Korea Deconstructed

Park Chan-wook is a master of movie making. And he's seemingly getting better with age. Leaving the sex and violence of previous hits such as Oldboy, JSA, and The Handmaiden behind him, Decision to Leave / 헤어질 결심 (2022) explores the relationship between a Korean man and a Chinese woman, completely incompatible, seemingly madly in love, and destined to destroy each other. These two roles are played expertly by Tang Wei and Park Hae-il.

"The moment you said you loved me, your love ended. And the moment your love ended, my love began."

The movie is a piece of art: a poem. It encourages you to watch it multiple times, with each viewing providing greater insight into the layers constructed: through sound, language, visuals, and mis-en-scene.

I sat down with two Korean women, Jimin and Yunsuh, and a Chinese woman, Jessie, to explore this movie from a variety of perspectives: art, beauty, gender, love, and morality. Each of them provided views and insights I would never have found myself. And yet, it still feels like there is so much that went unsaid.

Discussion Outline

0:00 First Impressions

13:40 Park Chan-wook and Gender

18:46 Park Chan-wook's Style

25:45 Is Decision to Leave Romantic?

34:58 Asian Vibes: The Mountains and the Sea

43:06 Tang Wei

1:08:25 Poetry, Yeokbek, and McGuffins

1:19:30 The Ending of the Movie

1:38:50 Haejoon: The Male Lead

1:59:52 Park Chan Wook and the Oscars

2:08:00 A movie, a Book, a Song

Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard

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▶ Music: Rail Gun by Disorientalz

Bernardo Kastrup is the executive director of Essentia Foundation. His work has been leading the modern renaissance of metaphysical idealism, the notion that reality is essentially mental. He has a Ph.D. in philosophy and another Ph.D. in computer engineering. As a scientist, Bernardo has worked for CERN and Philips Research Laboratories. Bernardo's 11th book, coming in 2024, is 'Analytic Idealism in a Nutshell: A straightforward summary of the 21st-century's only plausible metaphysics.'

This is me listening to Bernardo and asking him questions so as to better understand the world as mind. To do this, we explored what it means to be human. Bernardo explained the work of Nietzsche, Frankl, Schopenhauer, and Jung to me as well as how a bourgeoise has sought to wrest control of our culture away from the church and ultimately leave us stranded, meaningless, and seeking solutions elsewhere.

Bernardo taught me that we should not seek answers or solutions. These will never appear to us and we simply don't have the capability to understand what is going on. Instead, like the apple blossom in his garden, we should just be. We should listen to the noumena, the will inside us. We can describe it as duty, as calling, as fate, or as many other things. But ultimately, we are a violin and we should allow ourselves to be played by nature rather than seeking to force ourselves on the world. We should seek service instead of personal happiness. These ideas will stay with me for a while.

At the end, I asked him to recommend a movie, a book, and a song. The movie he suggested was The Double Life of Véronique (1991) by Polish director Krzysztof Kieślowski. The song was Song to the Siren by Cocteau Twins vocalist Elizabeth Fraser. The book was Schopenhauer's The World as Will and Representation.

Bernardo's Website: https://www.bernardokastrup.com/

The Essentia Foundation: https://www.youtube.com/@UCHKZdDf09_8vVHm102fu0sg

Bernardo's upcoming book: https://www.amazon.com/Analytic-Idealism-Nutshell-straightforward-metaphysics/dp/1803416696

Discussion Outline:

0:00 The importance of service

7:40 The bourgeoisie capture of culture

12:33 Immanent meaning

25:35 Spiritual but not religious

31:00 Carl Jung and our two stages of life

41:58 Introspection as the royal path to knowledge

48:15 Schopenhauer and the will inside us

54:52 Synchronicity 1:05:03 Religion and science

1:16:58 The world as mind

1:26:10 A book, a movie, and a song

1:31:10 The apple blossom

Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard

▶ Get in touch: [email protected]

▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/

▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873

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▶ Find us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed

▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128

▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE

▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com/

▶ Music: Rail Gun by Disorientalz

William S. Gilbert is doing PhD research on Korean Taoism's syncretic qualities at Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea. He completed his Master's in Korean Philosophy at Sungkyunkwan University in 2024 and was a graduate research assistant for the Korean Academic Expansion Project.

This is a conversation about Taoism, "Eastern" religions and ways of thought, life, death, god, and the poetry of the Korean scholar Yi Gyu-bo (李奎報).

Discussion Outline

0:00 What is Taoism (도교)?

9:10 What is the Yin Yang (음양)?

22:09 What is Wu-wei (무의)?

32:50 Zen Buddhism (선불교) and Taoism

43:05 The Tao Te Ching (도덕경)

53:20 The Zhuangzi (정자)

1:03:11 Is there such thing as Asian thought?

1:15:52 Does Taoism feature in modern life?

