From a CEO to a university president, from diverse perspectives -
Written by Professor Ahn Gyeong-hwan, a local expert with 35 years of experience in Vietnam
Real Vietnam

Korea is the third largest exporting country and the second largest country of origin for immigrants.
It shows the true nature of Vietnam, a country that is still unfamiliar to us.

Currently, Koreans are the largest group of foreigners visiting Vietnam for tourism purposes.
(1st place with 3.6 million people in 2023) In addition, Vietnam has become Korea's 3rd largest export country and the 2nd largest country of origin for immigrants after China.
If you look into it, there is a long history of exchanges dating back to the Goryeo Dynasty, but after severing diplomatic ties during the Cold War, it has now been over 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Vietnam.
Recently, the two countries have entered into a close new relationship called the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.


"Today's Vietnam" has selected six keywords for those who want to know the inside story of Vietnam, including the rice noodles "Pho" that come to mind when thinking of "Vietnam," the white Ao Dai and hat, and the history and culture essential to properly understanding Vietnam beyond the Vietnam War, as well as the lifestyles of the local people.
The author adds vividness to the story by adding big and small experiences he had in Vietnam since 1989, before the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Vietnam, such as the 'self-reliance and pride' that came from the long years of protecting the country from foreign powers such as China, Mongolia, France, and the United States; the only 'Confucian country' in Southeast Asia; the respected 'father of the nation Ho Chi Minh'; the Vietnamese-style reform and openness 'Doi Moi'; a lifestyle permeated with 'agricultural culture' and the future of Vietnam with its young population.
We also introduce places you shouldn't miss in Vietnam, which is gaining recognition as one of the world's top 10 travel destinations.

Korea and Vietnam are similar in many ways in terms of history and culture.
Former South Korean Ambassador to Vietnam Cho Won-il and Vietnamese Ambassador to Korea Tran Trong Toan speak in unison.
“There is no country with a culture as similar to Vietnam as Korea.” Moreover, with K-culture and the Korean language learning craze currently popular among the younger generation in Vietnam, Vietnam is “an old but new friend.”
This book will lead readers beyond preconceptions and into the 'real Vietnam'.

In January 1989, the Korean government decided to recruit a market development team comprised mainly of large corporations and dispatch them to Vietnam, with which the two countries did not have diplomatic relations at the time, in order to develop new markets and stimulate exports.
At the time, I was an employee of Hyundai Corporation and volunteered to be dispatched to Vietnam because I majored in Vietnamese.
This is the reason why we established direct ties with Vietnam before the establishment of formal diplomatic relations.
It was the beginning of a long, long relationship with Vietnam.
However, when I was dispatched to the market development team, I was at a loss as there was almost no information about Vietnam in Korea.
It was difficult to predict what difficulties might lie ahead, like a poisonous snake lurking in the jungle, so I felt like I might never return.
Before leaving the country, I was so determined that I visited my ancestors' graves and paid my respects with a serious heart.

---From the "Prologue"

The next day, when the landlord visited, his face immediately changed color as he saw that the banter (the altar) had been cleaned up.
Before the shrine is removed, a sacrifice must be made, but I arbitrarily removed the things placed on it, so there is a big problem.
The landlord bought candles, fruit, and beer from the supermarket, and asked for a bowl of rice from our house, placed it on the altar, lit a candle, and offered a ritual before demolishing the ancestral rite.
When I offered the sacrifice, I heard him muttering, “I beg you! I beg you! I beg you to forgive me.
I asked for your forgiveness for the Korean who, out of ignorance, demolished the house without notice and without even giving me time to offer a memorial service.
“I will make sure that this never happens again,” he said.
The demolition ceremony, which I thought would be over quickly, took an hour.
I found out that the ritual had to be performed until the long incense stick burned out.
In this way, the Vietnamese people's ups and downs culture regarding banter is special.

---From "Chapter 1: The Self-Reliance and Pride That Has Been Protected for 5,000 Years"

The Vietnamese people insist that, for the survival of their nation, they should “close the door to the past and move forward into the future.”
When we look at the way the Vietnamese people think and act, this statement deserves deep consideration.
Primarily, it can be interpreted to mean 'let's close the door to the past for a moment' in order to complete the socialist revolution, develop the economy, and attract foreign investment.
But if you think about it the other way around, this means that you can open the door to the past and uncover it one by one whenever necessary.
Rather than saying, "Let's forget the past," saying, "Let's close the door to the past," is another way of saying that we can "never" forget the past.

