Author(s): Silvia Lazzaris, Jade Jeongso An

Personal Development

Up until a few years ago, the word honjok didn't exist. The neologism, coined in South Korea as a combination of hon (alone) and jok (tribe), has become a symbol of a South Korean movement that challenges traditional notions of family and social roles. Choosing to live and spend time alone, young South Koreans have found a way to free themselves from social pressures and give new meaning to the concept of happiness. A silent revolution and an invitation to use the time we spend alone as a powerful antidote against norms and habits with which we don't identify. In writing this book, the authors interviewed sociologists, journalists, photographers, and young Koreans. They visited blogs and forums on which honjoks share their thoughts, joys, and anxieties. In so doing, they've written the most comprehensive illustrated book on this topic!