Shows
Korea DeconstructedKorea in 1980s: Heritage, Hallyu, and the Making of Modern Identity | Dr. Roald MaliangkayIn this episode of Korea Deconstructed, David Tizzard speaks with Dr. Roald Maliangkay about the forces that shaped modern Korea, its culture, speed, identity, and contradictions. We explore Korea in the 1980s; North Korean pro wrestling; the rise of gossip magazines; the banning of Chinese characters; the manufacturing of Korean heritage; and the origins of Korea's bballi-bballi (빨리빨리) culture. We also dive into folk music, Sino-Korean relations, Korea's global image, and the evolving future of Korean Studies. Roald's work uncovers how cultural narratives are made, forgotten, and reinvented. This is a conversation for anyone interested in Korean history, identity formation, and the c...
2025-11-161h 45
Korea DeconstructedBreastfeeding vs Capitalism: Motherhood and Culture in KoreaLiss Anda is a clincal psychologist and associate professor working at the University of Stavanger, Norway. Her research currently centers on perinatal mental health. She is especially interested in how cultural understandings and practices of maternity interact with mental wellbeing in new mothers. She also receives clients in a private practice as a therapist, where she takes a humanist and eclectic approach. She has two kids, two cats, nine fish and some shrimp, has fully renovated two traditional wooden houses from 1908, the latter of which also just about fits her husband. She loves travelling, reading, cinema, eating...
2025-10-211h 44
Korea DeconstructedKorean Architecture and the Weight of HanBorn in Taegu with roots in Jeju, Juhee then immigrated to the U.S. at age eight. As a 16-year-old Korean American girl, she ran away from home in Queens, New York, to become an architect. Having fulfilled that ambition, she returns to South Korea to reconcile with her abandoned heritage, resolve the family trauma, and achieve a sense of han puri. Find Juhee Online Personal Website: https://www.jleehartford.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jleehartford The Fortune Teller Story: https://ghll.truman.edu/juhee-lee-hartford-the-fortune-teller/ Discussion Outline 0:00 Rejecting Korean Identity...
2025-10-111h 04
Korea DeconstructedThe Spirit of Korea: Pungryu Explained by Jun Bum SunJun Bum Sun joins me to talk about Korea's unique energy, pungryu, its history, and the healing power of music. We cover Choi Chi Won, Tangun, the Hwarang, Shamanism, Choe Je-u, Tongdo Sogi, AI, K-pop, North Korea, Taoism, and the world ahead. This episode was recorded in Bum Sun's book shop in Haebangchon. Find the video online and you can see the wonderful setting we recorded in as well as his dog 왕손 walking around. Find Him Online Jun Bum Sun: https://www.instagram.com/junbumsun/ The Yangbans: https://www.instag...
2025-09-281h 51
Korea DeconstructedKorean Beauty, Fashion, and LookismWhile much of the world focuses on the beauty standards of Korea's rich and famous, its K-Pop stars, actors, and influencers, we are left wondering how much of this actually applies to real life. Do regular Korean citizens face the same scrutiny around weight, fashion, surgery, and tattoos? I brought 4 Korean adults together to talk about these ideas and also to reveal some things about their own lives. Today's Guests Sage https://www.instagram.com/twopercensage/ Jeoung https://www.instagram.com/jjong___s2/ Nuri https://www.instagram.com/nurichoii/
2025-09-141h 44
Korea DeconstructedKorean Buddhism, Meditation, and Stories of EnlightenmentJoseph Bengivenni is an artist and photographer who has spend most of the past twenty years living in and exploring South Korea. The Korean mountains and temples have captured his heart and mind, as he obsessively searches for scenic areas to photograph and auspicious places to practice Dharma. You can follow his journey on Instagram: @oxherder_photography The history of Korean Buddhism: koreanbuddhism.wordpress.com. Photos: https://oxherder.smugmug.com/ Discussion 0:00 Introduction to Buddhism 34:00 Seosan, Korea 45:48 Meditation and Hwadu 1:01:20 G...
2025-08-271h 42
Korea DeconstructedTrump, Xi Jinping and Lee Jae MyungRob York is director for regional affairs at Pacific Forum in Honolulu, working on Korean Peninsular security and Indo-Pacific information warfare. He previously worked as production editor at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong and as editor of NK News from 2013 to 2016. He earned his PhD in Korean history in 2023. Pacific Forum: https://pacforum.org/ Discussion Outline 0:00 Lee Jae Myung 17:50 Trump and Korea 39:00 North Korea 43:10 Communism 47:55 China in the 21st Century 1:10:00 Korea and Japan 1:15:50 The International Order ...
2025-08-161h 23
Korea DeconstructedRa Jong-yil on Korea: History, Memory, and PresidentsIn this episode of Korea Deconstructed, I sit down with Ra Jong-yil, a scholar, diplomat, and influential figure in modern Korean politics. We recorded this conversation in his house in Seoul. Born in 1940 during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Ra Jong-yil has lived through some of the country's most defining historical moments. And, in many cases, helped shape them. We talk about his father's role in the Provisional Government in Shanghai alongside Syngman Rhee, Kim Ku, and Ahn Chang Ho. Ra also reflects on his mentorship of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, two presidents who helped usher in Korea's...
2025-08-031h 40
Korea DeconstructedParasocial Love & The Global K-pop ExplosionItalian journalist Marianna Baroli joins me to discuss K-pop, fan culture, parasocial love, and how Korean music is reshaping global identity, especially in Italy. But at what cost? And where do we go next? Find Marianna online Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/countingstars/ Panorama: https://www.panorama.it/author/mariannabaroli Discussion Outline 0:00 Introductions 4:55 Fan girling 2PM 7:35 Why K-pop Beat the West? 9:25 The Current State of K-pop 14:20 GOT7 17:50 Girl Groups 20:25 Italian Reactions to K-pop 25:00 Airbnb and...
2025-07-141h 18
Korea DeconstructedCrash Landing on Meaning: Life, Class, and Rediscovery through KoreaLebanese scholar Rania Hafez joins Korea Deconstructed for a wide-ranging conversation on class, culture, and the search for meaning. Rania reflects on how media pushes culture wars over class solidarity, the importance of leadership in academia, and how she discovered Korean dramas during the Covid pandemic. Her love for Crash Landing on You and Hometown Cha Cha Cha helped her find beauty and purpose again, calling Korea her "Narnia." A deeply personal and philosophical episode about rediscovery, passion, and why Korea speaks to so many hearts around the world. She also reflects on her experiences as a...
2025-06-291h 55
Korea DeconstructedKim Il Sung: The Accidental Tyrant Who Changed Korea ForeverMy guest is Fyodor Tertitskiy, a prolific scholar, polyglot, and one of the few who reads the footnotes of history in multiple languages. His new book, Accidental Tyrant, a biography of Kim Il Sung, challenges the official state mythology and unearths the improbable rise of a guerrilla fighter turned dynastic dictator. This is how Kim Il Sung outwitted imperialists, communists, comrades, and colonels alike, turning chance into legacy, failure into foundation. But the question remains: what does this all mean for those of us living in a world still shaped by the ghosts of his decisions?
2025-06-201h 57
Korea DeconstructedKoreans React to the 2025 Presidential Election: What Do Koreans Really Want?In this episode of Korea Deconstructed, I'm joined by four university students: young people who voted, watched, and waited as South Korea held its most recent presidential election and elected Lee Jae-myung. We discuss what the election felt like to them. What it felt like to cast a vote. What they saw among their friends. And what was never said. We'll explore the hopes and contradictions of a generation caught between economic uncertainty, cultural shifts, and a political system that doesn't always seem built for them. Korea Deconstructed #105 Big thank you to these...