---From "Chapter 1: The Self-Reliance and Pride That Has Been Protected for 5,000 Years"

It was a great stroke of luck that I happened to come across a masterpiece of Vietnamese literature, became absorbed in translating it, and was even able to publish a book about it.
2020 marked the 200th anniversary of the death of Nguyen Du, author of Truyen Kieu.
In 1965, UNESCO recognized Nguyen Du as a world cultural figure, and it is said that the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, who intensified the Vietnam War, said, “If I had read Truyen Kieu earlier, the tragic situation we face today would not have occurred.”
Nguyen Du left behind the 3,254-line "Truyen Kieu".
The meaning of this work is 'Kieu's story', and the keyword of this work is 'heart'.
No matter how many talents you have, you can't have even one good heart.
---From "Chapter 2 Confucian States in Southeast Asia"

When I first set foot in Vietnam in 1989, I exchanged business cards and greeted people I met for the first time in business, and I noticed that most of them had the same surname.
The surname was 'Nguyen 阮'.
Although there are many people in Korea with the surnames Kim, Lee, and Park, there were far more Nguyen.
I later found out that four out of ten Vietnamese people had the surname Nguyen.
---From "Chapter 2 Confucian States in Southeast Asia"

In Korea, confusion often arises because various media outlets still do not follow the Vietnamese spelling rules established by the National Institute of the Korean Language.
This causes confusion not only for Vietnamese learners but also for Vietnamese students learning Korean, and causes problems in Korean language education.
For example, 'Nha Trang', which is written boldly on tourist products and at the airport, is a place name that the Vietnamese people are completely unaware of.
You have to say 'Nha Trang' to understand.
Another example is Kkuinyeon, which has recently become increasingly popular among Korean tourists.
It's not 'quinone'.
---「One Step Further Into Vietnam 05」 Among Latin letters and Chinese characters

Caodaism is reminiscent of the Donghak Peasant Revolution that occurred in Joseon around the same time, as it integrates the teachings of five religions, including Eastern Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and animism, and Western Christian doctrines, and had a decisive influence on the independence movement.
I felt that the two religions were similar, like decals, in that they integrated Eastern and Western religious teachings, promoted human dignity and national self-reliance based on them, and further played an active role in the national liberation movement.
---From "Chapter 3: Ho Chi Minh and the Birth of a Socialist State"

The territorial dispute surrounding the Bien Dong (South China Sea) is a highly sensitive international issue, and the United States and Japan are expected to strengthen their alliance and expand economic cooperation with coastal countries to prevent China from taking control of Bien Dong.
On the other hand, China is expected to expand aid to Southeast Asian countries, accelerating their "distant from the US and pro-China" diplomatic line.
In this way, Vietnam is at a critical juncture of whether to lose or regain sovereignty over its inherent territories, the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa Archipelagoes.
South Korea, too, is a direct stakeholder in the conflict in Bien Dong, an energy transport route, and, given its own territorial disputes over Dokdo and Ieodo, it must approach this issue with caution, recognizing that it can never be free from them.
---From "Chapter 3: Ho Chi Minh and the Birth of a Socialist State"

Vietnam has a population of about 100 million, an average life expectancy of about 75 years, but the average age of the entire population is about 29 years, making it a very labor-abundant production and consumption market.
Vietnam is now upgrading its diplomatic relations with the United States and South Korea to a comprehensive strategic partnership, strengthening its semiconductor and artificial intelligence supply chains.
Economic cooperation between the U.S. and Vietnam is expected to accelerate in the future, and Vietnam is emerging as an alternative for the de-Chinese supply chain.
As China intensifies its competition with the United States by weaponizing its resources, claiming to be the world's largest producer of rare earths, the two countries will likely share economic and security strategies to counter threats to China's supply chains.
---From "Chapter 4: Doimoi and Growth Potential"

The case of an investor who purchased an apartment in the Phu My Hung district of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and aimed for monthly rental income and capital gains, shows the true nature of real estate investment in Vietnam.
Phu My Hung is a sophisticated area with a similar atmosphere to Korea's Songdo New City, and is home to the largest Korean town in Southeast Asia.
Mr. L, the president of a mid-sized company who had been in the trade business and frequently traveled to Vietnam before the establishment of diplomatic relations with Vietnam, purchased an apartment measuring 113.82 square meters (approximately 35 pyeong) in Phu My Hung, a newly emerging residential area, for 2.16258 billion VND in 2008.

---From "Chapter 4: Doimoi and Growth Potential"

The traditional Vietnamese hat, the 'nón', has many uses.
They hang mirrors on the ground and use them to check their appearance, and they also serve as fans when resting under the shade of a tree.
At the well, it is used as a water bowl to hold water and wash the face, hands, and feet.
In windy weather, it acts as a visor, preventing you from lighting a cigarette by lighting a match.
When sleeping outside, it is used to cover the eyes to prevent glare, and it is also used as a substitute for a container to hold fruits, fish, vegetables, etc.

---From "Chapter 5: The Country of Rice"

Building a dam or constructing a canal is something that no matter how capable or strong a person is, he or she cannot accomplish alone.
Therefore, if all members of the community do not join forces to deal with it, the entire village will perish.
For this reason, we have needed ordinary people, people who are not unique, who can breathe together for the common good, rather than one outstanding individual.
Over a long history, the Vietnamese have internalized these cultural characteristics and have embodied the egalitarian mindset that “all people are equal.”
For that reason, in Vietnam, the salary of the Prime Minister and the salary of the Minister are similar, as are the salaries of university professors and general office workers.
This kind of community culture certainly served as a good tradition until independence and unification were achieved.
However, in today's world, where we are introducing a market economy and making every effort to build the economy, it is difficult to say that egalitarianism is playing a positive role, as there are aspects that make hierarchical relationships ambiguous.
Vietnam is also expected to soon transition to a system that is more in line with the market economy system implemented by foreign companies, such as a merit-based incentive system and performance-based bonus payments.

---From "Chapter 5: The Country of Rice"