Understanding Korea, One Story at a Time Podcast

In this episode, we dive into the emotionally powerful world of Korean storytelling from the Japanese colonial era (1910–1945).

Why do Korean books, dramas, and films hit so hard? Because behind every beautifully told story is a history of loss, resistance, and survival.

From classic literature like Toji and the poetry of Yoon Dong-ju, to unforgettable dramas like Years of Upheaval and modern masterpieces like Mr. Sunshine, this epis...

🎧 Turning Pain into Power 1: The Emotional Force of Korean Storytelling

Why does Korean media feel so intense—especially when it dives into history?

In this episode, I explore how Korea’s past—colonization, war, dictatorship—shaped a storytelling tradition that doesn’t flinch. We unpack why Korean audiences expect emotional authenticity, and how trauma became a creative superpower.

🔍 From "Bridal Mask" to "Dongju," these aren’t just...

What do bamboo spears and light sticks have in common?

In Korea, they both defend democracy.

In this episode, we trace Korea’s radical idea that “the people own this land”—not just as political theory, but as a lived, historical truth. From communal rice paddies of 5,000 years ago to modern candlelight protests, we uncover the origins of Korea’s unique civic instinct.

You’ll discover:

🌾 How ancient Korean communities believed land was...

What does it look like when an entire nation stands up at once?

In this episode, we go back to March 1, 1919—the day millions of Koreans, from students to shopkeepers, marched into the streets and shouted, “Long live Korean independence!”

This wasn’t a riot. It was a peaceful revolution.

You’ll learn:

📜 How the idea of national self-determination spread after WWI🔥 Why grief over a king’s death became the spark for a mass uprising🕊️ ...

What would you give to save your country?

A ring? A medal? A pack of cigarettes?

If you were Korean, chances are, you’d say yes—and so would your neighbors.

In this episode, we explore two extraordinary moments in modern Korean history where ordinary citizens mobilized to rescue their nation:

💨 In 1907, men gave up smoking, and women melted their jewelry to pay off Korea’s national debt—long before colonization was official.🥇 In 199...

Before Korean democracy lit up with candlelight protests and peaceful revolutions, it was forged in darkness—during one of the most traumatic chapters of its history.

In this episode, we go back to 1910, when Japan forcibly annexed Korea and erased a 500-year-old kingdom from the world map.

But Korea didn’t collapse—it was stolen. And from that loss came an unshakable spirit of resistance.

You’ll learn:

🧭 How Joseon’s fall felt like ...

What does it take for a democracy to save itself?

In this episode, I share the real-time story of how Koreans rose up—again.

When a sitting president declared martial law in 2024, the people responded with something extraordinary: a peaceful, relentless movement that brought him down and ushered in new leadership within months.

💡 You’ll hear about:

🧷 “The Kisses Brigade”—why silver thermal blankets became the unlikely symbol of Kore...

Korea doesn’t wait for bad leaders to finish their terms—Koreans remove them.

But why?

In this episode, I explore the cultural and historical foundations of Korea’s unique democracy.

From Confucian ideals in the Joseon Dynasty to modern candlelight protests, we look at how civic values evolved in a country where the people expect their leaders to serve—or step aside.

You’ll learn about:

* 🏛️ The Joseon-era belief that kings serve th...

Is South Korea raising doctors—or just chasing safety?

In this episode, we dive into South Korea’s full-blown obsession with medical school—and how it’s transforming not just careers, but childhoods, universities, and even national healthcare.

👧🏻👦🏻 Think seven-year-olds in med school prep classes.🎓 Think top-tier STEM students walking away from Seoul National University to try again—for a shot at medicine.💉 Think dermatology cl...

What happens when job security becomes a national obsession?

In this episode, we trace South Korea’s decades-long search for the ultimate stable career—from the civil servant boom after the 1997 IMF crisis to today’s frenzied race for medical school.

You’ll hear how shattered economic dreams gave rise to the myth of the “iron rice bowl,” why teaching became elite almost overnight, and why neither profession holds the same allure anym...

What happens when a country faces economic collapse—then passes the fear down to its children?

In this episode, we explore how the 1997 IMF crisis didn’t just crash South Korea’s economy—it reshaped family life, redefined parenting, and turned education into a national survival strategy.

You’ll hear how the middle class unraveled, how lifetime jobs disappeared overnight, and why today’s Korean kids are still paying the price.

👉 If yo...

🎧 Shut Up and Do Math: Inside Korea’s Childhood Race to the Top

Part 7 of the “Growing Up in Korea” series

Ever heard of a place where English is “finished” by age 12, and fourth graders are expected to master middle school algebra before they lose their baby teeth?

Welcome to Daechi-dong, the unofficial Olympic Village of education in Seoul.

In this episode, we dive deep into Korea’s most intense education track, where kids sprint th...

🎧 New Episode: Korea’s Preschool Pressure Cooker—The “4-Year-Old Exam” and Beyond

Ever feel like kindergarten is getting a little too serious?

In South Korea, it’s not just serious—it’s war.

In this audio essay, I dive into the rise of the “4-Year-Old Gosi” and “7-Year-Old Gosi,” two high-stakes entrance exams that are redefining childhood in places like Daechi-dong, Seoul’s epicenter of educational ambition.

We’ll trace the roots o...

📚 Growing Up in Korea | Ep. 5Ever wonder where Korea’s intense education culture began? Long before cram schools, Joseon crown princes were memorizing Confucian texts, learning swordsmanship, and taking oral exams… starting at age three. 👑📖

This episode uncovers the grueling academic life of Korea’s future kings—and why being born royal meant no childhood.

🎧 Bonus insights from the written post: The Royal Grind: How Joseon Dynast...

What if I told you Korea’s academic pressure didn’t start with private academies or college entrance exams—but with a 600-year-old test so brutal, people spent their entire lives preparing for it?

In this audio essay, I take you back to the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), where the Gwageo—an ultra-competitive civil service exam—became the single most important path to social mobility and success. It wasn’t just a test. It was a cultural...

🎧If you’ve ever wondered why Korea is so obsessed with education, this episode goes deep into the origin story—one rooted not in modern societal pressures, but in centuries-old philosophy and political upheaval.

In this audio essay, I explore how Korea’s long-standing reverence for education began not with private academies or college entrance exams, but with a revolution. When the Joseon Dynasty emerged from the collapse of Goryeo...

🎧 Why do Korean parents push their kids so hard—and is it really heartless? In this episode, we explore the cultural and historical forces behind Korea’s intense education system.

This episode is based on the second post from my Growing Up in Korea series.

In this audio essay, I dig into one of the most confounding contradictions in Korean society: how can a country known for its deep love for children push them so relentlessly thro...

🎧 What does it really mean to grow up in Korea—a country of stunning success, crushing pressure, and profound contradictions? This episode unpacks the history and heart behind it all.

This episode is based on my first Substack post from the Growing Up in Korea series.

I do a lot of research for each piece—far more than what ends up in the newsletter. So I’ve started turning some of that unused material into conversational audio usin...