When it comes to South Korean politics and democracy, there seem to be two contrasting images: One is vibrant social activism, from the militant student and labor protests of the 1980s to the massive anti-government candlelight rallies in 2016 and 2017. Unlike the outstanding record of these movements for social change, institutional politics lags far behind, often represented by two contentious parties and stalled legislation that completely fail to deliver public goods.

Yoonkyung Lee's book Between the Streets and the Assembly addresses a long-standing debate about the gap between weak political parties and strong social movements in South Korean politics and tackles the puzzling question of why successful social movements have not translated into effective party politics. To answer this question, previous studies have focused on structural and historical conditions, such as lingering authoritarian legacies or restrictive electoral institutions, that have helped sustain an unresponsive and ineffective party system. Examining...

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