Korean. American. Podcast

This week Jun and Daniel review the popular Korean reality dating show "Na Neun Solo" (I Am Solo). They explore the format of the show where six men and six women live together for five days in hopes of finding love, using pseudonyms throughout their stay until revealing their real names during the final confession. From analyzing the various character "types" assigned to contestants, to discussing the show's portrayal of Korean dating culture, our hosts examine what makes this series both entertaining and culturally revealing. Topics include Korean beauty standards, flirting techniques, the concept of "pretending" in relational societies, and the contrast between Korean and American approaches to dating and courtship.

If you're interested in understanding Korean reality TV dynamics, learning about how dating shows reflect cultural values, or simply enjoying Jun and Daniel's reactions to some of the more cringe-worthy moments of Season 24, tune in to hear them discuss all this and more! This episode also features Daniel's careful notes from watching the entire season, Jun's explanations of Korean concepts like "cat-style" faces versus "dog-style" faces, and both hosts' analysis of which pseudonymous character they would be if they appeared on the show themselves.

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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!

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This week Jun and Daniel dive into a deep exploration of social circles in Korea compared to America. Daniel shares his recent experience joining a church community group after five years, which sparks the main discussion about how social connections form differently across cultures. The hosts debate whether Korean social groups are more like "cliques" while American groups function as broader "communities," examining why Koreans tend to form smaller, deeper, and more exclusive social circles compared to the more open, expansive networks common in America. They explore the role of group harmony, hierarchy, and Korea's competitive society in shaping these differences, and discuss the concept of "third places" - neutral social environments outside of home and work - which Daniel feels are notably missing in modern Korean society.

If you're interested in understanding why Korean social groups often require multiple commonalities while American groups might form around just one shared interest, how utilitarian values factor into relationship-building in Korean society, or how much things have changed from the previous generation, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Daniel also shares his personal struggles adapting to the Korean social landscape despite living in the country for well over three 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:
https://patreon.com/user?u=99211862

Follow us on socials:
https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/
https://twitter.com/korampodcast
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast

Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]

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

This week Jun and Daniel interview Nelson, a third-culture kid who was born and raised in Brazil before attending college in the US and eventually settling in Korea. They explore his unique journey navigating multiple cultural identities, from experiencing racism as an Asian in Brazil to voluntarily serving in the Korean Marines during a college gap year. Nelson shares how being an "outsider" everywhere ultimately became his superpower, allowing him to bridge different cultural groups. They discuss a wide range of topics including what life was like in a Brazilian international school, cultural differences in dating, gift-giving customs, military service, and Nelson's unexpected rise to social media fame in Korea.

If you're interested in hearing a fresh perspective on Korean culture from someone who approaches it with a "bridge-builder" mindset, or learning about the rich complexity of Korean diaspora experiences beyond Korean Americans, tune in to hear Daniel, Jun and Nelson discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel shares his struggles with maintaining a fresh perspective on familiar surroundings, Jun explains why Koreans might be hesitant to greet strangers, and Nelson reveals his theory about how societal environments shape our behavior more than we'd like to admit.

Guest Bio

Nelson is a third culture kid trying to build bridges.
He's working on an app that teaches Korean and Japanese:
https://teuida.page.link/cho

You can find him on:
http://instagram.com/sochourner
http://tiktok.com/@sochourner

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
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast

Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]

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

This week Jun and Daniel respond to comments from their Instagram Reels, YouTube channel, and emails in their second "Read and Response" episode. From discussing American strawberries tasting like "vegetables you put in soup" to deeper conversations about Korean American identity, our hosts thoughtfully address both supportive feedback and critical comments. They explore topics like Korean snowmen versus American snowmen, the concept of Jeong (정) in Korean society, Korean parents' decisions about teaching their children Korean, and how modern Korea approaches its past. Throughout the episode, they aim to foster greater cross-cultural understanding while responding to misunderstandings with empathy and nuance.

If you're interested in hearing Jun and Daniel's responses to comments about Korean American identity struggles, learning more about Jun's impressive fitness journey and weight loss, understanding the differences between how Koreans and Americans build snowmen, or discovering why Korean toilet paper disposal practices differ from Western ones, tune in to hear them discuss all this and more! This episode also includes Daniel sharing his emotional response to a particularly touching email from a listener, Jun revealing his pre-40th birthday feelings, and both hosts reflecting on their podcast's mission to cultivate empathy between cultures.

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
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast

Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]

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

This week Daniel and Jun dive into the latest trends in Korea, as well as looking into predictions for 2025. They explore what's currently popular across the categories of food, fashion, technology, language, culture, and finance. Food trends include the massive popularity of the Netflix show "Culinary Class Wars," blood sugar monitoring, and protein drinks. In fashion, they discuss the term "demure," the popularity of UGGs, and the trend of customizing personal items called “kku" (-꾸). They also analyze trends from the annual "Trend Korea 2025" book, which predicts shifts toward valuing ordinary experiences ("aboha"), making small incremental improvements ("one-point-up"), and prioritizing real-world experiences over digital ones.

If you're interested in keeping up with the latest changes in Korea, this episode is for you! Daniel and Jun discuss why reading culture in Korea is so different from the US, and debate whether any of the 2025 predictions will come true. Also in this episode, Daniel amazes Jun with his knowledge of Korean children’s cartoons, while Jun once again demonstrates his superior knowledge of scholars and philosophers.

