Behind the Wave: An Expanded Table of Contents
33 Keys to Understanding the Korean Wave
Beyond BTS, Parasite, and Squid Game
This post offers a deeper look into 33 Keys to Understanding the Korean Wave: Beyond BTS, Parasite, and Squid Game by Sukie Park.
Structured in 33 chapters and organized thematically, the book explores not only the explosive growth of K-Pop, K-Drama, and K-Cinema, but also Korea’s classical music scene, literature, cuisine, fashion, beauty, golf, gaming culture, and more. The expanded table of contents below outlines each chapter’s key sections, designed to guide readers across generations, genres, and geographies.
Rather than providing a linear history, the book unfolds like a constellation—each chapter a key, each key unlocking a facet of Korea’s global presence today. This expanded TOC is offered as a companion for curious readers, students, and scholars alike, as well as those who wish to trace their own path through the cultural rhythms of Hallyu.
한류의 이면: 확장된 목차
'한류를 이해하는 33가지 열쇠'(2023) 영문판
'33 Keys to Decoding the Korean Wave' (2025)
2025년 5월 5일 출간될 '33 Keys to Understanding the Korean Wave: Beyond BTS, Parasite and Squid Game'은 한류의 뿌리와 줄기, 그리고 열매를 탐구했습니다.
프롤로그와 에필로그, 그리고 33개의 챕터로 구성된 이 책은 K-팝, K-드라마, K-시네마를 넘어서 클래식음악(K-Classic), 문학(K-Book), 음식(K-Food), 오페라(K-Opera), 발레(K-Ballet), 골프(K-Golf), 패션(K-Fashion), 뷰티(K-Beauty), 게임(K-Game) 등을 심층적으로 다룹니다.
아래 확장된 목차는 각 챕터의 줄기로 독자들을 안내합니다. '33 Keys to Understanding the Korean Wave'는 단순한 역사를 제시하는 것이 아니라 마치 별자리처럼 펼쳐집니다. 각 챕터는 오늘날 문화강국 한국의 위상을 펼쳐 보이는 열쇠들입니다.
이 목차가 학생, 학자들 뿐만 아니라 호기심 많은 독자들에게 한국과 한국문화를 이해하는 여정의 표지판이 되기를 희망합니다.
CONTENTS
Voices on Korea
Early Observations
Modern Korea and Hallyu
Food and Daily Life
PROLOGUE: Witnessing Hallyu in New York 1
From Hermit Kingdom to Cultural Powerhouse 1
Korean Roots and New York Insights 2
Dynamic Korea, Sparkling Koreans 3
33 Keys to Understanding the Korean Wave 3
Part I. A Few Things to Know About Koreans 5
1. The Spirit of Bibimbap 7
Bibimbap: A Symphony of Flavors 7
Nam June Paik and Ik-Joong Kang 8
Parasite and Squid Game 9
105 Musical Genres in K-Pop 10
Igudesman & Joo: Classical-Musical Comedy 11
Jennifer Koh: A Virtuoso of Modernity 12
Unsuk Chin: Composing Beyond Boundaries 12
Broadway: Cookin’ and Young Jean Lee 13
Momofuku Chef David Chang 14
Deconstructing Korean Food 15
Salad Bowl, Cultural Mosaic, and Bibimbap 16
2. The Culture of Ppalli Ppalli 18
After Parasite, the Rise of “K-Quarantine” 18
Western Gazes: The Land of Morning Calm 20
From “Korean Time” to Ppalli Ppalli 21
Miracle on the Han River 21
New Village Movement 23
Fast Forward: Korea in Motion 24
The Global Spotlight on Ppalli-Ppalli Culture 25
A Culture of Impatience: A Humorous Take 26
Korean Proverbs and Abbreviations 26
Three Sisters from Brazil: A Story of Success 28
Ppalli Ppalli Mind: Power or Poison? 29
3. Homo Nunchius Korean 30
The Power of Nunchi According to Euny Hong 30
A Flood of Books Teaching Nunchi 31
Nunchi Antenna: Success and Happiness 33
Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar Nunchi & Jaechi 35
4. People of Resistance 38
Cultural Triumphs of 2024 38
The Declaration of Martial Law 38
Resistance and Impeachment 39
K-Democracy: Candlelight, Constitution, and Change 41
'We’ll Teach You How to Impeach a President' 42
'Protests Are Peaceful and Festive' 43
German Human Rights Award to Koreans 43
Korean History of Resistance 44
March 1st Independence Movement, 1919 45
3·1 Echoes Worldwide 47
NYT: The Obituary of Yu Gwan-sun in 2018 50
