Yalla Habibi

Inside the World’s Most Surreal Border: How Kpop Became a Weapon


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We head to the North Korea border this week, where we learn how blasting Kpop becomes a form of psychological warfare and why the North once responded with balloons full of bin-bag surprises. We explore secret tunnels, bizarre conflicts that started over pigs and ears, and how even trimming a tree nearly kicked off a war. In “Scott’s WTF of the Week” we react to a story so unbelievable it made us question whether anyone is ever truly “gone,” while “Shelby’s Good Vibes Only” brings a rare moment of global hope from a country doing something extraordinary for the planet. “Vegan Voyagers” breaks down South Korea’s plant-based scene with our honest scores, and in “Worth The Trip” we share our favourite and least favourite things about South Korea and whether we’d recommend it.


Chapters

(01:18) – Our Experience on the North Korea Border

(17:01) – Scott’s WTF of the Week: Dead’ Woman Wakes Up in Her Coffin

(24:25) – Shelby’s Good Vibes Only: Uruguay Runs Almost Entirely on Renewables

(29:54) – Vegan Voyagers: South Korea 

(37:32) – Worth The Trip: South Korea


Scott's WTF of the Week

⚰️ ‘Dead’ Woman Wakes Up in Her Coffin

📅 Tuesday 25th November

🔗⁠⁠⁠ https://news.sky.com/story/dead-thai-woman-sent-to-crematorium-wakes-up-in-coffin-13475133


Shelby’s Good Vibes Only

🌍 Uruguay Runs Almost Entirely on Renewables

📅 Saturday 19th October 2025

🔗⁠⁠⁠https://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2025/10/19/uruguays-renewable-charge-a-small-nation-a-big-lesson-for-the-world/


Recommended Episodes to Watch

Check out these other episodes we mentioned, they dive into similar stories and topics.

🎧The One Thing We Wish We Knew Before Visiting China


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Transcript Keyword Summary

DMZ South Korea travel, Near-death experiences, Unbelievable true stories, Hypoglycemia dangers, Renewable energy success, Strange world news, Travel adventures in Asia, Vegan travel South Korea, South Korea food guide, Seoul restaurants, South Korea cultural tips, South Korea travel struggles, Autumn in Seoul, Korean spa experience, South Korea navigation apps, South Korea fashion tips, Yalla Habibi, Yalla Habibi Podcast, Couples Podcast, Relationship Podcast


Transcript Quotes

  • "We were literally… Right, right, right. On the border. There were different sections of the border… and you could see it."
  • "It was an odd feeling seeing a country like that. Just right next door. I never thought I would ever come close to it."
  • "Moments before being cremated, she woke up in her coffin."
  • "It just makes me so proud to know that Uruguay have done this. I think that is an unbelievable feat and how that isn't being talked about in every news outlet in every part of the world"
  • "It is honestly, from the vegan options, it's been the worst place we've ever visited."
  • "In South Korea, there's something that is referred to as the no color rule, everyone wears like natural tones, like black, white, nudes, navies, and it was very much, oh, we all need to be the same."
...more
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Yalla HabibiBy Scott and Shelby