Off the Page Podcast

[Ep.15] Puffier or More Defined After a Workout? Korea's "No Talking" Courtesy & 회식 Culture

This week, Michelle and Sewon take another break from talking about books (sorry, we need one more week before diving into Taiwan Travelogue) and instead share stories and reflections from their everyday lives.Although Michelle meets new people through her swimming classes and Sewon through her yoga classes, neither of them tends to strike up conversations with fellow participants. Could this be a uniquely Korean way of respecting personal boundaries?As coworkers, Michelle and Sewon also chat about workplace dinners (회식), work meetings, and the social dynamics that come with them. Curious to hear where the conversation goes? Stay tuned! -Coming Up Next: Taiwan Travelogue (1938 타이완 여행기) -00:00 Intro: Do You Get Puffier or More Defined After a Workout?02:55 Is "Not Talking (말 안 걸기)" a Korean Courtesy?23:45 Daily Updates34:49 Our thoughts on work meetings + 회식54:45 Outro

[Ep. 14] No Word from Gurb (구르브 연락 없다)

This week, Michelle and Sewon dive into Eduardo Mendoza’s delightfully eccentric novel No Word from Gurb, a story that follows an alien visitor searching for his missing companion on Earth. Blending science fiction with sharp satire, the novel paints a humorous portrait of Barcelona in the lead-up to the 1992 Olympics, capturing the city’s chaos, contradictions, and the wonderfully absurd lives of its inhabitants. Through the outsider perspective of an alien narrator, Mendoza introduces readers to Barcelona’s landmarks, historical moments, and cultural quirks while poking fun at the city's ambitions and imperfections. If you're curious about a novel that is both laugh-out-loud funny and critically acclaimed for its inventive storytelling, literary merit, and unique narrative voice, stay tuned for our discussion of No Word from Gurb! Coming Up Next: Taiwan Travelogue (1938 타이완 여행기) 00:00 Intro: Daily Updates (stomach cramps, swimming, Lempicka the musical) 28:23 Book of this week: No Word from Gurb (구르브 연락 없다) 1:20:55 Outro

[Ep. 13] No Longer Human (인간 실격)

This week, Michelle and Sewon discuss Osamu Dazai (太宰 治)'s No Longer Human (人間失格, 인간 실격). Although Michelle is reading the novel for the first time and Sewon has read it twice, both were intrigued by the fact that someone in the novel describes Yozo as being like "God." Was Yozo weak, gentle, manipulative, or simply misunderstood? A people-pleaser or a narcissist? Join Michelle and Sewon as they unpack one of literature's most puzzling characters and share their own interpretations of Yozo. Stay tuned! * For those interested in what we discuss around 39:10, we are referring to Bungo Stray Dogs (Japanese: 文豪ストレイドッグス; Korean: 문호 스트레이 독스), a Japanese anime and manga series inspired by famous literary authors and their works! 😝 - Coming up next: Sin Noticias de Gurb (No Word from Gurb, 구르브 연락 없다) by Eduardo Mendoza

[Ep. 12] Come Sit With Us! A Random Conversation Beyond Books

This week, Michelle and Sewon take a break from talking about books and instead share thoughts and stories from their everyday lives. Michelle talks about heading back to the office to continue working after an outside appointment this week — a glimpse of her ever-diligent personality, which contrasts with Sewon’s comparatively spontaneous approach to the podcast. Meanwhile, Sewon announces that she plans to devote more time to the podcast starting this fall, along with some new life plans set to unfold in the second half of the year. The two also explore their personality differences through MBTI and Enneagram, discuss the things they each dislike, and talk about the classic works of world literature ChatGPT recommended for them individually. If you’re curious to hear a conversation that flows freely with no fixed topic in sight, stay tuned! Coming Up Next: 『人間失格』 (No Longer Human) by 太宰 治 (Osamu Dazai) 00:00 Intro: Michelle being diligent as always, and Sewon... not so much 04:15 Sewon’s new life plans starting this summer 12:00 Our MBTI + Enneagram results + the definition of a 기가 센 여자(strong-willed woman) + thoughts on the Korean mindset of 좋은 게 좋은 거지(keeping the peace at all costs) 1:00:45 Things we’ve been disliking lately 1:19:09 Classic works of world literature ChatGPT recommended based on Michelle and Sewon’s personalities 1:38:00 Outro

[Ep. 11] The Longest Night (긴긴밤)

This week, Michelle and Sewon talk about the 루리 (LULY)’s picture book 긴긴밤 (The Longest Night). In this episode, we talk about The Longest Night by LULY. This is a quiet yet deeply moving story about survival, grief, and the fragile connections that keep us going. Through the journey of unlikely companions crossing a long and lonely night together, the novel gently asks what it means to endure loss without losing tenderness. What makes this story linger is not dramatic hope, but the small, stubborn decision to keep walking beside someone else, even in the face of fear, exhaustion, and despair. Sparse yet emotionally resonant, The Longest Night reminds us that sometimes warmth survives in the smallest gestures. If you’d like to join us for a conversation about a hornless rhino, a penguin who has lost sight in one eye, and the unhatched egg they carry across a long and lonely journey, stay tuned. Coming Up Next: a collection of random chats, tangents, and assorted 잡담s 00:00 Intro: Michelle’s recent closet delivery nightmare 11:20 The backstory behind our last episode recording 15:45 Book of the week: 긴긴밤 (The Longest Night) 1:02:10 A poem that this book reminded Michelle of: 「모든 익사체는 떠오르려고 한다 - 에밀 시오랑에게」 (All Drowned Bodies Try to Float — To Emil Cioran) by 이현호 (Lee Hyun-ho), from 『라이터 좀 빌립시다』 (Can I Borrow a Lighter?) 1:08:00 Outro