Change can be uncomfortable, stressful, even downright frightening because our brains are wired to perceive change as a threat. But sometimes people push through the fear and face change head on. This podcast is about those people. Every two weeks, host Jun Love Young, CEO of ZUM Communications, introduces you to incredible change agents who’ve led extraordinary transformations in their life, their work, and the world. Their stories will inspire YOU to be the agent of change your life deserv ...
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How does modern day Korea compare to America? Join co-hosts Daniel and Jun every week as they explore a topic and discuss it from both the American and Korean perspective. If you're looking to learn more about Korean society and culture, are a part of the Korean diaspora and curious how Korea has changed since you, your parents, or your grandparents left, or are simply interested in broadening your personal worldview and perspective, then we hope you'll listen in and join us on this journey! ...
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Aspiring young professional. Here to establish leadership traits, goals, love for what you do, and to stay hungry! Always open minded!
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Episode 59: Exhuma Movie Review and Shamanism (Media)
1:23:00
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss Korean shamanism and occult practices through a review of the popular Korean movie "Exhuma" (or "파묘" in Korean). How integrated is shamanism in modern Korean society? What are some common superstitions and spiritual practices in Korea? How does the movie portray traditional Korean beliefs and anti-Japanese sentiment…
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Episode 58: Korean News Headlines - July 2024 (News)
1:33:55
1:33:55
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss some notable news headlines from July 2024. What led to the scandal surrounding popular mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang, and what does it reveal about Korea's entertainment industry and cyber bullying culture? How significant is the recent Supreme Court ruling recognizing same-sex couples' rights, and what might it signal …
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Episode 57: US Trip Recap (Reflections)
1:27:28
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This week Daniel shares his reflections after spending a month back in the United States with his family. Listen in as Daniel and Jun discuss the stark differences between life in Korea versus America, from diverse communities to driving habits to portion sizes. What aspects of American life did Daniel miss most while living in Korea? How did his p…
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Episode 56: Keeping Up With The Kimses (Parenting)
2:03:24
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This week Jun and Daniel are joined by special guests Young and Grace to discuss parenting in Korea vs. America. How does the Korean postpartum care system differ from the U.S.? What level of independence do Korean parents give their children compared to American parents? How do discipline styles vary between the cultures? What is the hagwon system…
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Episode 55: E-sports and Gaming (Culture)
1:53:18
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss E-sports and gaming culture with a friend of the show and professional gaming coach, Wizard Hyeong. Korea is famously known as the birthplace of Esports, where the Korean e-Sports Association (KeSPA), an arm of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, was founded in 2000 to promote and regulate esports in the co…
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Episode 54: Listener Comments - Read and Response #1 (Media)
1:54:33
1:54:33
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This week Jun and Daniel experiment with a new format in which they read and respond to various channels of fan and follower engagement. For the inaugural episode, our hosts look at comments left on their Instagram Reels and YouTube media. After reading and discussing some of the most popular comments, our hosts then give each a rating from mild, t…
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This week Jun and Daniel take on another so-called pillar of Korean culture and society: han. How does Jun define han, and what issue does he take with the definition from its Wikipedia page? What was behind Jun’s initial reluctance to dedicate an episode to this topic? What are some of our hosts’ personal examples of han? What does it mean to have…
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Episode 52: One Year Of Korean. American. Podcast (Reflections)
1:20:20
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This week Jun and Daniel celebrate reaching the one-year anniversary of the podcast, and successfully releasing “1 Korean. 1 American. 1 Topic Weekly.” for the entire duration. Our hosts each reflect on their most recent trips to the US and how the podcast has impacted their experience and understanding of both American and Korean society and cultu…
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Episode 51: Lovely Runner Episode 1 (Media)
1:38:52
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss Korean culture through a recently trending popular K-drama: Lovely Runner (Episode 1). This time slip, romantic comedy drama series bounces between modern day and 2008 Korea. Our hosts watch the first episode and exchange notes of various cultural nuances and differences that stood out to them. What’s interesting ab…
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Episode 50: Korea? North or South? (Stereotypes)
1:20:50
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss common stereotypes Koreans and Americans might have of each other and to what extent they agree with them. While all stereotypes are neither accurate nor fair, there is no denying they exist and shape our perceptions, interactions, and cultures in meaningful ways. As always, as our hosts engage in light-hearted conv…