2025-06-081h 28
Korea DeconstructedIs Korea Falling Apart? 4 Young Koreans React to "Korea is Over"A recent viral YouTube video claimed that Korea would soon be extinct. The country transformed negatively by one of the world's lowest birthrates. Change, it suggested, was too late. Four young adults come together to discuss the future of Korea, assessing its birthrate issues, education, culture of perfection, and the deep spiritual crisis that seems to have gripped the nation. Is Korea really over? Not necessarily... We hear from 4 young people all living here: a young Korean man interested in Jungian psychology, a woman balancing study and modeling, an ethnic Korean from Uzbekistan (Koryosaram), and someone just...
2025-05-181h 28
Korea DeconstructedDividing Korea: Dr. Kornel ChangKornel Chang on U.S. Power, Korean Resistance, and the Birth of Division What if Korea's true revolution was never allowed to happen? In this episode, I talk with historian Kornel Chang, author of A Fractured Liberation, to explore a moment in Korean history that most people never learn about. A moment when ordinary Koreans believed they were on the brink of something new. In 1945 Japanese colonial rule had ended and, across the peninsula, people were filled with hope. Workers seized factories, farmers reclaimed land, and women demanded rights. It was Korea's "Asian Spring"...an explosion of...
2025-05-101h 42
Korea DeconstructedBuilding a Life Abroad: Kim Ninja's Guide to KoreaFrom visas to values: a positive, practical conversation about living in Korea Kim Ninja joins Korea Deconstructed to talk about building an authentic life in Korea. Born in Germany to Vietnamese parents, Kim made the jump to Korea and now helps thousands of expats and digital nomads adapt culturally, practically, and legally. Through cartoons, articles, and community building, he offers a refreshing, optimistic take on life abroad — steering away from sensationalism. In this conversation, Kim shares practical advice on visas, adapting to Korean norms, and how to find real beauty in your experiences. Follow Kim Nin...
2025-04-271h 15
Korea DeconstructedKorean Cinema & The Bodies WithinI sat down with scholar, Nilesh Kumar to explore how Korean cinema has reflected shifting notions of gender, identity, and social structure across decades. From the angry men of the Korean New Wave to the defiant heroines of modern streaming hits, this conversation examines how bodies on screen become battlegrounds for power, memory, and desire. We begin by talking about how technology defines Park Chan-wook's groundbreaking movie Oldboy, as well as its absence of allegory, signaling the start of post-modern Korean cinema. Then, we explore three main themes in Korean cinema across time: Masculinity, femininity, and queer representation. The...
2025-04-242h 37
Korea DeconstructedVoices of Change: Korean Students, Art, and Democracy보도지침 (Media Guidelines) is a satirical work that critiques the media landscape and the influence of government or corporate power on Korean journalism in the 1980s. It explores themes such as censorship, the manipulation of public opinion, and the ethical dilemmas faced by journalists. The play is known for its sharp wit and critical perspective, often using humor and irony to highlight the challenges and compromises that media professionals may face. More and more young Koreans are bringing this play to the stage—not as a history lesson, but as a statement about their own reality. So, I spoke with four u...
2025-03-2253 min
Korea DeconstructedThe Korean Diaspora and Korean History Told Through PhotosA few years ago, Blair's grandmother gave him a present. Approximately 300 photographs his grandfather had taken in Korea nearly 70 years ago. These beautifully preserved color photos not only revealed a country and its people emerging from war and beginning to rebuild, it also showed Blair members of his family. It showed him where he was from, and, therefore, where he was going. He has digitized these photos and made them into an archive. This has since grown to feature a wide range of photos and videos expertly organized to allow visitors to discover Korea as it once was and...
2025-03-081h 08
Korea DeconstructedShamanism, Post-Colonialism, and the Korean LeftDavid A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. Jack Greenberg works as an independent consultant, researcher, and freelance writer. His current focus is on heritage and conservation issues, historical memory debates, truth-seeking and reconciliation, and civilian massacres of the Korean War. Connect with Jack Substack: https://ggachi.su...
2025-02-282h 06
Korea DeconstructedSquid Game 2: Thanos, Tarantino, and AliensI watched Squid Game Season 2 over the holidays and decided to record some brief thoughts on it. You can find an abridged version in the newspaper here: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2025/01/782_389692.html I am back in the studio next week with a new guest and a new topic before flying to the UK to spend a month with my family. Happy 2025 everyone. David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a...
2025-01-0420 min
Korea DeconstructedKorean Movement, Philosophy, Aesthetics, and Martial ArtsDavid A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a a social-cultural commentator, and musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. Sanko Lewis (PhD) is a professor, philosopher, martial arts researcher, and artist living in Seoul, South Korea. Find him and his work: https://linktr.ee/sankolewis Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos Thanks to Patreon members: Hee Ji Jacobs...
2024-12-212h 01
Korea DeconstructedWhat the Hell is Happening in South Korea?David A. Tizzard has a doctorate in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He is a social-cultural commentator and musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/L9azQpXZ2Rc Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos Thanks to Patreon members: Hee Ji Jacobs, Bhavya Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873 Connect with us: ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagr...
2024-12-0625 min
Korea DeconstructedKorean Women, Men, Gender, and Equality | Ms. Samantha Afflick-SmithKorean gender, feminism, fairness and equality are discussed here at length. We also cover transgender representation in media, male mandatory military service, magic days for women, and the world's lowest birthrate. Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/L9azQpXZ2Rc?si=u-xsXr1c2atGH-ri Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos Connect with us: ▶ Email: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ ▶ Jeon Yunseo: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/ ▶ Jongmin: https://ww...
2024-11-172h 01
Korea DeconstructedBTS: Love, Life, and Mental HealthThis week I sat down with a group of BTS fans from around the world and spent two hours listening to their stories. As a lot of the media hype and attention around them has either focused on their solo efforts or been replaced by the next generation of idols, I thought it would provide some nice distance from the unprecedented levels of success they were achieving as a group a few years back. And so we explored different things together: When did they first discover BTS? What was the performance or the album that made them...
2024-11-021h 10
Korea DeconstructedMulticulturalism and Racism in Korea | Dr. Zeljana ZmireZeljana Zmire, Ph.D. in International Studies and Korean Studies, is a lecturer at Hanyang University in Seoul. Her research interests include multiculturalism, immigration policy, comparative politics, international politics and other. She can be reached via zeljana@hanyang.ac.kr. You can also find her on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeljana-zmire-2927307b/ Members Thank you again to the paid Patreon member Bhavya. Discussion Outline 0:00 Defining Multiculturalism 6:00 Korea's Homogeneity 15:35 The Effects of Media 23:11 International Marriages 31:30 Becoming Kore...
2024-10-191h 03
Korea DeconstructedKorean Language, Culture, and Social Change with Carlos GoritoCarlos Gorito is many things but most in Korea would have first come across him when he appeared on the hit television show 비정상회담 in 2015. Discussing a wide-range of topics in Korean, his personality and passion saw him gain many fans and win respect from the nation. He has worked with the Brazilian Embassy in South Korea and does a fabulous job of promoting relations between the two countries. When you listen to him speak, he says "us" and "we" when talking about Korea, and is now a public relations ambassador for Jeju Island. I first met him when we were both...