May 18 Gwangju Uprising, 1980 51
June 1987 Democratic Uprising 55
2008 U.S. Beef Candlelight Protests 57
Korea’s Culture of Resistance 59
Forbidden Songs of 1970s 59
Gwangju Uprising and Minjung Art 61
Blacklisted Voices: Bong, Hwang & Han 63
Cinema, Culture, and Critique 64
MissyUSA Speaks Out in NYT 66
Korea: A Legacy of Defiance 66
5. K-Cinema: Country of Trauma, Culture of Drama 68
Arirang: The Ballad of Han (恨) 68
Arirang: The Birth of Korean Cinema 69
Han and the Renaissance of Korean Film 71
Brief History of Korean Film 72
The Dark Age of the 1970s 72
The “3S” Policy in the 1980s 73
Hong Kong Cinema’s Influence on Korea 75
June 1987 Uprising and the New Waves 76
Post-Olympics Shift and Corporate Investment 77
Seopyeonje and the Rise of Artistic Cinema 79
Han Seok-kyu: The Box Office King 80
Korean Cinema Renaissance: 2000s 80
Global Recognition: The 2000s and Beyond 81
Rise of Gangster Movies as Blockbuster Hits 82
Art Films vs. Action Epics: The 2010s 83
After Parasite: Minari, Squid Game, and Beef 84
6. The Magic of Metal Chopsticks 87
Olympic Archery and the Chopstick Theory 87
Chopstick DNA: International Skills Olympics 88
Semiconductors and IT 89
Classical Music Powerhouse 90
Plastic Surgery and Chopstick Skill 91
The Best Thumbs in the World 92
A View from Pearl S. Buck 92
Chopstick Culture in Asia 93
Chinese Chopsticks 93
Korean Chopsticks 94
Japanese Chopsticks 95
Dexterity in Korean Immigrant Work 95
7. Masters of Laundry 98
Korean Immigrants & Dry Cleaning 98
Laundry: A Korean Specialty 99
The Korean Skill of Laundry 101
Dadeumi: The Art of Rhythmic Fabric Care 103
Laundry and Korean Culture 105
Artist Park Soo Keun: A Wash Place 105
Poet Sister Lee Hae-in: Please Do the Laundry 106
Choreographer Nam Jeong-ho: Pallae 107
Choo Min-joo: Musical Pallae 108
Korean American Film: Happy Cleaners 110
Searching for the Korean American Dream 111
8. Bojagi, Bottari and Bossam 112
Wrapped in Good Fortune 112
Chunghie Lee and the Art of Bojagi 114
Kimsooja: Bottari and the Art of Migration 115
Bossam: History, Symbolism, and Tradition 117
David Chang and Bossam in New York 118
Koreans Wishing for Good Luck 119
Part II. Joseon, Corea, Korea 121
9. In the Land of Morning Calm 123
Korea Through the Lens of Abbot Weber 123
Capturing Korea’s Heritage 125
Intimate Portrait of Korea 126
Craftsmanship, Dexterity, and Spirituality 127
Beyond Faith 129
The Country Never Sleeps 131
10. Hangeul: The Korean Alphabet 133
Praise for Hangeul from Scholars and Writers 133
Homer Hulbert: A Korean Odyssey 135
Korea’s Voice: Hangeul and Arirang 137
A Voice Against Colonialism 138
Hulbert’s Lasting Tribute to Korea 139
Hulbert’s Final Journey to Korea 139
Is Hangeul the Best Alphabet in the World? 140
The Power of Hangeul in the Digital Age 142
The Korean Language: The Next K-Wave? 142
Hangeul’s Influence Beyond Korea 143
11. Squid Game and Homo Ludens Korean 145
K-Drama Squid Game Sweeps the Emmys 145
Korean Games in Squid Game 145
Viral Game Scenes and Social Media Craze 146
K-Game: The No. 1 Export of Hallyu Content 147
“Faker”: The Superstar of Video Games 148
Stewart Culin and Korean Games (1895) 149
K-Culture at the Chicago World Expo (1893) 151
Agricultural Traditions and Seasonal Festivals 153
Korean Games for the 24 Seasonal Days 153
K-Games in UNESCO Heritage 157
The Spirit of Play and K-Culture 157
Squid Game and the Ripple Effect 158
12. Kingdom of Hats 160
Hats Off to Kingdom 160
Praise of Joseon Hats by Westerners 162
