John Gonzalez

John Gonzalez is an educator whose experience spans from middle to graduate school. He earned a bachelor's and a doctoral degree from UCLA and a master's degree from Mount St. Mary's University. John is an award-winning author and a former American Council on Education Fellow. He enjoys traveling and teaching yoga and meditation in his spare time. For five years, John lived and worked in South Korea, where he immersed himself in the fabric of the culture.

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SOUTH KOREA: The Price of Efficiency and Success

History/Korean History

Through the power of observation, extensive research, and careful analysis, the authors identify the conditions, behavioral patterns, and cultural values that helped propel South Korea from the ashes after the end of the Korean War to the international stage as the 4th largest economy in Asia and 12th in the world. South Korea is also one of the most technologically advanced countries. The technology being exported can compete against all comers. In addition to technology, the country is now successfully exporting its culture in the form of K-Pop, K-Beauty, K-Drama, spirituality, and yoga.

Korea’s incredible trajectory since the end of the Korean War is often referred to as “the Miracle on the Han River”. This transformation is the result of a strong work ethic, entrepreneurship, emphasis on education, pragmatism, nationalistic fervor, personal and collective sacrifices, and efficiency in a highly competitive environment that permeates throughout the culture. In this book, the authors analyze both the positive and negative impact that this emphasis on efficiency has had on South Korea’s society.

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