2024-09-281h 18
Korea DeconstructedAesthetics, Life, and Ethnomusicology | Dr. Jocelyn Clark and The Story of Korean SoriJocelyn Clark is a performer and scholar. Before becoming a professor at Pai Chai (培材) University in South Korea, she founded and directed the CrossSound new music festival in Alaska, and the new music touring ensemble IIIZ+ (guzheng, koto, gayageum, and percussion), organizations through which she commissioned and/or premiered over 30 new works for Korean gayageum. Next to her work in contemporary music she is the first foreigner without Korean heritage to become an official government disciple in the National Heritage system, in the genre gayageum sanjo and byeongchang [伽倻琴散調/竝唱]. As a scholar, Clark has spent over 25 years in Japan, China, and...
2024-09-211h 40
Korea DeconstructedKorean History, Sexuality, Slavery, and MusicJihoon Suk received his BA and MA on Korean modern history from Yonsei University and studied Korean Studies briefly at the University of Michigan. Now, a Ph.D. candidate at Yonsei University, he is doing extensive research on the colonial-era cultural history of Korea, with a special focus on the presence and popularity of modern audiovisual media (sound recordings, films, radio) during that time. He had published a number of articles and research papers in collaboration with various institutions, including the National Contemporary History Museum of Korea, Seoul City History Museum, Korean Film Archive, and the National Gugak Center...
2024-09-142h 23
Korea DeconstructedWithout Religion Do We Still Have Greatness?Peter Yoonsuk Paik is a Professor at Yonsei University in the Department of English Language and Literature. His academic writing on a variety of subjects can be found here: https://yonsei.academia.edu/PeterPaik Discussion Outline 0:00 On Greatness 14:20 What Kind of World Do We Live In? 20:00 The Necessity of Spirituality 24:40 Equality and Liberty 30:00 The Modern University Classroom 40:10 On the East and West 50:00 On Korean Education 54:10 Burning (Korean Movie) 1:00:40 On Korean Society 1:09:00 The Future...
2024-08-311h 20
Korea DeconstructedNeoliberalization and Psychological Ruptures in South KoreaProfessor Moon Seungsook is a political and cultural sociologist, scholar of gender studies, and East Asianist specializing in South Korea. She grew up in Seoul, Korea and lived and worked in Boston and Cambridge, MA before moving to Vassar College. Her research evolved from feminist critiques of nationalism, militarism, democratization, and citizenship to globalization and transnationalism shaping militarism and civic agency, production and consumption of food and masculinities. She is a recipient of notable awards, including a Fulbright Scholars Award (2004-05), an inaugural endowed-chair visiting professorship at Harvard University (2014-15), and the Laboratory Program for Korean Studies Research Grant...
2024-08-251h 06
Korea DeconstructedSpace Out KoreaThe Space Out Competition in Seoul, South Korea, is a unique and quirky event that challenges participants to do... nothing. The goal of the competition is to simply sit still, remain calm, and "space out" for 90 minutes without any distractions. In a society like South Korea's, where work culture can be intense and people often feel pressured to be constantly productive, the Space Out Competition offers a refreshing contrast. It emphasizes the importance of mental health and the need to slow down, even if just for a little while. This year's winner was Soa Kwon, a television...
2024-08-101h 28
Korea DeconstructedDiversity and Colour in KoreaIs Korea racist? Is Korea homophobic? How do media representations affect people's lives here? We brought two Korean people and two foreigners together to discuss life here in South Korea, exploring the topics of beauty, dating, race, sexuality, social media, and more. Aaliyah, Thomas and I had just spent 6 hours a day together for the last 4 weeks at the Hanyang University Summer program studying Korean culture. We've missed Yunseo for the last 6 episodes but she is back with us now. She's also meeting Thomas and Aaliyah for the first time. Hongmin, relatively fresh from finishing his military...
2024-07-281h 35
Korea DeconstructedKorean Dating, Culture, and Music with David KimDavid Kim is many things but is perhaps best known for his Korean content on Youtube. He has been a huge part of three popular programs over the last seven years: DKDKTV, Ramyun and Chill, and, now, Korean Pizza Club. His content has reached millions and is driven by his positive and generous outlook on life, something even more evident when meeting him in person. We spoke about how hallyu has changed, whether K-pop is still cool, Korean dating culture, and life here in Seoul. We even got political at the end, exploring the challenges of democracy...
2024-06-161h 39
Korea DeconstructedPark Nohae: Revolutionary Politics and Poetry in South KoreaPark Nohae emerged as a powerful literary voice in South Korea during the tumultuous 1980s, though at the time few knew who he actually was. He was the faceless poet. The voice of the many. Working various manual labor jobs which exposed him to the harsh realities faced by the working class, he became a champion of labor rights and social justice. His collection of poems "노동의 새벽( Dawn of Labor)" published in 1984 sold over a million copies. However, his call for change and a new sky over the South Korean people brought him into conflict with the military dictatorship. He was arrest...
2024-06-112h 07
Korea DeconstructedBR Myers: Korea's Ethnonationalism and the Unloved Republic사랑받지 못하는 공화국 (2024) was written by Professor Bryan Myers, a professor of international studies at Dongseo University in Busan. Anyone familiar with North Korean studies will be keenly aware of Myers and his work as he has written some excellent books on that subject, including The Cleanest Race and North Korea's Juche Myth. His latest book reveals two firsts: It's his first written in Korean and it's his first that deals with South Korean politics. Myers has said that "the book's original thrust is the argument that the right neglected / still neglects the work of state-building, but most young people, being centrist or progressive, are...
2024-05-311h 57
Korea DeconstructedPark Chan Wook: Genius of Korean CinemaPark Chan-wook is a master of movie making. And he's seemingly getting better with age. Leaving the sex and violence of previous hits such as Oldboy, JSA, and The Handmaiden behind him, Decision to Leave / 헤어질 결심 (2022) explores the relationship between a Korean man and a Chinese woman, completely incompatible, seemingly madly in love, and destined to destroy each other. These two roles are played expertly by Tang Wei and Park Hae-il. "The moment you said you loved me, your love ended. And the moment your love ended, my love began." The movie is a piece of art: a poe...
2024-05-142h 17
Korea DeconstructedBernardo Kastrup and The Search for MeaningBernardo Kastrup is the executive director of Essentia Foundation. His work has been leading the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism, the notion that reality is essentially mental. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy and another Ph.D. in computer engineering. As a scientist, Bernardo has worked for CERN and Philips Research Laboratories. Bernardo's 11th book, coming in 2024, is 'Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell: A straightforward summary of the 21st-century's only plausible metaphysics.' This is me listening to Bernardo and asking him questions so as to better understand the world as mind. To do this, we...
2024-04-271h 31
Korea DeconstructedTaoism and the CreatorWilliam S. Gilbert is doing PhD research on Korean Taoism's syncretic qualities at Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea. He completed his Master's in Korean Philosophy at Sungkyunkwan University in 2024 and was a graduate research assistant for the Korean Academic Expansion Project. This is a conversation about Taoism, "Eastern" religions and ways of thought, life, death, god, and the poetry of the Korean scholar Yi Gyu-bo (李奎報). Discussion Outline 0:00 What is Taoism (도교)? 9:10 What is the Yin Yang (음양)? 22:09 What is Wu-wei (무의)? 32:50 Zen Buddhism (선불교) and Taoism 43:05 The Tao Te Ching (도덕경)...
