John Gonzalez and Young Lee - Author

South Korea: The Price of Efficiency and Success

South Korea: The Price of Efficiency and Success is written by Dr John Gonzalez and Young Lee. It is a fascinating insight into how Korean society operates. But what makes it more interesting is it is from a Westerner point of view in Korea. Therefore you get a detailed take from Dr John Gonzalez, who is American but has become a local, living in Korea for 5 years. Dr John Gonzalez can make comparisons between Western & Eastern ideology as well as give his perspective as a foreigner. I can tell from the first couple of pages that he is intrigued by the Korean fast technology and their culture.  In Dr John Gonzalez own words, ”As a resident, I was about to delve into the fabric of their society and learn the nuances of Korean human behavior, both subtle and otherwise. I was about to have the privilege of looking at the underbelly of the country from within it.” I learnt a lot of fascinating things about the Korea culture that in some parts are similar to China who believe in the collective, individuals who sacrifice their time; parents constantly working to provide a better future for their children, employees working long hours for the benefit of the company and Korea has military conscription for young men.  Also with all this knowledge I can now understand why some of the characters in some Korean Drama behave the way they do and the storylines. Maisie Hoang, A LoveReading Ambassador