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Episode 49: White Truck Of Doom (Media)
1:21:35
1:21:35
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss a topic that is very near and dear to our American host’s heart: Korean dramas, or K-dramas for short. Daniel has been a casual viewer since his early 20s, long before Squid Game put them on the global stage, but his K-drama watching ramped up while in Covid lockdown and hasn’t slowed down since. Like many Westerner…
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Episode 48: Korean News Headlines - May 2024 (News)
1:08:00
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss a few of the biggest headlines in Korean news during the month of May 2024: Min Hee Jin’s ongoing legal battle with HYBE, Naver being asked by the Japanese government to give up control of LINE, famous celebrities Psick Univ and Kang Hyung-wook getting canceled, and the Korean government’s attempted ban on overseas …
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Episode 47: Having A Korean Field Day (Culture)
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss Daniel’s recent experience attending an event at his 4-year-old’s preschool– sports day! Sports day (운동회) in Korea is a classic elementary school tradition that would evoke very fond memories to most anyone who grew up there. For Americans, imagine field day, but even bigger, more official, and standardized across a…
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Episode 46: Wait, What Did You Jeonse? (Housing)
1:08:09
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss the housing payment system of jeonse (전세), or key money deposit, that is unique to South Korea amongst all OECD countries. Roughly 50% of renters in Korea are living with a jeonse, and in 2022 the average jeonse price in Seoul was $500,000. For the first few months after moving to Korea, Daniel had to ask almost eve…
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Episode 45: Korea Visitor Interview #1 (iyagi)
1:15:11
1:15:11
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This week Jun and Daniel have another guest interview with their friend and former co-worker, Alex, who is a frequent visitor to Korea. This time, Alex is visiting Korea to celebrate his daughter’s first birthday. What is something that the cities of Ilsan and Bundang share? What was the first food Alex and his wife sought out upon landing? What ar…
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Episode 44: Judgments Unclouded (Milestones)
58:06
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss the topic of milestones and celebrations. As Daniel recently passed a significant birthday, our hosts take this opportunity to compare what are the big life events in Korea and America, as well as what is typically done to celebrate. What does your average children’s birthday party look like in Korea, and what is on…
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Episode 43: Min Hee-Jin Press Conference, Korean Soccer Failure (News)
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss a couple major trending news headlines in Korea. First, Min Hee-Jin (CEO of ADOR, HYBE’s sub-label for the K-pop girl group NewJeans) held a press conference to address her dispute with HYBE (Korean entertainment company behind BTS and other K-pop groups) which went viral for its authenticity and candor about the in…
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Episode 42: Call Me, Maybe? (Language)
1:17:13
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This week Jun-nim and Daniel-nim have a conversation around various topics related to titles in Korea and the hierarchy they create. Our hosts discuss what language Koreans use to refer to each other within family, workplace, and general societal relationships, and the expectations that follow. What is something challenging for Jun when translating…
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Episode 41: Korea Exit Interview #1 (iyagi)
1:09:33
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This week Jun and Daniel interview their former coworkers who have been living in Korea but are moving back to America. This episode is the first in our “iyagi” (“story” or “conversation” in Korean) series, in which we interview guests about their time living in Korea. Today, our conversations cover such questions as: What brought them to Korea in …
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Episode 40: Dreams of Food Court Kids' Meals (Japan)
1:12:38
1:12:38
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss all things Japan! Given Jun mentions Japan at least once in seemingly every episode, Daniel’s recent family vacation to Kyoto and Osaka presented a golden opportunity to finally dedicate an entire episode to Korea’s easterly neighbor. Did you know that more Koreans visit Japan as tourists than from any other country…
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Episode 39: The Cleaning Towel of Italy (Hygiene)
49:04
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss hygiene standards and expectations across Korea and the US. By the end of the episode, our hosts reach consensus on what the root differentiating factor is in hygiene standards between the two countries. What are some things that Americans think are fine, that Koreans would find gross, and vice versa? How strict are…
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Episode 38: When You Wish Upon A Dragon Ball (Culture)
35:40
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss their experiences with Japanese comic books (manga) and shows (anime). Prompted by the sudden and sad death of legendary anime creator Akira Toriyama, our hosts share how Dragon Ball impacted their lives in very different but still meaningful ways. What role did Dragon Ball play in Korean culture in the 80s and 90s?…
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Episode 37: How About Them Apples.. At Night (Culture)
1:01:33