2024-04-152h 02
Korea DeconstructedIs it Worth Living in Korea? | Three Young Koreans Discuss Their LivesCho Ye-won and Jeon Yunseo are students at Seoul Women's University while Park Kyung-hoon (Charlie) studies at Hanyang University. They discuss the best and worst things about living in Seoul, from the safety, the beauty standards, the gender differences, the economic challenges, and much more. They also talk about why some young Koreans want to move abroad. Discussion Outline 0:00 Do Young People Talk about 탈조선? 3:30 What are Traditional Korean Values? 8:45 What Do Koreans Want from Living Abroad? 19:30 The Best Things About Living in Seoul 27:15 Does Gender Affect Yo...
2024-04-011h 47
Korea DeconstructedAnalyzing Korean Dramas, Society, and Culture | Noona's NoonchiJeanie Chang is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. Jeanie is also the Founder and CEO of Noona's Noonchi, LLC, a global company offering social media platforms providing deep dives into K-Content from a mental health perspective. In Korea to promote her tours and her latest book (How K-Dramas Can Transform Your Life), we sat down with her to discuss life, culture, society, identity, and, of course, K-Dramas. Jeanie's Website: https://noonasnoonchi.com/ Her book: https://www.amazon.com/K-Dramas-Mental-Health-Jeanie-Chang/dp/1394210477 Discussion Outline 0:00 Life in...
2024-03-172h 52
Korea DeconstructedHealth, History, and Technology in Korea | John P. DiMoiaJohn DiMoia is Associate Professor of Korean History at Seoul National University, South Korea. He is the author of Reconstructing Bodies: Biomedicine, Health, and Nation-Building in South Korea since 1945 (2013) Discussion Outline 0:00 What is History? 7:20 Korean Medicine 30:30 Plastic Surgery 39:30 Korea and the Pandemic 57:05 Korean Health 1:00:10 The Joseon Dynasty 1:27:30 Japanese Colonization 1:50:00 The Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 2:09:33 The Division of Korea 2:26:55 Seoul National University 2:36:07 The Future of Korea Book: https://www.am...
2024-03-033h 02
Korea DeconstructedKorean Religion, Culture, and History | Anton ScholzAt the age of sixteen, Anton discovered Taekwondo in his native Germany. From there, he began exploring Buddhism only to be told by a visiting monk that if he wanted to truly understand it, he would have to visit Korea. Anton then embarked on a journey of practice and discovery in Korea in 1994, initially intending to stay for just a year. This conversation took place in 2024, thirty years later. Anton has regularly appeared on television during his time here. He has also worked as a producer for the German public broadcaster ARD, offered his expertise as a...
2024-02-182h 27
Korea DeconstructedAre Koreans The Most Depressed People in the World? | Psychologist 서늘한 여름 밤서늘한 여름밤 (Lee Seo-hyun) is a South Korean writer and psychological counseling planner. She received her Master's Degree from the Department of Psychology at Korea University in 2015, and then became a counselor at a large hospital. She soon began drawing and recording her thoughts before then uploading them on the internet. This led to her also starting a popular podcast and authoring 3 different books. In 2017, she established the psychological counseling center 'Every Mind'. Today, her Instagram and YouTube content reaches countless thousands, providing solace, honesty, and the message for Korean people that, "It's okay". We spoke with her about her recent a...
2024-02-081h 37
Korea DeconstructedDr. Robert Sapolsky - Korea DeterminedIn communicating with each other before this conversation, Robert asked me to explain certain aspects of Korean culture to him. If you find yourself frustrated that we sometimes hear more about Korea than his own work, I completely agree with you and apologize. Nevertheless, that was part of what was established. My sense is that he also might have wanted a break from explaining his latest book to everyone. We've since realized that we need to look more into the rice production in Korea and I hope that we can find out more of if and how that might...
2024-02-011h 01
Korea DeconstructedConstructing Literature and Space in 1970s Korea | Tanner RogersTanner Rogers is a 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Winner. His research consists of the literary analysis of fictional texts produced during the Park Chung Hee era (1961-1979), particularly focusing on the development of "space" in its various physical and conceptual forms, and how texts engage with the rapid urbanization and industrialization of cities like Seoul and Incheon during this time. We spoke about books, life, and Korea. This episode again featuring Jeon Yunseo Instagram: @y_jeon_s Discussion Outline 0:00 Tanner's Introduction to Korea...
2024-01-212h 39
Korea DeconstructedCan You Speak English? | Three Korean Women's ExperiencesCan Korean people speak English? That was the question we explored in this discussion. Three young women studying at Seoul Women's University in South Korea talked about their own experiences of learning a foreign language and how it ultimately became something more than just education or study. Hyun Minjung is a second-year student in the Department of Child Studies Eo Gyeongin is a first-year student in the Department of Applied Food System Jeon Yunseo is a first-year student in the Department of Journalism and Media This episode again featuring Jeon Yunseo
2024-01-101h 48
Korea DeconstructedID:Earth | Korean Artists and Making Music Beyond K-PopID:Earth is a singer, songwriter, and music producer from Seoul, Korea. She sings about human civilization, existence, birth, and the Earth with her music providing a fantastic backdrop for these explorations. Her latest album Space Station was released on December 12, 2023. We sat down with her to learn more about her music, her life, and being an artist in South Korea. ID:Earth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamidearth/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCVo9uVMP5JWUfXQh_hUDK0g Her latest album Space Station: https://www.melon.com/artist/song.htm?artistId=2622503
2024-01-071h 32
Korea DeconstructedFinding Meaning Through Ideas | David TizzardHaving just finished a semester teaching 9 different classes at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University, I thought I'd end the year sharing some of the theories and thoughts I've been exploring with my students. This includes David Matsumoto's work on culture, Han Byung Chul's explorations of modernity and psychology, and Mark Fisher's assertion that we are witnessing the slow cancellation of the future. These three frameworks seem to resonate with the students and, whether they agree with them or not, they all seem to have taken them on-board and understood them. There was much more I wanted...
2023-12-241h 22
Korea DeconstructedExploring Seoul, Finding Life │iGoBartBart van Genugten is a Dutchman with a passion for people, history, stories, and 분위기 (atmosphere). His recent project, Welcome to my Dong, looks to explore all of Seoul's 467 dongs (neighborhoods) and it has proved incredibly successful online, with millions of views, countless stories, and a host of well wishers. Bart is keeping history alive amidst a rapidly changing urban culture and it is no surprise that many of his greatest fans are Koreans themselves. During his journey, Bart is also discovering himself. Coming to terms with mental health, online identity, his Dutch family, and his place in Korean...
2023-12-032h 18
Korea DeconstructedPole Dance, Body Image, and Yoga │Jasmyn KimJasmyn Kim is doing a PhD at Yonsei University in the Department of Sport Industry Studies, she is a pole dance instructor at Tara Pole Dance in Jong-ro, and she also teaches a Yoga course at Yonsei University. Her academic research focuses on body image and the gendered nature of pole dance as a modern Korean fitness phenomenon, and the physical and psychological effects it can have on women. In this conversation, we explore how and why pole dance has become so popular in South Korea and, in the process, transcended the reputation it had in the 1990s.
2023-11-252h 07
Korea DeconstructedDangerous Discussions on Korean History │ Dr. Donald BakerAlthough this started as a conversation about Gwangju and Professor Don Baker's experiences there starting in 1971, including witnessing the aftermath of the massacre in 1980, we quickly understood there was much more for us to explore. This includes Don's impressions of Kim Dae-jung, gender and women in the Joseon Dynasty, Korea's historical relationship with China, Confucianism and ancestor worship, the effects of Japanese colonization, and the field of Korean Studies more broadly. It was completely spontaneous, but I also noted the following people and their work referenced throughout this conversation, demonstrating the depth and breadth of Don's knowledge...
