Korean. American. Podcast

Episode 111: Pizza Injustice, American Jeong, and A Growing Sense of Home

This week, Jun and Daniel catch up on a busy month of events, kicking things off with Daniel’s participation in "No Shave November" and the cultural stigma surrounding beards in Korea. The conversation moves to a visit to a US Army base for Halloween, which sparks a debate about cultural differences in fairness and connections highlighted by a specific incident involving a pizza order. Daniel also vents about his frustration with household items constantly breaking in Korea, leading to a broader discussion on consumerism, manufacturing quality, and the "fast fashion" mindset that permeates daily life. If you’re interested in hearing a deep dive into why Americans identify so strongly with their driver's licenses compared to Korea's centralized resident ID system, or the sociological flip where Americans trust their neighbors but distrust the government while Koreans generally feel the opposite, this episode is for you. We also discuss the intense fitness culture of HYROX, differing attitudes toward pregnancy and activity, the reality of job stability and layoffs in the AI era, and Daniel’s realization that after four years, he finally feels completely settled and comfortable living in Korea. As a reminder, we publish our episodes bi-weekly from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey! Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/koreanamericanpodcast] We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey! Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862 Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/ https://twitter.com/korampodcast https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: koreanamericanpodcast@gmail.com Member of the iyagi media [https://www.iyagimedia.com/] network (www.iyagimedia.com)

Episode 110: Silla Gold Crown, London Bagel Museum Controversy, Suneung English

This week Jun and Daniel discuss recent news and cultural trends from November 2025. The episode covers APEC 2025 hosted in Gyeongju where Korea gifted Trump a Shilla gold crown, contrasting Korean labor debates between the London Bagel Museum overwork death and dawn delivery service bans, the viral Gwangjang Market pricing scandal, and the election of Zoran Momdani as New York City's first Muslim and youngest mayor in over a century. The hosts also discuss Gen Alpha slang, tackle Suneung English questions, and respond to listener comments. If you're interested in any of these topics, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This episode offers cross-cultural analysis on labor rights, cultural diplomacy, and social responsibility. As a reminder, we publish our episodes bi-weekly from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey! Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/koreanamericanpodcast] We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey! Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862 Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/ https://twitter.com/korampodcast https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: koreanamericanpodcast@gmail.com Member of the iyagi media [https://www.iyagimedia.com/] network (www.iyagimedia.com)

Episode 109: The Wailing(곡성) Review (Media)

This week Jun and Daniel dive deep into a media review of "The Wailing" (곡성), the critically acclaimed 2016 Korean horror film directed by Na Hong-jin. They begin by unpacking the clever wordplay behind the Korean title—"Gokseong" doubles as both the name of the real Korean city where the film is set and the Chinese character meaning "wailing." The hosts explore the film's complex narrative structure, debating whether the mysterious Japanese man is truly a demon or just an unfortunate scapegoat, analyzing the deacon character's true motivations, and discussing the tragic ending where the protagonist's choices lead to devastating consequences. They examine the film's commentary on faith, superstition, and mob mentality, while also touching on the masterful cinematography, the haunting shaman ritual scene, and the unforgettable performances. If you're interested in understanding why this film is considered one of Korea's most important horror achievements, how Korean shamanism and religious syncretism create the story's ambiguity, why the film's open-ended interpretation makes it endlessly rewatchable, or Daniel's instant regret watching a horror film late at night in the dark, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This episode also features discussion about recognizing famous Korean actors (including Hwang Jung-min, one of Korea's top movie stars), comparisons to The Blair Witch Project, and reflections on how the film uses the real city of Gokseong as its setting. As a reminder, we publish our episodes bi-weekly from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey! Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/koreanamericanpodcast] We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey! Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862 Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/ https://twitter.com/korampodcast https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: koreanamericanpodcast@gmail.com Member of the iyagi media [https://www.iyagimedia.com/] network (www.iyagimedia.com)