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss myths, superstitions, and everything in between. While some people may have heard of “fan death”, there are many other Korean beliefs that are not as well known to Western audiences. What things did Jun believe growing up in Korea that were not necessarily true? Do Koreans today still believe in fan death? What are …
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Episode 36: Black-Haired Foreigner (Daily Life)
1:09:25
1:09:25
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss their experiences when they were living as foreigners in each other’s respective home countries: Daniel in Korea (going on 2.5+ years), and Jun in America (4 years for graduate school). Daniel shares a bit of a broader reflection on their move to Korea: how he and his family first decided to move to Korea, some thin…
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss what is often considered one of the pillars of Korean culture: jeong. It’s a term that Daniel had never heard of until his 20s, but one which instantly resonated with him. What is Jun’s understanding of jeong, as a native Korean? Is jeong really something that is unique to Korea? What is the origin of jeong? Is jeon…
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This week Jun and Daniel start by sharing some typical holiday traditions, but quickly transition into exploring why Koreans seem to be quickly losing their sense of traditions completely. Listen in as our hosts make some huge connections (and bold claims!) between major themes they’ve discussed previously. What is the root cause of this drift away…
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss the concept of noonchi in Korean culture. Noonchi is commonly translated as “emotional intelligence” or one’s ability to “read the room”, but after hearing it used in many other ways, Daniel dives deeper into some of the nuances and alternative meanings of this term. How can you give noonchi to someone, and how does…
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Episode 32: Manual Automatic Sliding Doors (Daily Life)
1:01:11
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss what they find convenient about living in Korea compared to America, as well as the things that make Daniel long for the land of large and available parking spots. Our hosts take turns bringing up everyday things that make living in Korea or America awesome. What is the most convenient thing for Daniel, that has to …
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Episode 31: Gyeongseong Creature Episode 1 (Media)
1:08:26
1:08:26
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss Korean culture through a recently trending popular K-drama on Netflix: Gyeongseong Creature Episode 1, which takes place in 1945 with Korea still under Japanese occupation. Our hosts use this drama episode as a vehicle to discuss differences in how a Korean American might view and receive the show, compared to a Kor…
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss our favorite furry friends, and explore the differences between pet culture in Korea and America. Our hosts discuss their experience with having or interacting with pets in Korea, and how pet culture mirrors society at large. Like many things in Korea, there are stark differences across generational lines. How were …
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss how Daniel’s understanding of Korean culture growing up has changed significantly compared to modern day Korea. Topics range from language, to the fear of North Korea invading, to subway etiquette, but the theme of this episode is comparing the Korea Daniel’s parents left in the 70s to the Korea Daniel and Jun are l…
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss the very heavy topic of suicide. While Daniel has known for a while that Korean society has a problem with suicide, with the highest rest of suicides within the OECD nations, famous actor Lee Sun-kyun’s recent high-profile suicide has brought this issue to the forefront of everyday conversation. What are the factors…
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This week Jun and Daniel discuss the Korean language in all of its beautiful and confusing glory. Specifically, Daniel brings up the topic of how it is very indirect and how he struggles with that as an American. What are some confusing American phrases for Koreans to learn? What is a high-context vs low-context society, and what impact does this h…
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Episode 26: Of Plums and Peach Trees (Holidays)
1:05:20
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This week Jun and Daniel kick off 2024 with a discussion about how Koreans celebrate the New Year. Listen in as our hosts compare new year’s traditions in Korea and America. Do Koreans celebrate January 1st differently than Lunar New Year? Do Koreans make New Year’s resolutions? Who usually plays hosts in Korea for family gatherings? When do you ma…
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Episode 25: 2023 Year End Wrap Up “SSAMary” (Podcast)
43:24
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This week Jun and Daniel wrap (“ssam”) up the year with thoughts and reflections from their first year of doing this podcast. Despite the focus on talking about the podcast itself, our hosts still touch briefly on how the holiday season looks like in South Korea. Listen in as our hosts go over their stat card for the podcast (and other social chann…
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Episode 24: Dork With Strengths (Language)
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This week Jun and Daniel take a journey into millennial slang of their respective countries. Listen in on this light-hearted conversation as our hosts attempt to guess the meaning of modern slang words in Korea and America. Can you guess what 폼미쳤다, 너뭐돼, and many other Korean phrases mean? Can Daniel succeed in guessing a single one? Can Jun figure …
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Episode 23: A Drinking Occasion (Food and Drinks)
1:15:19