1:29:40 Yi Gyu-bo (이규보)'s poem "In Sickness"

1:45:14 The "Creator" in Taoist thought

2:08:40 Closing thoughts

Will's Website: https://sites.google.com/view/williamgilbert/home

Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard

▶ Get in touch: [email protected]

▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/

▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873

▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard

▶ Find us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed

▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128

▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE

▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com/

▶ Music: Savage Penguin by Radical Gary (David Tizzard)

Cho Ye-won and Jeon Yunseo are students at Seoul Women's University while Park Kyung-hoon (Charlie) studies at Hanyang University. They discuss the best and worst things about living in Seoul, from the safety, the beauty standards, the gender differences, the economic challenges, and much more. They also talk about why some young Koreans want to move abroad.

Discussion Outline

0:00 Do Young People Talk about 탈조선?

3:30 What are Traditional Korean Values?

8:45 What Do Koreans Want from Living Abroad?

19:30 The Best Things About Living in Seoul

27:15 Does Gender Affect Your Life in Korea?

34:45 The Social Gaze (남의 시선) in Korea

37:00 How Do You Feel About Foreigners Coming to Korea?

47:00 Appearance and Personal Colour Tests

55:15 Is Comparison Culture Real?

1:05:55 The Economic Reality of Seoul

1:15:40 Using Korean Titles

1:20:45 The Rise of 평어

1:27:20 Message to People Leaving Korea

1:43:36 Being Gay in Korea

1:48:05 Yewon's Last Message

Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard

▶ Get in touch: [email protected]

▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/

▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873

▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard

▶ Find us on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed

▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128

▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE

▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com/

▶ Music: The Reoccurring Peace Machine by Radical Gary (David Tizzard)

Jeanie Chang is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. Jeanie is also the Founder and CEO of Noona's Noonchi, LLC, a global company offering social media platforms providing deep dives into K-Content from a mental health perspective. In Korea to promote her tours and her latest book (How K-Dramas Can Transform Your Life), we sat down with her to discuss life, culture, society, identity, and, of course, K-Dramas.

Jeanie's Website: https://noonasnoonchi.com/

Her book: https://www.amazon.com/K-Dramas-Mental-Health-Jeanie-Chang/dp/1394210477

Discussion Outline

0:00 Life in Seoul

5:39 Watching K-Dramas

33:23 Self-Care and Dramas

38:55 Mental Health and Gender

43:10 Antifragility

47:47 Generational Change in Korea

53:06 The Korean American Identity

1:16:40 Military Service and BTS

1:25:33 My Mister (나의 아지씨)

1:37:22 Jeong and Nunchi

1:49:20 Collective Society and Titles

2:01:55 Emotions in Korean Society

2:11:39 Shame and Redemption

2:20:47 K-Pop Idols and Karina's Apology

2:28:41 Is Hallyu's Popularity Declining?

2:47:37 Dr. Slump

Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard

▶ Get in touch: [email protected]

▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/

▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873

▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard

▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128

▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE

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▶ Music: Tokyo Cafe by Tvari

John DiMoia is Associate Professor of Korean History at Seoul National University, South Korea. He is the author of Reconstructing Bodies: Biomedicine, Health, and Nation-Building in South Korea since 1945 (2013)

Discussion Outline

0:00 What is History?

7:20 Korean Medicine

30:30 Plastic Surgery

39:30 Korea and the Pandemic

57:05 Korean Health

1:00:10 The Joseon Dynasty

1:27:30 Japanese Colonization

1:50:00 The Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

2:09:33 The Division of Korea

2:26:55 Seoul National University

2:36:07 The Future of Korea

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Reconstructing-Bodies-Biomedicine-Nation-Building-Weatherhead/dp/0804784116

Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard

▶ Get in touch: [email protected]

▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/

▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873

▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard

▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128

▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE

▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com/

At the age of sixteen, Anton discovered Taekwondo in his native Germany. From there, he began exploring Buddhism only to be told by a visiting monk that if he wanted to truly understand it, he would have to visit Korea. Anton then embarked on a journey of practice and discovery in Korea in 1994, initially intending to stay for just a year. This conversation took place in 2024, thirty years later.

Anton has regularly appeared on television during his time here. He has also worked as a producer for the German public broadcaster ARD, offered his expertise as a business consultant, taught at a university, and sought to capture the essence of Korean society as a documentary filmmaker. He has also just written a book in Korean, 한국인들의 이상한 행복, which sheds a critical light on many of the country's social problems. This book was what prompted our discussion today.

Anton's Book: https://product.kyobobook.co.kr/detail/S000001297085

Discussion Outline

0:00 Foundations 1: Taekwondo

11:02 Foundations 2: Buddhism

54:10 The Strange Unhappiness of Korean People

59:17 Education

1:31:27 The Home

1:41:08 Seoul

1:52:22 Korean History

2:23:00 Anton Speaking Korean

Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard

▶ Get in touch: [email protected]

▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/

▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873

▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard

▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128

▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE

▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com/

▶ Music: Hack to Work by Disorientalz

서늘한 여름밤 (Lee Seo-hyun) is a South Korean writer and psychological counseling planner. She received her Master's Degree from the Department of Psychology at Korea University in 2015, and then became a counselor at a large hospital. She soon began drawing and recording her thoughts before then uploading them on the internet. This led to her also starting a popular podcast and authoring 3 different books. In 2017, she established the psychological counseling center 'Every Mind'. Today, her Instagram and YouTube content reaches countless thousands, providing solace, honesty, and the message for Korean people that, "It's okay".

