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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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 Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 1:08 pm Post subject: New LONELY PLANET: SEOUL guide has just been published. |
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| Anyone see it yet? It has about 15-20 less pages than the previous addition, but seems to have alot more information.. particularly under the entertainment and bars section. It looks good! |
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The King of Kwangju
Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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LP Korea has to be one of the worst editions in their line of books. It's obvious the guy writing it doesn't like Korea very much, and the "cute" sidebars are just plain dumb. I've never felt the need to buy the Korea or Seoul editions - just leafing thru them in the bookstore was enough.
My predicition is that it'll be a waste of money. |
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The Lemon
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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| It's obvious the guy writing it doesn't like Korea very much, and the "cute" sidebars are just plain dumb. |
the newer version (2001+) swung too far the other way - cities that were accurately depicted as "concrete jungles" in the old books now get the KNTO ("Gwangju is one of the great artistic centers of Korea..!")treatment. LP books (as well as Let's Go) are at their best when they're irreverent. The new Korea one is too much like a tourist pamphlet. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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| The Lemon wrote: |
| Quote: |
| It's obvious the guy writing it doesn't like Korea very much, and the "cute" sidebars are just plain dumb. |
the newer version (2001+) swung too far the other way - cities that were accurately depicted as "concrete jungles" in the old books now get the KNTO ("Gwangju is one of the great artistic centers of Korea..!")treatment. LP books (as well as Let's Go) are at their best when they're irreverent. The new Korea one is too much like a tourist pamphlet. |
Funny.. the 'concrete jungles' references.. I guess you remember that well.. my first time here in Busan in 1996 and picked up the LP.. it basically summed up Busan as a concrete jungle to quickly get through on your way to/from Japan. There wasn't much else being said about it.
Then I think the next edition there was some reference to Texas Town/Russian Town in Busan.. and suddenly oddly we'd see weird backpackers looking around LP in hand trying to find some bar that was printed in the book. |
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weatherman
Joined: 14 Jan 2003
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 7:44 am Post subject: |
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| The King of Kwangju wrote: |
| LP Korea has to be one of the worst editions in their line of books. |
There is something that doesn't touch the visceral in you, doesn't feel like the experience that you having... After being here a number of years, the book reads like you would take your great aunt here for a visit, (That might be cool... ) |
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Canuck
Joined: 05 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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| The LP SE Asia book sucked big time. I found it basically useless. And SE Asia is a pretty popular tourist destination, and one of LP's best sellers. So I wont be expecting much from their Seoul book. Im sure I will not be buying it, or any other LP book any time soon. |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2003 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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The author didn't like Korea?- yeah I noticed that as well, with the previous one. He was particularly scathing about Korean men in the summary section!!!! It could have been written by a disgruntled ESL teacher...
I guess they must have given him a fat brown envelope this time round. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 12:14 am Post subject: |
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| rapier wrote: |
The author didn't like Korea?- yeah I noticed that as well, with the previous one. He was particularly scathing about Korean men in the summary section!!!! It could have been written by a disgruntled ESL teacher...
I guess they must have given him a fat brown envelope this time round. |
I've always felt the LP Korea guides were written by ESL teachers as well.. particularly since they seem to be filled with ESL teachers in all of the pubs and bars and such listed in the entertainment sections.. plus it has that teacher perspective on things as opposed to a traveler perspective.. (talks about xenophobia and such).. as a backpack traveler wouldn't pick up on that.. people that I know who visit here as a traveller, find everyone to be extremely friendly, helpful, etc., etc. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 4:21 am Post subject: |
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The new edition might be worth a glance-through in the bookshop. If you've been in Korea a while you're only going to be interested in bits and pieces.
Save your money and skim-read in the bookstore!!!! |
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waterbaby
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2003 5:49 am Post subject: |
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| I am NEVER doing the Lonely Planet again. I don't care how many new versions come out or if I write it myself... I'll never ever read the bloody useless things again... aaah, that feels better... |
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