Joseon Hats Captured by Western Painters 164
The Short Hair Act of 1895 165
A Korean Tycoon and the Emperor’s Hat 167
New York Hat Designer Eugenia Kim 168
Carolina Herrera’s Joseon Revival 168
Joseon Royal Helmets at the Brooklyn Museum 169
New York Exhibition: “Korea: A Land of Hats” 170
Part III. People Who Love to Eat, Drink, Sing & Dance 173
Ritual and Revelry: Korea’s Traditions 174
13. EAT: K-Food as Culture 177
Why Michelle Zauner Cries at H Mart 177
“Have You Eaten?” Means More Than a Meal 178
Soup, the Heart of the Korean Table 179
K- Food and “Random Access” 180
Korean Food in Culture 181
TV Drama Dae Jang Geum Syndrome 181
Sikgaek: From Comic to Movie to Drama 182
Musical Cookin’ on Off-Broadway 183
Food Codes in Parasite 184
NYT: Korean American Church Lunch 186
WP: Korean Food Philosophy 187
14. DRINK: Soju and Cinema 189
The Last Supper of BTS, 2022 189
K-Drinking Culture 190
Famous Drinkers of the Joseon Dynasty 190
Binge Drinking and Bonding Today 191
Alcohol and Korean Movies 192
Why Beer Is Better Than a Lover 192
Hong Sang-soo and His Liquid Muse 194
Bong Joon-ho: A Toast to Cinema 196
Soju and Makgeolli Go Global 198
15. SING: The Vocal Powerhouse 201
Korean Singers at the Met Opera 201
Korean Singers at the Vocal Competition 202
The Korean Opera, Pansori 203
Pansori at the Lincoln Center Festival 205
Pansori and Hip-Hop: A Rhythmic Dialogue 206
Songs and Anti-Japanese Resistance 207
TV Singing Competitions 209
Children’s Song Competition 209
The National Singing Contest: A Stage for All 210
College Student Song Festivals 211
Housewives Singing Out 214
The Heyday of TV Audition Programs 215
Karaoke Singers in Korean Films 215
The Singing Nation: “Ttechang” in Protests 217
Korean Actors in the Musical The King and I 218
Musical KPOP on Broadway 2022 220
Broadway 2024: Gatsby & Maybe Happy Ending 222
The Sound of Korea: Music in Everyday Life 223
16. DANCE: From K-Ballet to K-Pop 225
Yuna Kim, Prima Ballerina on Ice 225
Traditional Korean Dances 226
Ganggangsullae: Dance under the full Moon 227
Seungmoo: Stillness within Movement 227
K- Dancers on the World Stage 228
Pioneers of K-Ballet 228
K-Ballet Luminaries on the World Stage 229
The Secrets Behind the Success of K-Ballet 230
Korea: The Breakdancing Powerhouse 231
K-Pop: Dance, Dance, Dance 233
K-Pop Dance Theories in Academia 234
K-Pop Dance: A Global Movement 236
Young Soon Kim’s DUMBO Dance Festival 237
The Pulse of Korean Dance 237
Part IV. The Power of Koreans 239
17. “The Father of American Taekwondo” Jhoon Rhee 241
Elvis the ‘Tiger’: His Rock ‘n’ Roll Taekwondo Journey 242
The Original Hallyu Man’s American Dream 244
Taekwondo for Racial Integration 246
In Taekwondo, Everyone Is Equal 247
“Nobody Bothers Me”: A Taekwondo Commercial 248
Taekwondo Goes to the Capitol 249
Friendship with Bruce Lee 250
Coach to Muhammad Ali 252
Taekwondo as Philosophy 253
Twilight of the Grandmaster 256
Sept. 4: World Taekwondo Day 256
18. Korean Slow Food: Kimchi and Gochujang 258
Fermentation: The Flavor of Time 259
Korea’s Formula for Longevity 260
Michelle Obama Made Kimchi in the White House 261
Kimchi in The Times: A Culinary Journey 262
Michelin-Star Chefs Embrace Korean Flavors 264
Korean Americans’ Kimchi Business 266
Jang: The Soul of Korean Cooking 268
The Rise of Korean American Chefs 269
Ssam Sauce Ambassadors 271
China Claims to Be the Origin of Kimchi 273
Kimchi Day in the U.S. 274
19. Goddesses in Every Korean Woman 276
The Archetypes of Korean Women 276
