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The Korean Myths

A Guide to the Gods, Heroes and Legends
Series: Myths
Brief Description
The perfect introduction to the world of Korean myth and legend. Korean myths are a living and evolving part of society, in both the North and South. With the export of Korean film across the globe, K-pop, fashion, K-dramas, literature and comics, there is a growing... Read More
Format: Hardback
$3499
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A fascinating introduction to the world of Korean myth and legend.

The perfect introduction to the world of Korean myth and legend

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The perfect introduction to the world of Korean myth and legend.

Korean myths are a living and evolving part of society, in both the North and South. With the export of Korean film across the globe, K-pop, fashion, K-dramas, literature and comics, there is a growing desire to understand the folklore and mythical underpinnings of contemporary Korean culture.

Insu and Bella Fenkl bring together a wealth of knowledge of both the new and the old, the traditional and the modern, to guide the reader through this fascinating history and help understand the people, their traditions, and culture.

From the Changsega ('Song of Creation') sung by shamans, to the gods, goddesses and monsters who inhabit the cosmos—including the god Mireuk, creator of the world, and the giant Grandma Mago, who was able to create mountains from the mud on her skirt—these myths have been disseminated for centuries and continue to resonate in popular culture today.

Series: Myths

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    The perfect introduction to the gods, heroes and ancestors of the great Maya civilisation. Highly complex and divided into politically fragmented noble houses, the Maya civilisation produced a diverse and complicated mythology that varies between groups and retellings. For example, there are three different myths about the origins of the sun and moon. In one creation myth, animals and objects...
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  • The Korean Myths
    The perfect introduction to the world of Korean myth and legend. Korean myths are a living and evolving part of society, in both the North and South. With the export of Korean film across the globe, K-pop, fashion, K-dramas, literature and comics, there is a growing desire to understand the folklore and mythical underpinnings of contemporary Korean culture. Insu and...
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  • The Norse Myths
    Who were the Norse gods - the mighty Æsyr, led by Óðinn, and the mysterious Vanir? In The Norse Myths, we meet this passionate and squabbling pantheon, and learn of the mythological cosmos they inhabit. Passages translated from the Old Norse bring this legendary world to life, from the myths of creation to Ragnarök, the prophesied end of the world...
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  • The Greek and Roman Myths
    Who was Pandora and what was in her famous box? Why is a brand of sportswear named after the goddess Nike? How did Achilles get his Achilles heel? What exactly is a Titan? And why is one computer virus known as a Trojan horse? The myths of ancient Greece and Rome can seem bewilderingly complex, yet they are so much...
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  • The Japanese Myths
    The perfect introduction to the world of Japanese myth and legend. This is a smart and succinct guide to the rich tradition of Japanese mythology, from the earliest recorded legends of Izanagi and Izanami, their divine offspring and the creation of Japan, to medieval tales of vengeful ghosts, through to the modern-day reincarnation of ancient deities as the heroes of...
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  • The Celtic Myths
    The Celtic Myths is accessible for readers new to Celtic mythology, but satisfyingly detailed in its analysis of contexts, cultures, and archaeology for those well versed in the stories. Written down in medieval Wales and Ireland, the legends derive from oral poetry composed many centuries earlier. The Celts who shared these myths left behind treasures and monuments that predate the...
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  • The Egyptian Myths
    Which gods created the world according to the ancient Egyptians? How did they explain the sun's movements and its disappearance at night? In what ways did mythology permeate their lives? And what did they believe happened in the afterlife? This handy guide to Egyptian mythology explores how the ancient Nile-dwellers explained the world around them. The text delves into the...
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  • The Chinese Myths
    The essential guide to the complex, fascinating world of Chinese myths: retelling the stories and exploring their significance in Chinese culture. This is a concise and entertaining guide to the complex tradition of Chinese mythology. While many around the world are familiar with some aspects of Chinese myth – through Chinese New Year festivities or the classic adventures of the...
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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780500027660

Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 12 September 2024

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Illustration: 78 Halftones, duotone

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 470g

Pages: 240

About the Author

Heinz Insu Fenkl is a professor of English at the State University of New York, New Paltz. He is known internationally for his collection of Korean folktales and translations of contemporary Korean fiction and classical Buddhist texts. He is a PEN/Hemingway Award finalist and was included in the Barnes & Noble 'Discover Great New Writers' selection.

Bella Myong-wol Dalton-Fenkl is a writer and artist. She graduated from Vassar College, where she studied English, Art History and Asian Studies. She translates poetry from the Korean and Classical Chinese and her writing, translations, and artwork have appeared in Asymptote, The Adirondack Review, Words Without Borders, Sijo: An International Journal of Poetry & Song, AZALEA: Journal of Korean Literature & Culture, the International Examiner, the Guardian and the Korean Quarterly. She has received a number of awards for her poetry, including the Mary Rousmaniere Gordon Prize sponsored by the Academy of American Poets and the Sister Arts Poetry Prize.

Also by Heinz Insu Fenkl

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