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 exceptions in general. Listen in as Daniel recounts various stories from his time in Korea that make him shake his American head. Will Jun’s explanations of the Korean perspective result in Daniel nodding his head in agreement? What staples of Costco and Ikea are not a thing in Korea? How do Koreans respond when they are forced to make many individualized choices? Why does everything in Korea have so many rules? And what food ingredient is so decisive that Koreans will accept your request to hold it?

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, Jun comes up with a way to measure Daniel’s progress in speaking Korean, suggests a book idea, and reveals his second great mystery of Korea, while Daniel details the varied responses to his poor Korean speaking ability, calls out Jun’s ungrounded assertion of progress within Korean society, and has his mind blown repeatedly.

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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 to travel to compared to Americans? What is the furthest possible travel destination from Korea? What do Americans travel to, and does it differ by coast? What are the best beaches in Korea? What are the famous mudflats (갯벌) and water valleys (계곡) in Korea? What province in Korea is known for their food? What common travel tradition do college students in Korea and America share? What do Koreans love to buy from the duty-free? What makes the rest stops in Korea so awesome? What is a ‘hocance’?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week Jun also reaffirms his love for Japan and shares his dream job from college, while Daniel shares his distaste for a Korea-only McDonald’s item, fails to recall certain details from his life prior to moving to Korea, and declares his love for Costco.

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We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!

Support us on Patreon:
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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 giant in Korea? What is the process like for getting hired at Samsung, and why isn’t Samsung considered a tech company in Korea? What is a “CC”? What is an “alba”? What’s an exception in Korea, that is the norm in the US? What extreme tactic do Korean companies use to prevent paying employees overtime? How do you get a government job in Korea?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week we also touch on an interesting and highly relevant restaurant concept, learn about Jun’s friends in high places, and discover that in Korea, standardized testing does not end in college.

Congrats J for starting your new job at Samsung! We’re so proud of you and can’t wait to see how your career unfolds!

Support the show

We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!

Support us on Patreon:
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Follow us on socials:
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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 common practice with regards to dental hygiene in Korea, that most Americans would find odd and borderline disgusting? What is a common thing done in America that is seared into Jun’s memory? Why would Koreans much rather invade personal space, then ask someone to do something for them? Is commenting on physical appearances, especially weight, really not negative? Has Daniel become comfortable with silence after a sneeze? Which country has the more casual office culture? How can one tip in Korea without offending anyone?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week we also recall a scene from Crash Landing on You, learn about Jun’s reputation with respect to communication, and come to a mind-blowing conclusion about tipping habits.

Support the show

We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!

Support us on Patreon:
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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 America? Who gets bullied in Korea? Does wearing glasses have the same stigma in Korea? What constitutes socioeconomic status in each country? What is the modern equivalent of Korean royalty? How do Koreans feel about being Korean?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week Daniel debunks a common misconception Koreans have about Japan’s name for America, but Jun gets back at Daniel by schooling him on a famous American scholar.

Support the show

We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!

Support us on Patreon:
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Follow us on socials:
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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 he attended. Did humor exist at all in Korea before this current generation? What was Daniel’s experience with Asian American comedians growing up?  What American thing is one of the most popular Korean YouTube channels making fun of? What is a robot’s favorite food? Where do astronauts go to drink?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week Daniel shares some trauma from one of his previous boss’ sarcastic comments to his parents, makes a big confession about his comedic preferences, reveals who his favorite Friends’ character was, and embarassingly struggles to understand Jun’s Korean dad jokes.

Support the show

We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!

Support us on Patreon:
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Follow us on socials:
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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 and not realize might feel foreign to others? What is an innocent American gesture that Koreans find rude? Is there actually any science behind how Korean and American people talk? Do Koreans and Americans smile differently? Where does Jun feel most exposed in America? And just how many times can Daniel say “ooh, interesting” in one episode?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week we also learn about Daniel’s childhood tradition whenever he got new shoes, Jun’s design sense, and a traumatizing memory from Daniel’s college years.

Support the show

We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!

Support us on Patreon:
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Follow us on socials:
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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 complicated trash and recycling system, eating out at restaurants, apartment life, driving, and.. doors. Did you know apartment complexes can be on the scale of a small city? What is a wet bathroom and why is it the enemy of socks? What common American bathroom item in America does Daniel now consider a luxury? Learn about Koreans’ love for color coding, why Koreans are finally coming around to dryers, and what Busan drivers are famous for.

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week we also learn more about Daniel’s love for carpet, what Jun considers one of Korea’s great mysteries, and why Daniel’s father-in-law considers driving in Seoul a metaphor for life.

Support the show

We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!

Support us on Patreon:
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Follow us on socials:
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This week Jun and Daniel take a first stab at tackling a fairly big topic in Korea: the education system. It wasn’t that long ago that Korean students went to school from morning to midnight, six days a week. While this is technically no longer the case, in practice, not much has changed. Why are Koreans so obsessed with education? How does a day in the life of a Korean and an American high school student compare? How much homework do Korean students get? What is a common stereotype that Koreans have of American schools? How does the college admissions process work? What do planes and police have to do with the Korean SAT? How has the role of public school teachers changed? Why does Daniel love the daycare/preschools in Korea? Who are some of the top earners in Korea?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week we also learn a bit about what Jun was like in high school, a nerdy programming joke from Daniel, and whether our parents really did walk uphill 5 miles both ways through the snow to get to school.

Support the show

We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!

Support us on Patreon:
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Follow us on socials:
https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/
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This week Jun and Daniel explore the phenomenon of how things become “trending” (viral) in Korea. You may have heard of the honey butter chip craze back in 2015, but what are some more recent food trends that went viral in Korea? You may have heard of screen golf, but what other popular sport has Korea turned into an indoor screen game? What does Daniel believe are the three ingredients for a sport or hobby to go viral in Korea, and does pickleball fit the bill? How do viral trends in Korea and America differ, and why?

If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week we also learn what an “open run” is, one of Daniel’s favorite snacks, and why it’s easier to get BTS tickets in the US than it is in Korea.

Support the show

We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!

Support us on Patreon:
https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862

Follow us on socials:
https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/
https://twitter.com/korampodcast
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Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]

Member of the iyagi media network (www.iyagimedia.com)