Suk-jung Han’s book makes the argument that the Korean states on both sides of the 37th parallel were profoundly shaped by the Japanese developmental puppet state of Manchukuo. Focused primarily on South Korea, this powerful work bursts with telling details and riveting stories, designed to fascinate specialists and non-specialists alike.

Prasenjit Duara, Duke University and author of Sovereignty and Authenticity: Manchukuo and the East Asian Modern

Suk-Jung Han’s creative and systematic tracing of the historical roots of South Korea’s developmental regime to the Japanese imperial state of Manchukuo is a fascinating contribution to both the scholarly and popular literature on the subject, as well as a lively, and thoroughly engaging read.

Carter J. Eckert, Harvard University and author of Park Chung Hee and Modern Korea

"This magisterial book is far more than a history of modern South Korea: it is a history of the global modern. Delving into Korea’s colonial past and its relations to Japan’s Manchukuo state, Suk-Jung Han demonstrates in hypersonic detail how one of the most important places in the world raced through the transition from traditional society to a key leader of Asia today. Lucidly written and deftly executed, Han introduces sources ranging from South Korea’s powerhouse conglomerates as well as an encyclopedic command of film, fiction, and music to narrate a sweeping history through lived experience. It is a rare must read.”

Alexis Dudden, University of Connecticut