Ungnyeo: Endurance and Determination 277
“Queen’s Era” in Silla: Leadership and Vision 279
Patriotism and Sacrifice: Women of Resistance 281
Wisdom and Discipline: Korea’s Maternal Legacy 283
Jeju Haenyeo: Resilience and Independence 286
Silent Anchors of Korean Women 287
20. K-Book: Han Kang and Korean Human Rights 289
Han Kang: Nobel Laureate in Literature 289
Unveiling Inequality: The Story of Kim Jiyoung 290
Patient and Narrator: Jiyoung and the Psychiatrist 292
Korea: Lagging in Women's Rights 294
“Women’s Rights Are Human Rights” 297
The Evolution of Women’s Rights in Korea 299
Cultural Roots of Gender Inequality 301
But the Most Renowned Korean Writers Are Women 302
Min Jin Lee and Pachinko 305
Global Impact of Korean Female Voices 306
21. Queens of the Greens, The Goddess of Golf 308
Se Ri Pak and the New Kids on the Block 309
Breaking Barriers and Confronting Bias 310
Secrets to Korea’s Dominance in Women’s Golf 310
1. Mental Fortitude: 80% of the Game 311
2. Role Model and Game Changer: Se Ri Pak 312
3. “Golf Daddy” and the “Good Daughter” 313
4. Early Tee Times, Big Dreams 315
5. The National Team Training 316
6. KLPGA: A Steppingstone to Global Success 316
7. Corporate Sponsorship 317
The Korean Wave Hits the Green 318
22. Korean Satire and Humor 319
Laughter Brings Blessings Home 319
Psy: The Charlie Chaplin of K-Pop 320
The Dark Humor in Parasite 322
Margaret Cho: The Queen of Stand-up Comedy 324
Descendants of Margaret Cho 325
Satire and Solidarity in Korean Protests 327
The Transformative Power of Korean Humor 328
Part V. The Korean DNA 329
23. King Sejong vs. Leonardo da Vinci 331
King Sejong the Great by Joe Menosky 331
Sejong: King of Science and Innovation 332
Leonardo: The Quintessential Polymath 333
Sejong: Architect of Korean Music 334
Leonardo: The Musical Polymath 335
The Final Years of Sejong and Leonardo 336
Joseon Renaissance and Italian Renaissance 338
Timeless Legacies: Sejong and Leonardo 339
24. Nam June Paik and His Descendants 341
The Pioneer of Video Art 341
The Artists Nam June Paik Inspired 343
Joan Jonas: Bridging Performance and Video Art 343
Bruce Nauman: Breaking Boundaries 344
Bill Viola: Video Art as Meditation 345
Tony Oursler: Video Sculpture 346
Christian Marclay: Cinematic Video Art 347
Doug Aitken: Alienation in Motion 348
Pipilotti Rist: Immersive Video Installation 349
Theresa Hak Kyung Cha: Avant-Garde Feminist 350
Nam June Paik: The Legacy of a Visionary 351
25. K-Classic: The Korean Musical Mystery 352
A Legacy of Victory: Korean Competition Winners 352
K-Classic Generation 353
Myung-whun Chung’s 1974 Homecoming Parade 355
Sarah Chang: A Violin Prodigy Beyond Competitions 356
Jennifer Koh’s View on Music Competitions 357
Korean Musicians in America’s Top Orchestras 358
Unsuk Chin: First Asian Siemens Laureate 360
Eun Sun Kim: First Woman to Lead U.S. Opera 361
K-Classic and the Grammys 362
From Sumi Jo to Richard Yongjae O’Neill 363
Koreans at the Grammys: Pop, Rock, and Classical 363
K-Classic Milky Way 364
26. The Beatles vs. BTS 365
The Beatles vs. BTS by the Numbers 365
From Liverpool to Seoul: Two Boy Band Phenomena 365
Supergroup Comparison: The Beatles and BTS 366
1. Billboard Charts 368
2. YouTube Views 371
3. Bestselling Album 372
4. Music Awards 374
Billboard, AMAs, and MTV VMAs 376
5. Guinness World Records 377
6. Lyrics 378
7. Beatlemania and the BTS ARMY 380
BTS in the COVID-19 Era 382
BTS: Chart-Topping Success 383
BTS: Military Service and Future Plans 385
A Timeless Legacy: The Beatles & BTS 385