2023-11-182h 10
Korea DeconstructedKorean History and its Leaders │ Korea Deconstructed #062Steve first came to Korea in 1975 and continues his life-long love of the land of the morning calm. He has been a missionary, pastor, and leadership development officer. He has years of experience in translations and editing, has several published books and dozens of scholarly papers to his credit, mostly in theology and the religious history of the United States. He is a life member of Royal Asiatic Society Korea, served on the board of directors for many years, two terms as vice president, and is now serving a second term as president. Discussion Outline 0:00...
2023-10-302h 43
Korea DeconstructedThe Rise and Fall of Korean Punk │Trash Yang MosesThis episode contains a lot of explicit language. If you are interested, the YouTube video features hundreds of photos of the bands, venues, and people we talk about. Trash is a musician, designer, and tattoo artist who has been part of the Korean punk scene for two decades. Here, she talks about how she discovered underground subculture in her late teens and then watched it develop over the years. She describes the community's most important bands and people, as well as those who others might have forgotten along the way. The conversation also reveals how every time p...
2023-09-092h 22
Korea DeconstructedKorea's Gen Z: How to Change the WorldChoi Isu is a young South Korean woman who has a vision of a better world. She believes in communication, community, and education. Measures that will stop the fragmentation of society and isolation experienced by some people today. Much of this worldview has been informed by her own educational experiences. Attending Ewoo High School, she received an alternative education focused on discussion and student-based learning rather than the rote memorization required elsewhere. I've known Isu for around 6 months and continue to be amazed by her courage, personality, and willingness to venture into the unknown. When we talk...
2023-08-062h 34
Korea DeconstructedI Lived Through Colonization and War in Korea but never Stopped SingingDr. Kim Kyung-jin was born in 1936. He grew up in Manchuria speaking Japanese at school, Korean at home, and then Chinese in the street. Before class, all students had to face Tokyo, bow, and pledge their allegiance to the Japanese empire. He said he would see people dead on the streets on his way to school, overdosed on opium. He was also there when the last Chinese emperor, the boy Puyi, passed through in 1943. Everyone was meant to bow and avert their eyes but he reckons he had a good gander. When the second world war ended...
2023-07-091h 25
Korea DeconstructedKorean Generations with Dr. Robert J. FouserDr. Fouser leads a fascinating and eye-opening exploration into the ideology, values, and activism of Korean students in the 1980s. He discusses and demonstrates the agency of that generation when contrasted to the people of today. He talks about 사대문안 as the traditional center of Seoul and how it's changing over time, with things moving south of the river as well as emerging migrant communities. The Korean language and Dr. Fouser's experiences of writing 5 books in Korean and regular Korean-language columns for various national newspapers are also explored. Robert J. Fouser was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He holds a...
2023-06-182h 24
Korea DeconstructedK-Sleep: The Science and Psychology of How Korean People SleepDr. Sooyeon (Aly) Suh is a clinical health psychologist and professor of psychology at Sungshin University. She is also the author of the book 엄마의 잠 걱정을 잠재우는 책. Our conversation explored the science and psychology of sleep in the modern world and how this has interacted with particular aspects of Korean culture, including co-sleeping, children's mental health, gender, sex, and social media. Dr. Suh's book: https://www.yes24.com/Product/Goods/105054567 Find her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dralysuh Discussion Outline 0:00 How much do Koreans sleep? 19:12 Korean children's sleep 24:50 Co-sleeping in Korea...
2023-06-052h 01
Korea DeconstructedSpirituality: Psychology, Belief and KoreaDavid Mason is not only a vessel of wisdom, he is also a masterful storyteller. In just over two hours, he explains how people came to the Korean Peninsula, how Buddhism arrived from China, how it interacted with the indigenous Shamanism, the ideological conflicts and discussions the various schools of thought generated, the creation of the Jogye Order and the Taego Order, Master Songchul, how drugs affect the development of spirituality, how Sansin is Tangun, and much more... He speaks honestly and from great experience. A conversation it felt a pleasure to be a part of and...
2023-05-212h 08
Korea Deconstructed1970s Korea: A History Lesson with Hank MorrisMr. Hank Morris first arrived in Korea in 1972. This conversation takes him back to that time, recounting the sights, the smells, the people, the food and the accommodation. From the cars to the beer houses, Hank has seen more than most. Here, just before he leaves the country and returns to the United States, he shares his memories. Despite being under strict instruction not the hit the table, Mr. Morris still punctuated various parts of his stories with his hands. Do please forgive him for the occasional thud. It was his first podcast. K...
2023-05-142h 23
Korea DeconstructedThe Scent of Korea: History, Culture, and PhenomenologyYou might not think that perfume is your thing but this is a conversation about culture, history, authenticity, and finding out who we are as people. You'll learn about important historical figures such as King Sejong the Great, Shin Saimdang, Admiral Lee Sun-shin, and Heo Nanseolheon, explore Korean food and geography, and also hear how this will all work in the future as the country and its people push towards the metaverse. Oh Hani is an artist, a poet, and a thinker, and this is worth sticking with in order to discover the true beauty of her views on...
2023-05-062h 22
Korea DeconstructedDon't Obey #052 Korean Photography, Fashion, and SexualityDr. Michael W. Hurt is a photographer and professor living, shooting, and researching in Seoul. He received his doctorate from UC Berkeley's Department of Comparative Ethnic Studies. He also started Korea's first street fashion blog in 2006 and published the first English language book about Korean Fashion in 2009. He researches youth, street fashion, and digital subcultures in Seoul while lecturing on Cultural Theory and Art History. His present research focuses on using the camera to access and document emergent digital subcultures in Korea, including the political economy of the "pay model" on Korean Instagram, Seoul's drag underground, and the youth-centric...
2023-04-032h 53
Korea DeconstructedVogue Femme #051Cho Hyunjee is a dancer, a debater, and a young Korean woman willing to speak up for herself in a society that has often shown a great deal of disrespect to her gender. In this conversation she talks about when she first became conscious of this discrimination and the people who inspired her to rise above it. She also talks passionately about dance as a form of expression, individuality, and culture. Vogue dance in Korea might not be making international headlines yet but she believes it has the potential to grow and grow. We also talk about books that...
2023-03-251h 52
Korea DeconstructedKorean Philosophy #050Episode 50 is......me!! Or rather it's a conversation I had with Alex Sigrist early on a Monday morning in a studio in downtown Seoul for Arirang Radio. I had so much fun doing it and thought that some of the ideas and content would make for a great introduction for some people to Korean philosophy. I briefly address the 일체유심조(一切唯心造) of Buddhism and then try to explain the debate between principle (理) and material force (氣) that dominated the Joseon Dynasty (1392 - 1897). So....here it is. It's audio only. Normal service and conversations about Korea will resume soon. Thank you f...
2023-03-0937 min
Korea DeconstructedKorean Democracy and Culture #049Some of my earliest Korean experiences were shaped by reading Mike's books and columns. That I now get to speak to him, ask him questions, and join the conversation about Korea's democratization and political developments is still all rather surreal. Michael Breen, Founder and CEO, lived in Korea for more than 30 years, working first as a journalist for The Guardian, The Times and The Washington Times before becoming a public relations consultant in 1994 with the Seoul office of the Burson Marsteller PR agency. He founded Insight Communications in 2004. He is the author of two books on Korea...