Episode 108: Chuseok Recaps, Scammers, No Kings Protests and Tapgol Park Changes

This week Jun and Daniel return from their extended Chuseok holiday break to discuss a range of topics starting with daily life observations about technology, from wireless floor fans to Tesla's touchscreen interfaces to the state of autonomous vehicles in both the US and Korea. They then share their Chuseok vacation experiences, with Jun describing his MT-style trip to Gapyeong and Daniel reflecting on his trip to Seodaemun prison and museum. The conversation then shifts to significant news including the No Kings protests—massive nationwide demonstrations against Donald Trump's second presidential term in 2025—the controversial ban on Chinese chess at Tapgol Park in Seoul, the tragic incident involving Koreans in Cambodia, and the W Magazine Breast Cancer Awareness campaign controversy. The episode concludes with listener questions about Korean apartment uniformity and a spirited debate about nunchi, sparked by a question from a previous guest episode. If you're interested in understanding how Korean efficiency and collectivism shape everything from apartment design to consumer products, learning about the No Kings movement and its significance in American politics, exploring the concept of nunchi and indirect communication in Korean culture, or hearing about nonprofit youth programs bridging Korean and American communities, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! As a reminder, we record one episode a week in-person from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!: Sponsored Content This episode is sponsored by City Youth Martial Arts, a nonprofit taekwondo program serving Milwaukee's diverse urban neighborhoods. Find out more at https://cityyouthmartialarts.org [https://cityyouthmartialarts.org/] Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/koreanamericanpodcast] We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey! Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862 Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/ https://twitter.com/korampodcast https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: koreanamericanpodcast@gmail.com Member of the iyagi media [https://www.iyagimedia.com/] network (www.iyagimedia.com)

Episode 107: On Moving to Korea For A Mid-Life Gap Year (ft. Raychel)

This week, Daniel and Jun sit down with Raychel McKelvy, a Black American teacher and aspiring actor who just moved to Korea from Chicago less than a month ago. Raychel shares her unique journey from living across multiple U.S. cities to taking a "midlife gap year" in Seoul to study Korean at Yonsei University's language institute. They discuss her incredibly diverse upbringing and friend group, spanning Japanese, Indian, Latino, and Korean American communities, and how those experiences shaped her worldview. The conversation explores the stark differences between being a minority in America versus being a "super minority" in Korea, navigating the challenges of staring and othering, and finding beauty in cultural differences. Raychel opens up about her language learning journey, the reality of living in a co-living space in Yeongdeungpo, and adjusting to Korean social norms around public transit etiquette, restaurant timing, and high-context communication. If you're interested in hearing a fresh perspective on moving to Korea, understanding the complexities of race and diversity across cultures, learning about the unexpected challenges and joys of language immersion, or gaining insights into how collectivism and individualism shape American versus Korean society, tune in to hear Daniel, Jun, and Raychel discuss all this and more. This episode offers an honest, thoughtful look at cultural adaptation, the privilege of diversity, and the courage it takes to completely upend your life for personal growth. As a reminder, we publish our episodes bi-weekly from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey! Guest bio: Raychel is an American currently living in Korea and attending Korean language school. When she is not studying Korean, she can be found talking to her family or nerding out on her 2 podcasts: MultiNerds Podcast and Tavern of Tomes.  Follow her Korean adventures on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/raychelmckelvy Links: MultiNerds: https://open.spotify.com/show/6cDn8vhL0XRTTBxl5z5xaL?si=PrrWuVz4TDyMA-d_sz0esQ  Tavern of Tomes: https://open.spotify.com/show/3sx3q8fhQ7mNLvt2I9PRJk?si=FTh-4cX3T-Sw_mLY5fEcoQ Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/koreanamericanpodcast] We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey! Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862 Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/ https://twitter.com/korampodcast https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: koreanamericanpodcast@gmail.com Member of the iyagi media [https://www.iyagimedia.com/] network (www.iyagimedia.com)