27. Korean Adoptees and Cultural Legacy 387
Between Roots and Routes 387
Bass Andrew Gangestad (Jeong Woo-geun) 388
Ballet Dancer Jennifer Whalen (Nam Ji-yeon) 389
Violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill 391
Artist Sara Sejin Chang (Sara van der Heide) 392
Filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem (Kang Ok-jin) 393
Chef Danny Bowien (Choi Won-sung) 395
Chef Kristen Kish (Kwon Young-ran) 396
NYT: “Adopted Chefs, Korean Cuisine, and Identity” 397
K-Adoptees Shaping Culture 398
Part VI. K-Culture Renaissance 399
28. K-Food: Korean Food Ecstasy 401
Korean Food: A Timeless Love Affair 401
Andy Warhol and Mukbang 402
Anthony Bourdain and Choi Bool-am 403
All in One: The Korean Dining Table 405
The Language of Taste: How Koreans Describe Flavor 406
K-Food: Seasons, Patience, and Ingenuity 409
From Trash to Treasure: Beyond Skate and Monkfish 410
Regional Specialties of Korea 411
Korea, The Chicken Republic 412
Hangawi: The New York K-Food Pioneer 413
Korean Temple Food and Monk Jeong Kwan 414
K-Food: From Tradition to Triumph 415
29. K-Art: From Dansaekhwa to the Global Stage 418
Dansaekhwa: Korean Monochrome Painting 418
The Global Rediscovery of Dansaekhwa 418
Dansaekhwa: From Origins to Identity 420
1970s: Painting in Silence 422
Dansaekhwa: Escape or Resistance? 423
The Limits of Color, The Freedom of Form 424
Dansaekhwa on the World Stage 425
Korean Art in American Museums 426
Korean Voices in U.S. Museums 428
K-Art: Seoul Emerges as a Cultural Art Hub 429
30. K-Fashion Rocks 433
From White Robes to Runways 433
Hallyu Stars as Luxury Ambassadors 434
K-Pop’s Influence on Global Fashion 436
Dongdaemun, “the Mecca of Fashion” 438
Fast Fashion: The Rise and Fall of Forever 21 439
K-Fashion: Sensitivity, Sophistication, Individuality 440
Lee Young-hee: Hanbok Designer 442
Willa Kim: Two Tonys and an Emmy 444
K-Fashion’s Journey to Haute Couture 446
31. The Myth of K-Beauty 447
Korean Cosmetics Rank 4th Worldwide 447
The Roots of K-Beauty 448
The Face of Hallyu 450
The Globalization of K-Beauty 451
The Next-Generation 453
How K-Beauty Took Over the World 455
Koreans: The New Beauty Trendsetters 458
32. Jjimjilbang, “The Disneyland of Spas” 460
Some Like It Hot! 460
Korean Bathing Culture: Rituals and Legends 461
Bathing in the Myth of Silla’s Founding 462
Folklore: The Fairy and the Woodcutter 463
A Bath Scene from the Pansori Simcheongga 463
Danopungjeong: Women’s Bathing and Leisure 464
Public Bathhouses and Deungmok 465
Italy Towel: The Art of Korean Exfoliation 466
Jjimjilbang and Body Scrub Earn Praise 468
Korean Spas in New York 469
NYT: The Lure of a Korean Sauna 471
Stars Unwind at the LA Jjimjilbang 472
Jjimjilbangs: A Timeless Retreat 473
33. K-Quarantine: Parasite, Kingdom, and the Pandemic 474
NYT: “We Live in Bong Joon-ho’s Dystopia” 474
Kingdom and Today’s Nightmare 475
K-Quarantine's Success: The 3 Ts 476
Overcoming Crisis: A Korean Trait 479
TIME 100: Bong Joon-ho & Jung Eun-kyeong 481
Crisis, Culture, and Community 482
EPILOGUE: Beyond the Wave: Echoes of Hallyu 483
The Korean Wave in the Social Media Era 483
The Genesis of Hallyu: Korea’s 1990 Plan 485
The Titans of Hallyu: Lee, Lee, and Bang 487
Hallyu Leaders in New York 488
Korea’s Resilient DNA in Action 489
Kim Koo’s Desire and Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream 491
Korean Wave: A Global Dream 493
APPENDIX I 495
References 495
APPENDIX II 506
Expanded Table of Contents 506
About the Author 517