2023-02-273h 00
Korea DeconstructedThe North, The South, and The Coffee #048Jacco Zwetsloot has been the host of the NK News Podcast since 2018. He has interviewed a wide range of guests about their knowledge of and experience in North Korea, from celebrity defectors to high-ranking U.S. government officials. Jacco has a Master of Arts from Leiden University, for which he wrote a thesis on North Korean graphic novels. This is a conversation in two parts - both of which are fascinating. The first sees Jacco recount details of his three trips to the capital of North Korea, Pyongyang. These bring to life the reality of travelling in...
2023-02-172h 36
Korea DeconstructedThe Sublime Ideology of K-Advertising #047Dr. Olga Fedorenko is scholar of Korean Studies and anthropology of media at Seoul National University. Her research interests revolve around media and its connection to social and political life in contemporary South Korea. Her book The Flower of Capitalism: South Korean Advertising At a Crossroads: https://uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/flow... T his is a discussion about Korea, media, and the advertising landscape. Dr. Fedorenko also taught me a staple of anthropology: Find the strange in the familiar, and the familiar in the strange. I love this idea. My next two conversations...
2023-02-151h 42
Korea DeconstructedKorea's Three Revolutions #046Philip Turner was appointed New Zealand Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (South Korea) in March 2018. He is concurrently Ambassador to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). He has spent decades in China, Japan, and Korea. Discussion Outline 0:00 What is a diplomat? 24:30 Life in East Asia 45:00 Experiences with South Korea 1:09:13 Values at home and abroad 1:26:40 North Korea 1:32:57 Youth and the next generation Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ...
2023-02-041h 50
Korea DeconstructedOn Korean Civilization #045Colin Marshall's essays on on cities, language, and culture have appeared in publications like the New Yorker, the Guardian, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, whose Korea Blog he wrote for six years. He's now at work on a book of essays in Korean, and a book about Los Angeles in English. Find Colin Online Twitter: https://twitter.com/colinmarshall Website: http://blog.colinmarshall.org/ Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmG7qCR4RSo Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touc...
2023-01-242h 45
Korea DeconstructedDo You Like K-Pop? #044Haley Yang is a reporter at the Korea JoongAng Daily where she writes about culture, society, K-pop, and hallyu. This is a long conversation about Korean culture, society, and the people who live and engage with it. It's critical, humorous, and lots else in between. Come for the content, stay for the shade, leave with a smile. Discussion Outline 0:00 Introduction 2:48 Writing about Hallyu 10:35 New Jeans and the K-pop Scene 43:20 Beauty Standards and Plastic Surgery 1:08:49 Dating and Sexuality 1:20:00 Social Media Love and Toxicity
2023-01-182h 44
Korea DeconstructedDr. Paul Youngbin Kim: Cross-Cultural Psychology and Korean Behavior | Korea Deconstructed #043This is a conversation about behavioral patterns passed down over generations which then produce real-life manifestations of cultural concepts. We explore the symbiotic relationship between values, behavior, and material conditions as well as how acculturation takes place at different speeds in each domain. Dr. Kim explores culturally-bound syndromes such as hwabyeong (화병) and then explains the behavioral psychologist view of han (한), jeong (정), nunchi (눈치), and chaemyeon (체면). Paul Youngbin Kim is a Professor of Psychology at Seattle Pacific University. He received a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Notre Dame in 2010. His scholarly interests are in Asian and Asian Americ...
2022-12-271h 02
Korea DeconstructedPeter Bint: Being Famous in Korea | Korea Deconstructed #042Peter Bint is a television and radio personality. With a Korean mother and a British father, he successfully navigates two cultures, building bridges and making friends along the way. He currently hosts a daily two-hour morning radio show and appears on MBC's United Fathers among many other things. This is a conversation about identity, language, multiculturalism, lookism, K-pop, fame, and children. Peter's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@peterbint338 Peter's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/peter_b83/?hl=en United Fathers: https://mydramalist.com/738875-united-fathers Discussion Outline 0:00 What Pa...
2022-12-202h 27
Korea DeconstructedDr. Henry Em: When Did Koreans Become Korean? | Korea Deconstructed #041When did Koreans become Korean? That is the question Dr. Henry Em, Associate Professor of History at Yonsei University, and I started exploring. It wasn't planned. And it was difficult. But by then end of this, I think we got somewhere. And I got to know Henry more as a person. We're talking about the creation of nation states, official narratives, the minjok, and actors as the subjects of history. About people. About Kim Ku, about Park Chung-hee, About status and gender in Korean history, post-colonialism, communism, North Korea, and memory and violence. We even talk about K-dramas.
2022-12-142h 34
Korea DeconstructedJeon Seoyeon: Education, Feminism, and Kindness | Korea Deconstructed #040Jeon Seoyeon is a South Korean woman working towards becoming a landscape architect and focused on helping social minorities. We talk about the importance of kindness and how it can affect our lives. What modern feminism feels like in South Korea. And the reality of Korean education. During this, Seoyeon is able to draw on the ideas of Mark Fisher, Kwame Anthony Appiah, and even swear on occasion. I hope you enjoy this conversation and Sara's attitude to life as much as I did. Conversation Outline 0:00 Introduction 2:08 Education and Suneung
2022-11-211h 35
Korea DeconstructedDr. Mark Peterson: Slavery, Confucianism, and Korean History | Korea Deconstructed #039Mark Peterson first arrived in Korea in 1965. He then completed a PhD at Harvard University. He is professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah. He has written countless books and now runs a popular YouTube channel on Korean history. Dr. Peterson has developed a strong understanding of the language and culture and used these to develop his own thoughts on Korean history. This is a wide-ranging discussion addressing the past, the present, and the future. We discussed Korea's internal developments as well as its place in the wider world. There was...
2022-11-123h 12
Korea DeconstructedLieutenant General Chun In-Bum (ret.): Korean Military, BTS, Life Lessons | Korea Deconstructed #038Lieutenant General Chun In-Bum (ret.) has played an important role in the history and development of South Korea. Now retired, his popular YouTube channel helps address contemporary issues facing the current generation as they prepare for or look back on their own mandatory military service. At the age of 65, the General has seen and experienced more than many of us could imagine. This is an opportunity to listen to him talk about life, discipline, and the importance of freedom. Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chun_In-bum YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com...
2022-10-251h 39
Korea DeconstructedYoungwoo Park: The Korean Queer Community, Christians, and Positivity | Korea Deconstructed #037Youngwoo Park majors in Italian Area Studies and International Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. His fields of interest include human rights, development cooperation, and the sociology of gender and race. Youngwoo is currently working as a translator in the Department of Operations and Support for the Seoul Queer Culture Festival. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/youngwoo-park-419524214/?originalSubdomain=kr Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: https://www.youtub...
2022-09-031h 34
Korea DeconstructedJumin Lee: Politics, Gender, and Anti-Discrimination | Korea Deconstructed #036Jumin Lee is a Korean trial attorney and former Air Force officer. He writes regularly for NK News and Korea Pro on Korean politics, with a recent focus on gender, discrimination, and protections of minorities in South Korea. We spoke at length about key issues in Korean politics, the problems facing both major parties, the struggles of the Justice Party, and revisited influential characters such as Kim Dae-jung and Kim Yong-sam. You can find Jumin's work here: https://www.nknews.org/content_author/jumin-lee/ Or follow him here on Twitter: https://twitter.com/oldtype ...
