The Power of Nunchi
The Korean Secret to Happiness and Success
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
'A must-read for anyone interested in the art of intuitively knowing what others feel.' Haemin Sunim, author of The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down and Love for Imperfect Things
'A lovely book to have in your home and your lives.' Chris Evans, Breakfast Show
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Nunchi (noon-chee): eye measure. The subtle art of gauging other people's thoughts, and feelings in order to build trust, harmony and connection.
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Why did she get promoted? Why does the party only start when he walks in? And why do they always catch the bartender’s eye? It sounds like they’re all experts in the art of nunchi, even if they don’t know it.
Nunchi is the guiding principle of Korean life, but anyone can use it: it’s the art of reading a room, your way of understanding what other people are thinking and feeling, and using that to get ahead.
Korean parents believe that teaching their children nunchi is as important as teaching them to cross the road safely. With great nunchi, it feels like the world is on your side. Without it, you might get hit by something you never saw coming.
If you’re thinking ‘not another Eastern fad, Marie Kondo already made me throw half my clothes away’, don’t worry: it’s not a fad. Koreans have been using nunchi to overcome slings and arrows for over 5000 years.
The great news is that anyone can hone their nunchi, immediately: all you need are your eyes and ears. In everything, from finding love to excelling at work, improving your nunchi will help you to open doors you never knew existed.
Improve your nunchi, improve your life.
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'Whip-smart, hilarious, and filled with eye-opening insights on every page.' Amy Chua, author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
'Beautifully written and filled with actionable advice . . . It really feels like having a superpower!' Héctor García, co-author of Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
‘Nunchi is the Korean superpower you need now’ Evening Standard
‘We could all help ourselves by practising the ancient art of Nunchi’ The Times
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This deceptively simple yet profoundly wise guide from Hong (The Birth of Korean Cool) explores the 5,000-year-old Korean art of nunchi ("eye measure") and provides lessons on the power of inference to build connections and improve relationships. For Hong, Sherlock Holmes and Tyrion Lannister have excellent nunchi the ability to assess the energy in the room, deduce information based on context instead of words, and gain emotional intelligence. She explains how, at odds with the Western emphasis on individuality and noisiness, the rules of nunchi include that one should clear one's mind of preconceptions, be silent and observe, infer what others are thinking rather than what they are saying, and try not to intentionally cause harm. Hong describes how to see wisdom in first impressions, gather data to prove or disprove those impressions, and learn to adapt to change. In a particularly illuminating chapter, she delineates her workplace tips, which include observing how people are greeted, making sure to find one's boss in a room full of people, and gauging the politics in one's office. This wonderful exploration of a nuanced Korean philosophy will appeal to any reader looking to hone skills of emotional perception.
