"The CultureShock!" series is a dynamic and indispensable range of guides for those travellers who are looking to truly understand the countries they are visiting. Each title explains the customs, traditions, social and business etiquette in a lively and informative style. "CultureShock!" authors, all of whom have experienced the joys and pitfalls of cultural adaptation, are ideally placed to provide warm and informative advice to those who seek to integrate seamlessly into diverse cultures. The books in this series have a friendly and honest writing style and are full of personal experiences, practical advice and useful information. Each "CultureShock!" book contains: insights into the people and their culture and traditions; advice on adapting into the local environment; linguistic help and hints on how to learn the language and do business; a useful list of foreign words and phrases and a comprehensive resource guide; and how to get the most out of your travel experience.

2008-04-04 Good guide to Korean life

I got the book before moving to Seoul (I'm still living there and will be there for another few years). It does what it says on the tin, gives you a basic understanding of the cultural references that you will generally be unaware of, but will facing in each conversation and interaction that you have.

The book does not have a magic formula for overcoming cultural shock, or for navigating cultural barriers. It does have some good, down to earth advice for developing your own methods of working through the inevitable issues. I would recommend this for business travellers to Korea.