2022-08-191h 47
Korea DeconstructedJeanie Y. Chang: K-Dramas and Mental Health | Korea Deconstructed #035This is a conversation about K-Dramas and mental health, covering Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Our Blues, Tomorrow, and much more. We talk about the romance, the beauty standards, the soundtracks, the coping mechanisms, and the international success. Jeanie Chang is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a bestselling author on Amazon, an international corporate speaker, and a global social media influencer known as Noona's Noonchi Find her online: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noonasnoonchi/?hl=en Learn more about Jeanie Chang Learn more a...
2022-08-132h 08
Korea DeconstructedChun Su Jin: The Princesses of Pyongyang| Korea Deconstructed #034Chun Su-jin is a South Korean writer who is proud of her North Korean heritage. Born and raised in Seoul, Chun dreams of living in Pyongyang in a unifed Korea. She writes in both Korean and English and has covered the Presidential Office, the Foreign Ministry, and the Unification Ministry. Su-jin has recently written and published a book called North Korean Women in Power: Daughters of the Sun which covers the four most powerful women in the country, detailing their personalities and proximity to power. http://hollym.net/book/north-korean-women-in-power-daughters-of-the-sun/ Kor...
2022-08-0541 min
Korea DeconstructedKim Yung Hee: Searching for my Korean Family | Korea Deconstructed #033Kim Yung Hee was found by the Yeongdeungpo-gu police on October 26, 1973. She has since found her biological father. Now she is looking for her biological mother whose name is Lee Geum Soon or Lee Geum Sook. Her father's nickname for her mother was "망고". She is about 75 years old. Her mother's hometown is Cheonan, Chungcheongnam-do. In the early 1970s, her mother lived with her sister across from Shinhyeon Church in Daehyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. Help Yung Hee find her family Article: https://m.yna.co.kr/view/MYH20220704018300641 Website: https://www.umma4usa.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/umma4usa YouT...
2022-07-2456 min
Korea DeconstructedSuhyun J. Ahn: Queer Korean Poetry and Confucian Philosophy | Korea Deconstructed #032This is definitely a conversation in two parts. For the first hour, we talk about LGBTQ literature and poetry in South Korea, particularly the work of Kim Hyun. We ask what it means to write queer poetry, who the leading figures in South Korea are, and what this says about society changing over time with the rise of institutions like Ding Dong. There is also a focus on the newly-published English version of Glory Hole, a collection of queer poetry which Suhyun co-translated. We then shift gears and address the focus of his doctoral work: Confucian philosophy. Suhyun is...
2022-06-141h 55
Korea DeconstructedHyun Joon Lee: Crypto Bros, Luna and Do Kwon, and the Kimchi Premium | Korea Deconstructed #031Recent shockwaves in the Korean crypto world have been caused by the crash of Luna and subsequent investigations into its founder Do Kwon. Hyun Joon (Andre) explains the Korean crypto world, the 'Kimchi Premium', Korean law and the reason foreigners are banned from the Korean crypto exchanges, the effects of the Luna crash, and the future of the industry. Hyun Joon (Andre) Lee is a Business Development and Marketing Specialists at Mainblock, a South Korea based incubation and VC firm working with blockchain-based projects in the P2E, NFT, Metaverse and DeFi space. He started his cryptocurrency...
2022-06-101h 52
Korea DeconstructedDr. Doh Minjung: Psychology, Mental Health, and Medication | Korea Deconstructed #030Dr. MinJung (MJ) Doh is a US-licensed psychologist and the CEO of You&Me Psychological and Consulting Services (YPCS) in Seoul, Korea. Her specialties include Depression, Anxiety, Relationship Issues, Trauma, Eating Disorders, Identity Difficulties, Bereavement, Adjustment, Alcohol Use, Transracial Adoption, and Military Families. This conversation is about counselling and mental health in Korea. MJ provided her opinions of the most common psychological problems in the country today, whether it points to a national malaise, and if such conditions are unique to Korean or part of a wider global trend. We also looked at the rising popularity of...
2022-05-311h 46
Korea DeconstructedLina Kwon: Stardom, Celebrity, and Social Media | Korea Deconstructed #029Lina Kwon is a TV/radio personality based in Seoul. She has hosted Arirang TV's "Showbiz Korea," EBS FM's "Morning Special" and currently hosts Arirang Radio's news magazine show "Good Morning Seoul." During her career she has interviewed and worked with some of Korea's biggest stars. We discussed the nature of fame and celebrity in South Korea. We also explored the media's role in all of this and how social media has affected both the way we consume information and the way we view others' lives. Lina also talks about the challenges of being a woman in the industry, particularly...
2022-05-181h 42
Korea DeconstructedKay Park: Gen Z, Korean History, Identity | Korea Deconstructed #028Kyungyeon (Kay) Park is an 18-year-old Korean high school student. She has won competitions in the National Student Heritage Commentating Contest (전국학생문화유산외국어해설 텐츠대회) and been recognized by the National Council of Youth Organization in Korea (한국청소년단체협의회). She is also in the process of writing a book on aspects of Korean history. Alongside her studies, she works as a tour guide in Seoul at some of the country's most important historic sites. There she provides information and insight to visitors to South Korea. We spoke about identity, Korean culture, nunchi, history, Seodaemun Prison, the country's palaces, Korean independence, international relations, and much more. Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard...
2022-05-082h 16
Korea DeconstructedSihoon Baek: Generation Z, the Future, Politics | Korea Deconstructed #027Sihoon Baek is a phenomenon. We spoke about Generation Z, their values, their interests, and fears as well how this plays out across technology. We also spoke about one of his great passions: politics and social issues. Despite the growing complexity of political discourse, Sihoon is able to explain and analyze what takes place in South Korea from a very real perspective and cognizant of the effect that social media has on discourse and narratives. We chatted for more than 3 hours yet there was still much more to be said. And oh yeah, he's seventeen! Sihoon Baek's L...
2022-04-303h 07
Korea DeconstructedDr. Minsoo Kang: Han and Intellectual History| Korea Deconstructed #026This is a conversation which explores the concept of "han" (한/恨) – something previously ubiquitous in Korean literature and western writing about the country but which Dr. Kang challenges. He argues that Koreans are being condemned to passive suffering and then manifesting that through a perceived essentialist concept which is believed unique to them. He points to its destructive nature as well as the damaging effects on gender relations and women in society. Instead, he draws on the reality of what "han" is as well as its origins while also acknowledging the scars, suffering, and inter-generational trauma that many have faced. He als...
2022-04-112h 42
Korea DeconstructedWooseok Ki: K-Pop, Hip-Hop, and NFTs | Korea Deconstructed #025Wooseok Ki is the author of K-POP: The Odyssey - Your Gateway to the Global K-Pop Phenomenon and a NYC-based corporate lawyer focusing his practice on blockchain and technology. He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania Law School and UC Berkeley, and has been featured in The Korea Times, Korea Daily, and NBCLX. If you are interested in K-pop or Korean hip-hop, this conversation takes a journey through the following artists: Epik High, Twice, Ahn Ye-Eun, Eric Nam, Dean, Crush, Justthis, Bloo, Homies, Seonmi, Chung Ha, 88rising, BTS, Snoop, Seotaeji, Cho Young Pil, Big Bang, and G...
