consonants, and diphthongs. It was written for people who want an easy but systematic approach to the language. The writer is a non-native speaker who started learning the language from ZERO, just like you and spent years in Korea trying to reach a better level of proficiency in Korean. After a few weeks of study, you will study to recognize words, make sentences, and have simple (but miraculous) conversations with other Korean speakers!

This anthology is a compilation of Westerners’ accounts of their visits to Korea, originally published in books or newspapers before the country opened its doors in the late nineteenth century. The opening of Korea made it possible to explore the country in detail and write detailed accounts. Prior impressions were garnered mostly from brief visits to remote islands along the coast. The accounts published here are mainly anecdotal, and contain many generalizations. However, the accumulated impressions of these early encounters surely influenced the perspectives of later travelers, and help explain the overwhelmingly negative image of Korea that Western governments harbored at the time. The book can serve as a useful resource for studying Korea’s early interactions with the outside world, and will give readers an idea of the criteria by which Westerners judged the foreign “other.”

Spanning two millennia and including nearly 150 works of art, this elegant book traces the history of Korean calligraphy from the first century to the present. Offering an extraordinary window into Korean culture, this magnificent volume brings a multidisciplinary approach to the history of Korean writing--from the earliest texts from the Three Kingdoms period to its use in contemporary art. Beyond Line discusses the social and cultural conditions that led to the creation of calligraphic works by a wide range of people, including kings, queens, officials, scholars, painters, monks, and even slaves. It also explores the variety of materials employed in the creation of the art--from paper, ink, and bamboo to ceramics, silk, and metal. In addition, it looks at how calligraphy was used both to maintain Korea's historical class structure and, as literacy spread, to incite social change for women, merchants, and other segments of society. The authors explore how the invention of the hangeul phonetic script led to a more global identity for Korea, and how this script continues to shape contemporary art and design. Beyond Line illuminates the restrained beauty, strength, and flexibility of Korean calligraphy. Copublished by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and DelMonico Books