Shrimp to Whale: South Korea from the Forgotten War to K-Pop

Product Information

Kalani Scarrott (24:29): So with your book, you touched a little bit, but could you just expand on like what made you take that leap into the book? So you mentioned you came up with the title first, and then what did the process look like after that? But what “Shrimp to Whale” does well is to provide snapshots of some of Korea’s most crucial moments in snappy, digestible paragraphs. These include when King Sejong the Great, the fourth ruler of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, created Korea’s native alphabet known as Hangeul; the country’s path to democracy that came after Japan’s colonial rule; and the Korean War. He touches upon crucial K-pop moments too, including when soloist BoA first topped the music charts in Japan with her debut album in 2002.

Yet South Korea endures: today it is a boisterous democracy, a vibrant market economy, a tech powerhouse, and home to the coolest of cultures. In just seventy years, this society has grown from a shrimp into a whale. What explains this extraordinary transformation? For some, it was individual South Koreans who fought to change their country, and still strive to shape it.Since the Korean War, Korea has established itself as a “Global Korea”. This book introduces Korean politics, economy and democratisation, and the global phenomenon K-pop, which have transformed from shrimps to whales. Pacheco Pardo’s book will be an insightful guide for the general public as well as experts who seek to gain a deeper understanding of Korea.’ — Sang Hyun Lee, President of the Sejong Institute Kalani Scarrott (29:18): So were there any unexpected challenges or hiccups in writing the book? You mentioned Covid but that was almost like a blessing in disguise, being able to write every day. But were there any other challenges maybe not being able to travel to Korea and talk to sources firsthand? What was the hardest bit about writing the book? The general tone of the book is highly positive. For those seeking a more critical view, it leaves more to be desired. But if “Shrimp to Whale” seeks to tell the underrated story of South Korea’s rise in recent years to a wider audience, it accomplishes that beyond a doubt.

Ramon Pacheco Pardo is Professor of International Relations at King’s College London, and KF-VUB Korea Chair at the Brussels School of Governance. He is also a non-resident adjunct fellow with the Center for Strategic Studies Korea Chair, and a non-resident fellow at the Sejong Institute. Ramon has lived twice in South Korea, and remains a regular visitor there for both work and leisure. He regularly teaches and provides media commentary about the country. About the moderator Kalani Scarrott (32:12): Ah, okay. Wow. The more you know. So before I get into my closing round of questions that I ask every guest, is there anything we haven’t talked about that’s consequential about the future of South Korea, in your opinion? Kalani Scarrott (35:20): And again, general, or even, you can apply this to Korea if you want, but have there been either any books or people maybe that have been influential in shaping you and your worldview? Kalani Scarrott (05:29): I will touch on the book. Just curious who came up with the title of the book? Cause I love it.Change the plan you will roll onto at any time during your trial by visiting the “Settings & Account” section. What happens at the end of my trial? Kalani Scarrott (14:22): Yeah, there’s a million different threads I could pull on there, but I’ll start with the Chaebols. So could you explain, just for someone who’s never heard of the term, what they are, and then maybe why were they able to flourish and what’s their function, I guess, in the greater economy of South Korea? A bear gave birth to Korea. Or so the legend goes.” Ramon Pacheco Pardo begins his engaging account with a sweeping history of the ancient kingdoms and warring empires that once ruled the Korean peninsula before it was divided in 1945, and the modern states of North and South Korea founded in 1948. The title invokes the old saying that Korea is a “shrimp between whales”, forever in danger of being crushed between the world’s great powers. But the author argues that South Korea has long since outgrown this depiction and now deserves to be seen as a “whale” in its own right.