Honjok: The South Korean Method of Living Happily with Ourselves

by Silvia Lazzaris, Jade An, Giovanna Ferraris (Illustrator), Francesca Leoneschi (Illustrator)

Overview

Honjok is the revolutionary philosophy that teaches us to appreciate our moments of solitude and helps us transform our self-isolation into a new lifestyle. Up until a few years ago, the word honjok didn't exist. The expression, 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. This book describes honjok in all of its facets, among which are honbap—eating alone; honsul—drinking alone; and honnol—playing and spending time alone. Each chapter, identifiable by a specific color, is self-contained and requires no cross-referencing. You are free to approach the book in whichever order you prefer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9788854418332
Publisher:	White Star Publishers
Publication date:	02/01/2022
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.44(h) x (d)

About the Author

Silvia Lazzaris is an Italian researcher and freelance journalist based in England. She specializes in the relationship between technology and society. She publishes investigative reports and in-depth articles in a number of international newspapers, including the Corriere della Sera and the BBC.

Jade Jeongso An is a social media manager, a translator, a writer by day, and an ambitious cook by night. She studied translation and interpretation at Kyung Hee University in Seoul. She became passionate about writing while working freelance for magazines like Dazed Korea. With her words, she tries to educate, entertain, and change the world.

Giovanna Ferraris is a graphic designer and illustrator living and working in Milan. Her illustrations have appeared in numerous books. In 2019, she published Patterns in Art with Francesca Leoneschi and Silvia Lazzaris for Abbeville Press.
 
Francesca Leoneschi is a founding member and creative director of The World of Dot, a graphic-design studio based in Milan that specializes in illustration and typography, design and text editing, logo design, and branding. She has been an art director for Rizzoli since 2008. In 2019, she published Patterns in Art with Silvia Lazzaris and Giovanna Ferraris for Abbeville Press. 

Table of Contents

Introduction Jade Jeongso An 9

Honjok The origins of honjok 12

1.1 Single-person families 18

1.2 Alone, but connected 20

1.3 The gaze of others 22

1.4 Female liberation 24

1.5 The honjok home 26

1.6 Behind the screen 28

1.7 Facing solitude 30

1.8 Surrogate partners 34

1.9 Pacing oneself 36

The range of honjoks 38

Types of honjok 40

A day in the life of Eun-Kyung Jeong 42

Honbap Solitary meals 44

2.1 From kimchi to panini 48

2.2 A table for one, please 50

2.3 An exercise in self-confidence 52

2.4 Mukbang 54

2.5 Farewell to etiquette 56

2.6 Food portions 60

Nunchi 62

A meal at Snowfox 64

Types of honbap 66

Between solitude and company 68

Honsul A toast to oneself 72

3.1 Drinking culture in Korea 76

3.2 Getting inebriated as release 80

3.3 Drinking etiquette 82

3.4 Soju and K-pop 84

Types of honsul 88

The honsul club 90

A day in the life of Hojoon Kim 92

The range of honsuls 94

Honnol Solitary leisure with pleasure 96

4.1 Looking outside and within 100

4.2 Jajonshim 102

4.3 Empathy service 104

4.4 Honjok concerts 106

4.5 Singing as release 108

4.6 Solo travel 110

4.7 Driven by passion 112

4.8 Discovering new worlds 114

4.9 Connecting with nature 118

Must-have tech 122

Types of honyeojok 124

Love in the time of honnol 126

Afterword Silvia Lazzaris 129

Sources 135

My honjok 138