Seoul Man
Published by HarperCollins
“This important book [recounts a] man’s brief sojourn in a bewildering new environment . . . with wit about his personal dilemmas and a keen reporter’s eye.” —Washington Times
When Frank Ahrens, an eighteen-year veteran at the Washington Post, fell in love with a diplomat, his life changed dramatically. Following his new bride to her first appointment in Seoul, South Korea, Frank traded the newsroom for a corporate suite, becoming director of global communications at Hyundai Motors. In a land whose population is 97 percent Korean, he was one of fewer than ten non-Koreans at a company headquarters of thousands of employees.
For the next three years, Frank traveled to auto shows and press conferences around the world, pitching Hyundai to former colleagues while trying to navigate cultural differences at home and at work. While his appreciation for absurdity enabled him to laugh his way through many awkward encounters, his job began to take a toll on his marriage and family. Eventually he became a vice president—the highest-ranking non-Korean at Hyundai headquarters.
Filled with unique insights, Seoul Man sheds light on a culture few Westerners know, and is a delightfully funny and heartwarming adventure for anyone who has ever felt like a fish out of water.
“Priceless cultural and professional insights.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Engaging. . . . A great read for business readers and for Americans-abroad memoir fans.” –Booklist
“Not only a revealing personal odyssey, Seoul Man also looks into the history, culture, politics, and business of the remarkable success story of modern South Korea.” —Shelf Awareness
“A wonderful coming of age memoir . . . irreverant, illuminating and deeply personal.” –David E. Hoffman, Pulitzer prize-winner author of Billion Dollar Spy
When Frank Ahrens, an eighteen-year veteran at the Washington Post, fell in love with a diplomat, his life changed dramatically. Following his new bride to her first appointment in Seoul, South Korea, Frank traded the newsroom for a corporate suite, becoming director of global communications at Hyundai Motors. In a land whose population is 97 percent Korean, he was one of fewer than ten non-Koreans at a company headquarters of thousands of employees.
For the next three years, Frank traveled to auto shows and press conferences around the world, pitching Hyundai to former colleagues while trying to navigate cultural differences at home and at work. While his appreciation for absurdity enabled him to laugh his way through many awkward encounters, his job began to take a toll on his marriage and family. Eventually he became a vice president—the highest-ranking non-Korean at Hyundai headquarters.
Filled with unique insights, Seoul Man sheds light on a culture few Westerners know, and is a delightfully funny and heartwarming adventure for anyone who has ever felt like a fish out of water.
“Priceless cultural and professional insights.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Engaging. . . . A great read for business readers and for Americans-abroad memoir fans.” –Booklist
“Not only a revealing personal odyssey, Seoul Man also looks into the history, culture, politics, and business of the remarkable success story of modern South Korea.” —Shelf Awareness
“A wonderful coming of age memoir . . . irreverant, illuminating and deeply personal.” –David E. Hoffman, Pulitzer prize-winner author of Billion Dollar Spy
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