A story of a working class we've never encountered: a strange yet fascinating Britain.
Britain's Concerns About Britishness as It Moves Toward a Multiethnic and Multicultural Nation
Pride in British food, memories of empire and colonies, British humor and even sarcasm…
Interesting British culture, told with characteristic British wit.

The new book in the "Guide for Global Travelers" series, a niche bookstore where foreigners introduce their own countries, has been published, "A Very Private Britain."
This is the sixth, following 『Extremely Private Italy』, 『Extremely Private France』, 『Extremely Private Russia』, 『Extremely Private Nepal』, and 『Extremely Private Japan』.

This book is a story about Britain told by Peter Vint, a British citizen who has lived in Korea since 2008.
His England is both familiar and strange.
The author, who came from the working class and graduated from the prestigious Queen Elizabeth School and King's College London, shows Britain as a place for ordinary people, not a "country of gentlemen."
The sentiment symbolized by “Keep Calm and Carry On” reveals that customs and order that appear contradictory on the surface are actually the forces that sustain society.
It shows that behind the splendor of the royal family and the nobility, there exists another Britain with a slow but unique charm.

The negative reviews about the weather and food in England are things I only learned after coming to Korea.
As a British person, it was honestly a prejudice that made me want to say, “What are you talking about?”
But living in Korea, I've come to understand to some extent why that perception has developed.
And then I realized that the Britain that Koreans think of and the Britain that British people live in are quite different countries.
So when the opportunity to write this book arose, I was happy to accept the opportunity.
--- From the "Prologue"

I felt a special emotion watching the return of Hong Kong.
I felt as if I had become a displaced person.
When I talk about where I was born, I always say “British Hong Kong.”
It means that the place where I was born was England.
But now there is no British Hong Kong.
A Chinese friend of mine gets sensitive when I talk about Hong Kong.
He even said to me, “Aren’t you Korean, British, or Chinese?”
That's not wrong.
I'm mixed race and born in Hong Kong, so I've had a lot to think about about my identity compared to other British people.
I consider being born in Hong Kong to be part of my identity, but to my Chinese friends, it might seem like I was on the fence.

--- From "The Loss of the Vanished British Empire"

It seems that Britain was rarely praised while doing "Naked History of the World."
I think the 'Singapore' episode was the best.
The program was a place to learn about how Britain has done bad things around the world.
But I think it's fortunate that I had the opportunity to learn these things.
If I had only lived in England, I probably would not have had the opportunity to learn history.
I was grateful to be able to listen to the professors' lectures and learn.

--- From "Why I Became an Apple Icon"

In England there is a saying, “stiff upper lip.”
It's a saying that means to keep your upper lip stiff, and to not reveal your difficulties with an indomitable spirit.
The context will be easier to understand if you connect it with the previously mentioned “Keep Calm and Carry On.”
No matter how difficult it is, endure it without showing it.
This is also reflected in British manners.
--- From "Manners Maketh the Englishman"

Just because they are working class doesn't mean they are ashamed of their class.
Many people are proud of being from a working-class background.
Even on the outside it looks like that.
I have pride in being a person who lives honestly with my own strength and ability.
There is no attempt to climb up to the upper class.
The dignity and manners of the upper class are of no concern.
The working class are people who live like British people while keeping their manners.
--- From "Manners Governing Strategy"

The working class has a sense of pride in being socially respectable.
Some upper-class people try to distance themselves from the working class, calling them rough and uncouth, but they cannot openly ignore them.
This is because the tradition of viewing the working class as an honest and sincere class still holds true.
So, people from working class backgrounds value living while maintaining their own identity.
--- From "I'm happy without having to climb the social ladder"


It is quite important that we have traditions that other countries do not have, and a national image that everyone knows.
I also feel that I have received a somewhat positive impression of the British royal family while living in Korea.
The royal family is at the pinnacle of the perception that the British are gentle and dignified, and the very idea that there are real princes and princesses functions as a form of 'cultural fantasy'.
Even if the real gains are not great, there is not much to lose.
--- From "Will the British Royal Family Continue?"

In Korea, even lunch time is a struggle.
You have to think about what to eat for lunch from the moment you get to work.
Even if you just want to eat something simple, it's not easy.
First of all, there aren't many restaurants where you can have a quick lunch.
But it would be rude to go to a snack bar at lunchtime and eat just one roll of kimbap, so if you order a variety of things, you will end up eating more.
What makes it harder for the British is that there are so many good restaurants.
It's a pain to have to find a new restaurant every day.
Imagine thinking every day, "Which gas station will make my car happy?"
You can't help but feel stressed.
--- From "Does food have to be delicious?"

I don't know which one is better for the child.
This may be why Korea continues to produce outstanding talent.
But it's not good for parents.
That's why I'm afraid of having children.
I also gave birth to and am raising a child in Korea, but it is difficult to keep up with the Korean style of parenting.
I think it's harder because I grew up in the British way and I always end up comparing myself to others.
But anyway, parents' lives are also precious.
It is difficult to carelessly tell people to have children and raise them in Korea in a way that presupposes parental sacrifice.

--- From "British Parents Are Their Children's 'Advisors'"

Before we get into the specifics of the British press, let's talk about its coverage of sports and entertainment.
The British press is unbiased in this area.
It bites everyone equally.
Beckham and Rooney were no exception.
Basically, when someone is doing well, we assume they are 'arrogant' and make them a target of criticism.
When you show humility in such cases, the public's reaction becomes more generous.
I think Son Heung-min is a player who actually benefited from being so humble.

--- From "Anyone Bites"