Indian couple scribes a book Seoulmates: Korea through Indian Eyes

New Delhi, India – Mumbai-based Sudha Huzurbazar Tumbe and Vasudev Tumbe are set to launch their joint work, a book titled Seoulmates: Korea through Indian Eyes, on April 22 at the Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI) in New Delhi. The duo lived in South Korea for over six years. Sudha learnt the Korean language and immersed herself in Korean society while her husband, Vasudev, continued to navigate the country’s high-powered corporate world.

Published by Juggernaut, the 262-page book combines personal anecdotes with cultural observations, exploring Korea’s meteoric economic rise, its globally influential K-Wave, and the challenges of adapting to a society with a distinct language and corporate culture.

With the success of Sudha’s Marathi book Saptarangi Korea – Ek Anubhav, written in December 2022, this English edition delves further into their journey, helping Indian readers navigate and understand the complexities and vibrancy of South Korea beyond pop culture. Engaging, informative, and deeply personal, Seoulmates is a must-read for anyone curious about Korea through an Indian lens.

According to Sudha Tumbe, South Korea is known for its remarkable economic growth, which has transformed it into a wealthy country in just two generations. It is also recognized for its remarkable companies, such as Samsung and Hyundai, which have a dominant presence in various markets. Additionally, K-pop and K-drama have conquered hearts and eyeballs around the world. But what is it like to live there as an Indian? How does one navigate a country with a language that is difficult to learn? What is South Korea really like as a country, seen from an Indian comparative perspective?

This book is written by an Indian couple who lived in South Korea for over six years. One of them learnt the Korean language and immersed herself in Korean society. The other learnt to navigate its high-powered corporate world.

Seoulmates contains Sudha and Vasudev’s experiences of living in Korea, along with information about the country’s political evolution, phenomenal economic growth, and how K-Wave has captured the world’s attention. This may be useful for an Indian reader to get acquainted with South Korea and glean some valuable lessons.

There are no books written about South Korea from an Indian perspective. With the growing interest about South Korea amongst Indians, especially the youngsters, thanks to K- Pop & K-drama on OTT platform and the rising number of Indian tourists to South Korea, a book in English on the experiences of an Indian couple in South Korea (not a travelogue) could be useful to Indian readers.

Seoulmates is written jointly by Sudha and Vasudev Tumbe in the first-person voice, about a third of which is in Sudha’s voice.

About the Authors

Sudha Huzurbazar Tumbe is a Marathi writer, teacher, and counsellor. She is the author of Saptarangi Korea: Ek Anubhav, published by Granthali in 2022, and Rang Jeevanache (2025). She is a polyglot, fluent in six languages, including Korean. An avid reader, she is now a Marathi writer, regularly publishing articles on various topics in Marathi magazines and newspapers.

She has been associated with various institutions in Mumbai as a teacher or counselor, including VJTI, SNDT, the National Association for the Blind, Lotus Eye Hospital, and the College of Optometry. She has recently conceptualized a disability awareness programme in Marathi on Granthali Pratibhangan’s YouTube channel, interviewing experts on different disabilities in India. In South Korea, Sudha volunteered for the Seoul Namdaemun Police, Anna’s House, and the Korea Dyslexia Association, and was appointed as the Gangnam publicity ambassador.

Vasudev Tumbe joined Mahindra & Mahindra, Mumbai, in 1982 as a professional cricketer to represent their team in various cricket tournaments, having represented and captained Mumbai and West Zone Under-22 and university cricket teams. As a qualified cost accountant, after his cricket-playing days, he worked in various roles in finance, accounts, and costing. He was vice president of finance and accounts for the automotive division from 2008 to 2013, before moving to South Korea.

From July 2013 to December 2019, he served as the vice president and CFO of SsangYong Motor Company in South Korea, a USD 3 billion subsidiary of Mahindra & Mahindra. He also served on the board of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ICCK) from 2013 to 2019. He was its chairman from August 2017 to December 2019, working closely with the Indian embassy in South Korea to promote India–Korea trade and investment.