American columnist Colin Marshall, the Seoul-based author of "Ban on Summarizing Korea," has written columns on Korea for over 10 years for foreign media such as The New Yorker, Los Angeles Review of Books and The Guardian. (Across)

By Xu Aiying

From K-pop to beauty products, Korea has captivated the world with its national brand. But does this description truly describe the country? It may be impossible to summarize or define the nation through a single expression or a word or two.

"Ban on Summarizing Korea," which was published last month and is filled with unabridged moments of Korea, was authored by Colin Marshall, an American columnist for foreign media such as The New Yorker, Los Angeles Review of Books and The Guardian. 

The book describes how Koreans, their language and the nation are seen from multiple perspectives, presenting in a three-dimensional manner how small the "K-" name is and how boring it is to try to hastily summarize Korea.

"I don't want to analyze and explain Korea from a foreign perspective or in vague positives and negatives," Marshall told Korea.net in a March 8 interview. "I just want to share with readers the Korea I experienced as is."

"Korea is an object of love and attraction but also of despair and reality. As such, I want to know more about Korea and my relationship with the country gradually grows deeper."

After majoring in political science and government in the U.S., Marshall developed an interest in Korea and lived in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles. There, he wrote about the Land of the Morning Calm and decided to move there in 2015.

His writings deal with a range of aspects of Korea such as its cities, architecture, culture and language. For the publication of "Ban on Summarizing Korea," a collection of his columns over the past decade, he restructured them and even wrote select pieces directly in Korean. 

This is the cover of American columnist Colin Marshall's new book "Ban on Summarizing Korea." (Xu Aiying)

Small things in daily life experienced by Marshall in Korea inspire his writings, from a Hyundai Pony parked on the street to a funny English name on the nametag of a Starbucks barista. He has clearly experienced inconvenience as an expat but seems not to keenly feel it because of his deep affection for the country.

After watching the TV program "Korea Travelogue," Marshall said he decided to explore the provincial cities. He often studies Korean literature via the YouTube channel Winter Bookstore.

The writer said he feels the Korean practice of deep consideration for others at traditional markets nationwide like Kkachisan Market in Seoul's Gangseo-gu District, where he lives.

On reader responses to his book, Marshall said with a laugh, "I've always written for foreigners who don't know Korea well, so I'm surprised that my work has been published in Korean and gained interest from Koreans."

"I write in Korean far slower than in English and I fret about using an expression or vocabulary 10 or 100 times more, but I eventually want to write more in Korean."

He urged foreign nationals who want to better understand Korea to read books in Hangeul.

"My command of the language isn't perfect and I'm no expert on Korea, but I always carry a book in Korean," he said. "Books are fundamental for understanding a country, so to know Korea, put in the effort into read Korean-language books."

"Ban on Summarizing Korea" conveys the feeling of Marshall's daily discovery of new things about the country and imagining a new tomorrow.

xuaiy@korea.kr