We spoke with her about her recent appearance on Mark Manson's YouTube video declaring Korean people to be the most depressed in the world. We then spoke about trauma, anxiety, perfectionism, the self, fear of failure, micro aggressions, and much more.

Find her work online

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seobam_breeze/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC7Z6ogmq-3N9KoNACH10Hlg

1-on-1 Coaching: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEruSwPi33wmq9j35_oKaAhg3sfaPC0XoT2siRzQcpwD1ieQ/viewform

Discussion Outline

0:00 Generations of War Trauma

2:05 Is Korea the Most Depressed Country in the World?

8:17 What Does Depression Look Like?

13:40 Who Is Most Susceptible to Depression?

16:10 Why Is Our New Generation More Open to Mental Health?

17:40 Psychotherapy and Trauma

22:25 Minorities and Depression

25:25 Drugs and Mental Health

31:45 Are We Becoming too Fragile?

33:25 서늘한 여름밤's Insta and Online Content

43:10 Ego and the Self

48:10 Perfectionism

52:00 The Steps to Self Compassion

55:30 Our Inner Child

1:00:35 The Public Gaze (남의 시선)

1:04:00 Social Media

1:10:40 Psychological Coaching

1:14:35 Breaking Taboos around Mental Health in SK

1:16:50 AI and Mental Health

1:18:45 Toxic Masculinity

1:24:10 Is it Hard to be a Psychologist?

1:27:33 강박 - Being Obsessive

1:29:53 Childhood

1:35:30 Closing Comments

Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard

▶ Get in touch: [email protected]

▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/

▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873

▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard

▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128

▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE

▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com/

▶ Music: Mindstrap by David Tizzard

In communicating with each other before this conversation, Robert asked me to explain certain aspects of Korean culture to him. If you find yourself frustrated that we sometimes hear more about Korea than his own work, I completely agree with you and apologize. Nevertheless, that was part of what was established. My sense is that he also might have wanted a break from explaining his latest book to everyone. We've since realized that we need to look more into the rice production in Korea and I hope that we can find out more of if and how that might have affected Korean culture, particularly in terms of interdependency and human relationships.

I highly recommend his latest book Determined. It genuinely made me rethink much of what I see around me. And, even if you don't find yourself ultimately convinced by his argument concerning free will, you will still learn lots and be treated to writing that is as comfortable making jokes and never taking itself too seriously as it is explaining the hard science.

Bio: Robert Sapolsky is a professor of biology, neuroscience, and neurosurgery at Stanford University, well-known for his research on stress and behavior in wild baboons, as well as his studies on the physiology of the brain. His approach to understanding the complexities of human behavior has made him a respected figure in both the scientific and popular science communities. His latest book, Determined, argues that it is time for us to remove agency from our behavior and stop attributing praise and blame to people for things over which they often have very little control.

Determined: https://www.amazon.com/Determined-Science-Life-without-Free/dp/0525560971

My favourite lecture from him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRYcSuyLiJk

Discussion Outline

0:00 How Did Korea Get Here?

7:15 Rice Theory of Culture

13:55 Do We Have Free Will?

32:56 Changing Morality

37:00 Birthrates

45:15 Transhumanism?

54:40 Death

1:03:45 Closing Questions

Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard

▶ Get in touch: [email protected]

▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873

▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard

▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128

▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE

▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com/

▶ Music: Mindstrap by David Tizzard

Tanner Rogers is a 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Winner. His research consists of the literary analysis of fictional texts produced during the Park Chung Hee era (1961-1979), particularly focusing on the development of "space" in its various physical and conceptual forms, and how texts engage with the rapid urbanization and industrialization of cities like Seoul and Incheon during this time.

We spoke about books, life, and Korea.

This episode again featuring Jeon Yunseo

Instagram: @y_jeon_s

Discussion Outline

0:00 Tanner's Introduction to Korea

15:55 The Park Chung-hee Era

40:05 Korean Literature

53:44 The Dwarf (난장이가 쏘아 올린 작은 공)

1:11:08 The Concept of Han

1:18:05 Hwang Sok-yong

1:36:34 Changing Korean Traditions

1:55:50 The Concept of Space

2:12:05 The Urbanization of Korean Space

2:25:35 1970s Korea vs 2024 Korea

2:36:25 Book Recommendations

Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard

▶ Get in touch: [email protected]

▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873

▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard

▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128

▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE

▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com/

▶ Music: Mindstrap by David Tizzard

▶ Recorded at 허브 36.5: https://www.instagram.com/the_story_from_you/