This episode contains a paid sponsorship for KimlyParc, which is 90s Korean instant coffee, reimagined and reinvented. KimlyParc is the premiere instant coffee brand with amazing flavors and the highest quality ingredients. If you’re in the US, head to kimlyparc.com and use the code “KAP” at checkout to get 20% off your order today. If you’re in Korea, search “ 킴리팍” on Naver.
US: https://kimlyparc.com/discount/KAP
Korea: https://smartstore.naver.com/kimlyparc

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
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast

Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]

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

This week Jun and Daniel host their first guest interview with Korean American couple Janice and David Jung from the HoneyJam podcast. Listen in as they discuss navigating Korean American identity, their extended stay in Korea for IVF treatment, and David's innovative venture dehydrating Korean food for camping. From exploring the evolution of jeong in modern Korean society to comparing food culture and social norms across countries, the conversation weaves through various aspects of the Korean-American experience and what it means to exist between two cultures.

If you're interested in learning about Korean workplace dynamics from a Korean American perspective, understanding the cultural expectations when living with Korean in-laws, or hearing about the challenges and joys of spending an extended period in Korea as Korean Americans, tune in to hear Daniel, Jun, Janice and David discuss all this and more! This episode also touches on topics like the hierarchy of spoons in Korean households, the differences in customer service culture, and David's upcoming venture to bring dehydrated Korean food to the camping market.

Guest Bios

Janice Jeong co-hosts a podcast with her best friend called the Honey Jam Podcast. Give their podcast a listen as the two share funny and relatable stories about their lives and also hold discussions about their latest Korean drama/food/music obsession. Janice also creates content about her life, whether that be her fun and silly moments or her IVF journey.

IG: @honeyjampod @haitsjanice

TikTok: @haitsjanice 

David is a Korean American content creator focused on food in the outdoors. He makes and preserves his own korean backpacking meals for his trips and regularly joins Janice on her podcast HoneyJam.

@davidsjeong on all platforms

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
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast

Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]

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

This week Jun and Daniel discuss COVID-19 and how Korea and America differed in their responses to the pandemic. From the earliest cases in January 2020 through the various waves of restrictions and regulations, our hosts explore how their respective countries handled everything from contact tracing and quarantine rules to vaccination policies and mask mandates. They examine how cultural differences between individualistic and collectivist societies influenced public health measures and compliance, while sharing personal stories about their experiences during this unprecedented time.

If you're interested in understanding the contrasts between Korean and American approaches to COVID-19, comparing mask and vaccination cultures, or learning about quarantine experiences and social distancing measures, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week they also touch on topics like remote work culture, the lasting impacts of the pandemic on society, and how COVID-19 ultimately led to Daniel moving to Korea and the creation of this podcast.

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
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast

Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]

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

This week Jun and Daniel welcome two very interesting and unique guests, Seil and Lera. They talk about their life journeys, with topics ranging from the Korean citizenship test, growing up as a third generation Korean in Russia, playing Division III basketball in the US, country living in Korea, and so much more. What does the current naturalization process look like for becoming a Korean citizen through marriage, and how has it changed in recent years? Why does the island of Sakhalin, currently Russian territory, have a significant Korean population? What is the tragic story of how they got there? What is it like living in the truly rural parts of Korea? What was it like growing up Russian Korean, and then moving to Philadelphia? How does fishing compare in the various parts of Korea, and where is the best fishing spot in the country? What are some of the best food recommendations in Jeollanamdo overall, and Tongyeong in particular, from someone living there? What was the sentiment of Russians towards Asians overall and Koreans in particular in the 90s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union? What brought Seil and Lera from the US back to Korea, and what perfect storm of circumstances have kept them here until now?

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 espouses his sense of camaraderie with Russian Koreans, Jun’s apartment records some height-related milestones, and both learn a lot about a part of the Korean diaspora that they suspect most people are unaware of, Korean Korean and Korean Americans alike.

Guest Bios
Lera is an ethnic Korean born and raised in Russia, who also lived for 12 years in the US where she graduated from high school, college and grad school. A language teacher by training, she is currently a stay-at-home mom for two of her and Seil's children.

Seil grew up in South Korea and studied in China for two years before moving to the U.S., where he attended high school and college, earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees. As an MBA graduate, he is fluent in English and Korean. Seil has work experience in the real estate and restaurant industries in South Korea. Additionally, he played basketball as a student-athlete in both high school and college in the U.S. Since moving back to South Korea, he has lived in Pangyo, Taean, Tongyeong, and Gangjin.

Links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakhalin_Koreans

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
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast

Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]

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

This week Jun and Daniel discuss major news headlines from December 2024 and January 2025 in both Korea and the United States. They cover four significant events: the martial law declaration in Korea, the Jeju Air crash tragedy, the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and the Los Angeles wildfires. Our hosts explore these events through cultural lenses, examining how Koreans and Americans react differently to national tragedies, class warfare, and systemic issues.

If you're interested in learning how Korea's democracy handled an unprecedented martial law declaration, how the international community views Korea's political stability, why 40% of young Americans supported the murder of a human being, or how natural disasters reveal cultural differences in disaster response and community support, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel shares his weekend Costco adventures in Korea, Jun visits the Brooklyn of Seoul, and both hosts reflect on what makes a society truly civilized.

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
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast

Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]

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

This week Jun and Daniel dive into design differences between Korea and America, from social media and advertising to architecture and mobile apps. The hosts explore how and why Korean designs tend to be text-heavy and informative, while American designs focus more on visuals and artistic impact. Topics include YouTube thumbnails, movie posters, advertisements, mobile app UI/UX, building design, and book covers. They discuss how cultural values like collectivism, risk-averseness, and utilitarianism influence Korean design choices, while American designs often prioritize individual interpretation and bold statements.

If you're interested in learning how clickbait, movie posters, mobile apps, and architecture differ between Korea and America, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel and Jun teach each other English vocabulary, discuss the various brands of different countries, and make fun of Korean apartment naming conventions.

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
https://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcast

Questions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected]

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