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, and vice versa? What makes Japan such a popular tourist destination for Koreans? What’s changed the most for Koreans visiting Japan, when compared to 20 years ago? What is the go-to snack for Koreans to bring back from Japan as a gift? How family friendly did Daniel find Japan? What stood out in Japan, after living in Korea? What are some things that Daniel only just now realized originated in Japan? What was the worst experience from Daniel’s trip that unfortunately reminded him of life in the US? How do Jun and Daniel’s perceptions of Japan differ, growing up in Korea compared to America? What are some things that Americans would attribute to Japan, that Koreans would not? How are relations currently between Korea and Japan?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel shares one way in which he feels more Korean now when traveling abroad, and Jun gets philosophical with regards to beauty.

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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 Koreans about this concept of “outdoor” vs “indoor” clothes and not mixing the two? What is a very surprising requirement for exercising in a gym in Korea? Which country has dustier homes? While Koreans prefer having wet bathrooms for hygiene purposes, what are some unhygienic consequences of this? What are some common home appliances in Korea that aren’t found in American homes? Are there any differences in food hygiene? What are our hosts' feelings towards public bathrooms in Korea? How about sneezing or blowing your nose in public? Are there differences in oral hygiene standards between the two countries? What is with Korea’s obsession with UV light cleaners? What is a common misunderstanding that Koreans have of Western hygiene standards? What is an “italy” towel? Do our hosts have different feelings towards public baths? 

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Listen as our hosts get vulnerable and reveal their personal hygiene habits that they will most definitely be judged for. Also in this episode, Daniel shares something gross his father does on the regular, while Jun shares something he frequently got in trouble for when he was living with his brother.

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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? How does Dragon Ball in English differ from Korean? How big of an influence did Japanese manga and anime have in Korea? What are the perceptions of lovers of Japanese culture in Korea vs America? What is the basis of many popular Korean dramas that most Americans would never have heard of? What are some things about American comic books that a Korean person would find surprising?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel and Jun share their favorite Dragon Ball characters and moments.

NOTE: This episode contains light spoilers for Dragon Ball Z.

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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 the Korean equivalents to things like walking under a ladder, or a lucky rabbit’s foot? Are you aware of the giant metal rods that were left behind by the Japanese? Is there only a certain time that you should be eating apples? How do Korean dragons fly without wings? What is a very unlucky number in Korea, to the extent that Koreans used to skip it on building floors and even building numbers? What is good luck in Korea? What common action takes on much more meaning in Korea, compared to America and Japan? Are Koreans generally more susceptible to myths and superstitions than Americans? How is skepticism connected to optimism?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel presents myths as scientific facts, while Jun comes to a sobering realization.

Links
https://www.san-shin.org/Spikes-controversy.html

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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 things about living in Korea that differed from his expectations, what he’s looking forward to in his upcoming trip to the States. Daniel also contrasts his family’s move from America to Korea, to his parents' move from Korea to America 50 years ago. How is it for Daniel, living with one foot in Korea and one foot in America? How was Jun’s time as a graduate student in America? Did he ever feel targeted or discriminated against? What does he miss about living in the US? Has Jun ever considered emigrating from Korea? What is Jun’s overall level of interaction and perception of foreigners/expats? What race does Daniel sometimes get mistaken for? Where do Koreans in America go for Korean culture? Is there anywhere for Americans in Korea? What does Jun think of Koreatowns in the US? And while you’ve heard of Korean Jesus, have you heard of Baby Korean Jesus? How do Korean angels differ from Western angels? Between Korea and America, which society is more transient overall? What role do Korean churches play in the US that it doesn’t in Korea?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel shares some items on his Korea bucket list, and Jun shares how he might have been just like Daniel in a parallel life. Our hosts also recount an experience on the subway where they felt targeted for speaking English.

Links:
https://m.catholictimes.org/mobile/article_view.php?aid=141297 (Actual Korean Jesus)

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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 jeong simply humanity, or nationalism? How does jeong exist and manifest in Korea today, or has it simply gone away completely?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel makes a wrong assumption, while Jun shares a heart warming anecdote about his parents.

Links:
https://www.knowingkorea.org/contents/view/204/The-uniquely-Korean-concept-of-Jeong

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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 from traditions? What is replacing traditions in Korea? How are the classic games of Monopoly and Yutnori microcosms of their respective cultural values and ideals? What do some Koreans wish an AI could do for them? What is the N-Po generation, and what traditional life goals have they given up on? Is happiness even thought of as an ideal in Korea?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel channels his inner Thomas Jefferson, and Jun continues his own personal tradition of mentioning a certain non-Korea, non-America country in every episode.

N-Po Generation (namu wiki): https://namu.wiki/w/N%ED%8F%AC%EC%84%B8%EB%8C%80 

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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 it compare to general passive-aggressive behavior? Is it something that you’re born with, or something that you can develop? Is life more difficult if you have it, or if you don’t? Is it possible to have too much of it? How would noonchi change for Koreans when they leave Korea? Can you have it without an understanding of Korean culture itself?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel asks one of the more difficult questions so far in the podcast, Jun shares a surprising detail of how he was parented, and the show gets its first ever (audio) guest/cameo.

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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 do with raising his young children? What is especially challenging for foreigners in Korea, that even natives find annoying? What are the pros and cons of your cell phone number essentially becoming your identification? Why is parking both amazing and terrible? What did Jun find surprisingly slow in America? What is one of Daniel’s least favorite things about America, especially in contrast to the US? 

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel makes his pitch for the Jeju tourism board, and Jun shares one of his great grievances about Korea. 

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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 Korean Korean. How is Asian representation in the media perceived in Korea? Why is the show’s title clever? What similarities are there between the Holocaust and the Japanese occupation of Korea? What symbols and words in Korea carry the same weight as a Nazi swastika or the n-word? What nuances, from a style of glasses to subtle language cues, would a Korean viewer pick up that are lost on Western audiences? How distracting are bad accents to a Korean viewer?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel shares his love for Korean media and how deeply Asian representation in media matters to him, while Jun nerds out architecture, which he has a graduate degree in (from a college in Boston).

NOTE: While this is not an episode review per se, as we focus more on cultural aspects depicted in the drama rather than the plot and characters of the drama itself, this episode still may contain spoilers. If you have not watched Gyeongseong Creature Episode 1 and do not want anything spoiled, consider yourself warned!

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