SDF

MO Jongryn’s work as a researcher and lecturer of international political economy and globalization has afforded him many glimpses into the secrets of the world’s most attractive cities – where companies and talent seem to flock. Through his observations, he has come to appreciate, first, that the future of any place rests on how successfully its distinctive character can be given form and shape as a way of life; and second, that alleyways can potentially be a city’s most important asset. In the predominantly planned cities of modern Korea, alleyways have been given very few opportunities to play a major role in the economy. Recently, however, with alleyways and backroads in major cities springing to life, the national and local governments have begun directing effort to capturing the competitive potential of these spaces. The certainty of Jongryn’s belief that the future of Korea’s cities will be decided by the vibrancies of “alleyway culture” led him to pen his book Alleyway Capitalism, a synthesis of years of research and his own lived experience. A probing examination into the secrets of the cities where both human and financial capital seem to concentrate, Alleyway Capitalism has captured the interest of a wide readership, recording over 15,000 shares on social media in a special series format featured on Kakao Brunch.

MO Jongryn is a professor at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Cornell University and a Ph.D. from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He was previously assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a National Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. At Yonsei University, he has served as Dean of Underwood International College, Vice President for International Affairs, and Associate Dean of the Graduate School of International Studies.

Major published works include 『Humanities as A Lifestyle』 , 『Alleyway Capitalism』,『Rise of the Lifestyle City』, 『Small Towns, Big Companies』.