"When I began studying the sociology of the political and economic development of nations forty years ago, my most thoughtful professor told me that every country follows a unique path into the future, and if you really want to understand that path, then find a thinker who lived with one foot in that nation and one in country that is markedly different. Je Woo Kim has lived such a life, and he has a story to tell about the remarkable growth of South Korea. His insights are worth reading, and I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants a fascinating and timely understanding of why and how the miracle on the Han River happened." — Sam Richards, PhD, HPS Teaching Professor of Sociology, College of the Liberal Arts, Pennsylvania State University

"This book vividly chronicles South Korea’s dramatic journey—rising from the ruins of war through the Miracle on the Han River to become one of the world’s top 10 economies and a pivotal middle power today. As a longtime friend of the author since our high school days and an eyewitness of the Korean miracle, I am sure that this fascinating book will deeply resonate with global readers." — Duckjoon Chang, PhD Professor Emeritus, Department of Russian-Eurasian Studies, Kookmin University, South Korea

"The Rise of Seoul is uniquely realistic and a common sensical approach to embracing and understanding South Korea's dynamic transformation, not only national development (or nation-building) but everyday life." — Henry Chung CEO, KAIST Venture Investment Holdings