South Korea is one of the most exciting countries in the world, with a rich culture based on passion for learning, Confucian values and respect for the family. In many ways, South Korea resembles a huge family, and this sense of unity and purpose is fed by a long series of invasions and the ongoing threat from North Korea. The country moves with extraordinary cohesion at critical moments. My voyages into every corner of the country reveal a nation on the crest not only of an economic but also of a creative wave that has enormous resonance for the peoples of Southeast and Northeast Asia - and also for the economies of the US, Australasia and Europe.