2022-04-031h 07
Korea DeconstructedBeth Eunhee Hong: Literature and Feminism | Korea Deconstructed #024Beth is a writer and translator whose roots are in Seoul and Vancouver, Canada. She is currently a copy editor at The Korea Herald, where she also co-hosts a Korean books and culture podcast. This is a conversation about Korean literature and feminism as well as the interaction between the two. Beth describes the ways in which the lived experiences of Korean women has manifested in writing and how generational trauma can be communicated through art. Today, Korean authors are winning international prizes and critical acclaim. Much of this success has been driven by women and stories...
2022-03-262h 16
Korea DeconstructedYunjeong Hwang: Divorce and Law | Korea Deconstructed #023Yunjeong Hwang is an English-speaking lawyer and provides legal services in Korea. She runs Lawyer Hwang Law Office and legal services cover civil, criminal and family cases, and international divorce cases. We spoke about the culture and law of divorce in Korea. This includes issues related to adultery, compensation, custody, visas, and differences between judicial divorce and divorce by agreement. We then spoke about law more broadly including the defamation law, lenient punishment for sexual crimes, and the intersection between law and politics. Ms. Yunjeong Hwang ▼▼▼ Website: https://lawyerhwang.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2t...
2022-03-231h 13
Korea DeconstructedDr. Bong Youngshik: The New Korean President | Korea Deconstructed #022Dr. Bong Youngshik holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. in political science from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. from Yonsei University. He is a Research Fellow at the Yonsei University Institute for North Korean Studies Dr. Bong is positive about Korea's democracy, the role of youth, and the possibilities for the future. He also interesting observations about human nature and political action. Our conversation was about the recent South Korean presidential election. Dr. Bong explained who president-elect Yoon Seok-yeol is and why he has built a reputation for fairness and j...
2022-03-131h 06
Korea DeconstructedDr. Sojin Lim: Korean Development and Altruism | Korea Deconstructed #021Dr. Sojin Lim is a Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor, Course Leader for both MA North Korean Studies and MA Asia Pacific Studies, and Co-Director of the International Institute of Korean Studies (IKSU) at the University of Central Lancashire. She works as Co-Editor of the 'Routledge Research on Korea' series and is also one of the Editors-in-Chief at Asia Pacific Viewpoint (Wiley). She is the author of articles and book chapters on sustainable development, public policy and political economy. She recently published a co-edited book Routledge Handbook of Contemporary South Korea (2021). She frequently discusses changes in the Korea Peninsula in...
2022-03-082h 20
Korea DeconstructedSubin Kim: Webtoons, Artists, and Industry | Korea Deconstructed #020Subin Kim is a writer, translator, and journalist. His work currently appears in Al Jazeera and he's previously been associated with the BBC and NK News. He's a self-described serf and a lover of pigs. Our conversation started with understanding what webtoons actually are and who reads them. We discussed the popular webtoon Miaseng (미생) and how a lot of content seems to be based on daily life and people's ordinary struggles. Subin told me about the relationship between webtoons and portal sites. Gang Full (강풀)'s 2003 Soonjung Manhwa was the first webtoon to achieve great success and from there we...
2022-02-281h 06
Korea DeconstructedSeohyun Lee: North Korea, Life in Pyongyang, Seeking Freedom | Korea Deconstructed #019Seohyun Lee was born and raised in central Pyongyang, North Korea. She went to China to study when she was a sophomore at Kim Il Sung University and earned her bachelor's degree of Science in Finance from Dongbei University of Economics and Finance in 2014. She defected from North Korea in October 2014 during a heightened period of brutal purges by the Kim Jong Un regime. With her long- term vision to build a liberal democratic system and bring freedom in North Korea, she pursues further graduate studies an currently runs a YouTube channel 'Pyonghattan' with her brother. Our conversation started...
2022-02-221h 17
Korea DeconstructedSe-Woong Koo: Grand Narratives, Journalism, and The Korea Exposé | Korea Deconstructed #018Se-Woong Koo is founder of Korea Exposé. Before joining the media world, Koo earned his PhD from Stanford University for a dissertation examining the intersection of politics and religion in modern Korea. He was a postdoctoral research fellow at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris, France, from 2012 to 2013; and he taught at the Asian University for Women and at Yale University as Henry Hart Rice Foundation Faculty Fellow and Lecturer. We talked about the foundation of modern Korea and the role religion as a belief system has played in the country's development. We...
2022-02-132h 09
Korea DeconstructedRegina Kim: K-Dramas, Netflix, K-Pop, and Anti-Asian Racism | Korea Deconstructed #017Regina Kim is a Culture and Trends Writer for Netflix. Her articles on the hallyu phenomenon and Korean content have appeared in Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, ELLE, MTV News, Vulture, Entertainment Weekly, NBC News, and Teen Vogue. They also include an interview with Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk. We talked about what it feels like to be writing about Korean content while it is so popular. Because Regina works for Netflix, we talked about distribution, algorithms, and access to the latest Korean dramas. From there, we look at what constitutes a Korean drama and whether there are any...
2022-02-052h 10
Korea DeconstructedBecky White: The Halfie Project, Korean-ness, and the Modeling Industry | Korea Deconstructed #016Becky White is a model, a singer, a podcast host, a writer, and countless other things. She is also the daughter of a Korean mother and an American father. Drawing on her own experiences growing up and then living and working in Korea, she created The Halfie Project: a journey to discover the meaning of a mixed identity - an identity which inhabits two cultures. We talk about what it means to be Korean, what she learned from the Halfie Project, and the nature of beauty and appearance in Korean society The Halfie Project: https://www.thehalfieproject.com...
2022-01-281h 44
Korea DeconstructedLee Taewoong: Korean History, Archival Footage, and KBS DocumentariesLee Taewoong is a producer for KBS, holding a position in the sports bureau since 2003. After his initial feature lengths explorations of ssiruem, football, and archery, he soon turned to more historic, social, and cultural work. His hugely successfully and acclaimed documentary 88/18 depicted the real life experiences of Korean people as they prepared for the Olympics, from the President, to middle-class aspirants, leftists protestors, and school children. This approach to covering Korean society as it actually existed was continued in the series Modern Korea – a multipart documentary based on Taewoong's signature style of archival footage, music, and narrative-less full-length fe...
2022-01-151h 36
Korea Deconstructed#014 K(Q)ueerness, Soft Masculinity and FanFic in K-pop with Dr. Jungmin KwonDr. Jungmin Kwon is an assistant professor of digital culture and film studies in the School of Film at Portland State University. Her research and teaching interests include digital culture, film and media, gender and sexuality, media industry, fans and audiences, media celebrity, and Korean/East Asian popular culture. She is the author of Straight Korean Female Fans and Their Gay Fantasies (2019, University of Iowa Press). Currently, Dr. Kwon is writing her second book, titled The (In)Visibility Dilemma: Queer Media Cultures and Voices in Contemporary South Korea. Jungmin's book: https://www.uipress.uiowa.edu/books/9... Jungmin's recent research...
2022-01-081h 40
Korea Deconstructed#005 The Korean Left: Solidarity and MarxistsBori (he/him) is a Korean leftist with visions of a pan-Asian communist future. During our conversation he suggests that despite people's aspirations for an independent nation, South Korea was built on the basis on anti-communism and remains today under a bourgeois dictatorship. This then affects what it means to be a leftist in 21st century Korea and how the experience is often characterized by a sense of 불화 (discord). Despite the recent popularity of things like Squid Game, Bori asserts that no one willing to actively solve the problem of economic inequality is a serious contender for the upcoming pres...
2021-10-281h 05