Unchon-ni: South Korea, I Remember 1962-63
by Codis Hampton II

Mr. Hampton emails of continuous comments on sportswriter’s/reporter’s newspaper articles amused his friend. He also saw Hamp’s raw talent of detailing facts or description of events. So much so that he noted the commentary was better than the articles. Our author took his friends’ critique to heart. Already a very opinionated individual, he realized he loved to write comments on various subjects especially social issues of the day. He began publishing a newsletter that included blogs on a range of subjects, always using satire as way of explaining social ills/political comments.

That led to authoring a story of his military assignment to South Korea. To date, Mr. Hampton’s written five books. But his story of a boy arriving in Korea while leaving fourteen months later as a grown man is his first.

In his semi-autobiographical debut, Author Codis Hampton II takes the reader through his experience as a seventeen-year-old African-American GI stationed in South Korea during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Unchon-ni is a riveting story that looks back on his childhood, family environment to bring you forward to then and there. The story is a journey where the author shares his conflict between duty, country, and heritage. You’re captivated by the love affair he finds with a village camp town girl. Add the suspense, mystery, adventure he experienced in a war-torn community as a Brother of Arms, one is left wondering what is next in his young life. A must-read…

Yes, Unchon-ni exceeds the classic tale of boy meets girl, etc. along with so many more stereotypes of people, places, events. Individuals, with varying personalities of interest who appear-disappear in our subject’s life, is a study in people. It’s as if a reader has stumbled onto an exciting roller coaster ride with various stops that peak one’s interest.