Mega-Events and Mega-Ambitions: South Korea’s Rise and the Strategic Use of the Big Four Events

Yu-Min Joo is an Assistant Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. She published several journal articles on the development and policy issues of East Asian cities, and is currently writing a book titled Megacity Seoul: Urbanization and the Development of Modern South Korea.Yooil Bae is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University. He published on comparative politics and policy, urban political economy, and environmental politics in East Asia, in journals such as International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Pacific Review, Democratization, and Pacific Affairs. Eva Kassens-Noor is an Associate Professor of Urban and Transport Planning in the School of Planning, Design, and Construction (SPDC) at Michigan State University, USA. She holds a joint appointment in the Global Urban Studies Program. She is the author of Planning Olympic Legacies: Transport Dreams and Urban Realities (Routledge).

“This book achieves its purpose of linking history of mega-events with national economic development … . By analyzing the costs and benefits of south Korea’s previously hosted mega-events, Mega-events and Mega-Ambitions is a worthwhile study that will help to contextualize the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics from historical, political, and economic perspectives.” (Thomas Fabian, Journal of Sport History, Vol. 45 (03), 2018)​

• Chapter 1. Mega-Events and Mega-Ambitions.- Chapter 2. 1988 Summer Olympics and the Rise of South Korea and Seoul.- Chapter 3. Daejeon Expo '93 and Paving the Way for Future Development Aspirations.- Chapter 4. 2002 FIFA World Cup and Rebranding of South Korea.- Chapter 5. Pyeong Chang 2018 Winter Olympics.- Chapter 6. Conclusions – the Art of Using Mega-Events for Development