This book offers critical insights into South Korea through a visual data-storytelling approach. It contextualizes defining aspects of South Korea, examining pressing social topics, and also explores lesser-known cultural phenomena using diverse datasets. The volume is divided into four sections. First, it introduces theoretical and methodological tools for data-driven visual storytelling. Second, it examines key features of Korea, starting with cartographic and documentary records from the Joseon dynasty. These early sources shed light on Korea’s historical territoriality and evolving geopolitical identity. It then explores Korea’s mountainous terrain, its role in shaping cultural identity, and the deep-rooted hiking culture. It critically analyzes the “ppalli-ppalli” (hurry-hurry) mentality—often seen as a cultural cliché—linking it to the nation’s rapid development. The third section explores contemporary societal issues, and opens with an analysis of shifting family norms in light of demographic decline. This is followed by a data-driven study of how regionalism shapes political dynamics using National Assembly election data. The section also evaluates common societal stereotypes through surveys and statistics, questioning their accuracy. Finally, it assesses the economic and democratic attitudes of South Korea’s “MZ Generation” based on data from the Institute for Future Strategy and Chosun Daily. The final part of the book focuses on cultural phenomena: migration, K-pop, and K-food, exploring the experiences of foreigners in Korea through survey data, revealing both attractions and challenges of long-term life in Korea. Drawing from diverse sources - GIS and historical maps, Google Trends, survey and census data, and qualitative interviews – the book presents a visually compelling and analytically rigorous portrait of South Korea’s transformation and complexity in the 21st century. It is relevant to humanities and social sciences scholars focused on various aspects of Korean culture.

Minjae Zoh is a Research Professor at Seoul National University Asia Center. Her research focuses on the shifting discourse of heritage and the socio-political factors that influence how heritage is managed and communicated. She is the author of The Impacts of Dictatorship on Heritage Management (Vernon Press, 2020), The Story of UNESCO World Heritage through Three Keywords: War, Cooperation, and Industry (Tongdokwon, 2021), and the co-editor of Asia’s Heritage Trend: Examining Asia’s Present through Its Past (Routledge, 2023).

Jungwon Huh is a Research Professor at the Seoul National University Asia Center. Her research interests include human migration and value transfer, gender and racial/ethnic inequality, and human rights. She conducts research using various quantitative data sources, including national macro statistics, survey data, GIS data, and social media data, to analyze and explain inequality within its sociocultural context. She is particularly interested in how research findings can inform the creation of social policies aimed at addressing and reducing inequality.

Woojin Shim is a geographer specializing in geospatial information and Korea’s natural environment, with a particular focus on geomorphological landscapes and sustainable development. Leveraging digital tools and machine learning techniques, he quantitatively analyzes environmental data to assess soil erosion, forest soil carbon storage, and the geomorphic impacts of climate change, while proposing practical strategies for environmental management and restoration. His research centers on the unique geomorphological features of Korea, to harmonize natural environments with human activities in pursuit of a sustainable future. By seamlessly integrating academic inquiry with real-world application, his work bridges the gap between environmental preservation and community development, striving to foster coexistence between nature and humanity through a geomorphological lens.

Seonyoung Park is a Senior Researcher at the Seoul National University Asia Center. She received her Ph.D. in Geography from Sungshin Women’s University. Her research focuses on reconstructing historical geographical environments and developing and analysing Historical GIS (HGIS) using historical spatial materials, including old maps and modern topographic maps. Her recent publications examine the symbol system and spatial characteristics of the Daedongyeojido (2025) and explore a relational comparative regional studies methodology using historical maps (2025).