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This week Jun and Daniel dive into the soju, beer, and all things drinking culture. Listen as our hosts recount some of their experiences with alcohol in Korea. Do Koreans really drink as frequently and as heavily as is portrayed in Korean dramas and movies? What is a pojangmacha (포장마차), where is one of the more popular areas for them in Seoul, and…
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This week Jun and Daniel explore the world of chain restaurants. Listen as Daniel recounts his first experience eating a Korean pizza, and the various toppings that he found shocking, while Jun applauds the effort to experiment and localize. What American chains have been successful in Korea, and which haven’t? How do they differ? Have any Korean c…
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This week Jun and Daniel explore the cafe culture that exists in Korea. Rather than invite people into each other’s homes, in Korea it’s much more common to meet at a cafe instead. What are some of the driving forces behind this? What is the expectation when hosting people in your home? What is the expectation as a guest when you are invited to som…
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Episode 20: There’s A Korean App For That (Technology)
59:28
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This week Jun and Daniel explore the various websites and applications used in Korea compared to America. What are the popular websites and apps across the two countries? Which are the same, and which are different? How did the internet and internet culture evolve in Korea, and how did it differ from America? Is the iMessage blue check mark a thing…
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Episode 19: The Devil Wears Kodak (Fashion)
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This week Jun and Daniel take on a topic neither is quite comfortable with: fashion. Daniel has had a growing list of fashion-related questions that he finally gets to discuss. Winter has come in Korea, and with it, another change in the clothing you see people wearing. What are some of the latest fashion trends in Korea? While yoga pants are rarel…
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Episode 18: The One With All The 90s References (Media)
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This week Jun and Daniel wax nostalgic and take a walk down memory lane as they recount various TV shows from their respective childhoods in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. From children’s cartoons to daytime soaps, Daniel discovers that Korean and American youth had quite a great deal of overlap. What is AFKN, and how did it enable Korean youth to get ac…
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This week Jun and Daniel talk about something in Korean culture that Daniel still really struggles to understand, which is their commitment to obeying the letter of the law with no regard to the spirit of the law. Also, why restaurants rarely offer any ability to customize their menu options, and why Koreans are so inflexible and unwilling to make …
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This week Jun and Daniel talk about all things travel. Listen in as Jun and Daniel detail recent trips they’ve made, as well as popular travel destinations for Koreans and Americans. Between Japan and Korea, which is more friendly for English speakers? What are the most popular travel destinations for Koreans? What country is far easier for Koreans…
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This week Jun and Daniel scratch the surface of a big important topic: working life. Employment in Korea is generally considered for life, and it is nearly impossible to be fired. How does this impact work culture? What are the top companies that new grads in Korea want to work for? What is NaKaLaCouBaeDangTo? Why isn’t Samsung considered a tech gi…
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Episode 14: Don't Press My Buttons (Culture)
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This week Jun and Daniel finally get around to exploring a question that was teased in the pilot for this podcast: Why don’t people hold the door open for each other? Listen in as our hosts discuss varying topics related to manners and common courtesy between the two countries. How do Koreans react when you hold the door open for them? What is comm…
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This week Jun and Daniel explore a conversation Daniel had with his co-worker shortly after moving to Korea that will forever be ingrained into his memory, and was somewhat of a precursor to this podcast: being nerdy. Does this concept exist in Korea, and if so, how does it differ from in America? Is being smart in Korea the same as being cool in A…
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This week Jun and Daniel dive into the world of humor and comedy. If you’ve heard of Danny Cho, Gag Concert (개그콘서트), High Kick! (거침없이 하이킥), Infinite Challenge (무한도전), or 1 Night 2 Days (1박2일), listen in as Jun does his best to give Daniel an overview of the history of comedy in Korea, from its Japanese and American roots to a recent stand-up show h…
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Episode 11: I See Old People (Daily Life)
53:34
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This week Jun and Daniel continue the theme from last week, but this time, they take it stateside. Listen in as Jun takes Daniel on a journey of the senses to describe some of the more light-hearted minutiae of everyday life in the US. What are the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feels of America to a Korean? What do Americans take for granted …
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This week Jun and Daniel take a break from the broad, macro-level topics they have been discussing, and dive into some of the more light-hearted minutiae of everyday life here in Korea. Listen in as Daniel recounts stories from his first months after moving to Korea, and what he found surprising then but is now used to. Topics range from Korea’s co…
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