Korean. American. Podcast

• Episode 107: On Moving to Korea For A Mid-Life Gap Year (ft. Raychel)

  This week, Daniel and Jun sit down with Raychel McKelvy, a Black American teacher and aspiring actor who just moved to Korea from Chicago less than a month ago. Raychel shares her unique journey from living across multiple U.S. cities to taking a "midlife gap year" in Seoul to study Korean at Yonsei University's language institute. They discuss her incredibly diverse upbringing and friend group, spanning Japanese, Indian, Latino, and Korean American communities, and how those experiences shaped her worldview. The conversation explores the stark differences between being a minority in America versus being a "super minority" in Korea, navigating the challenges of staring and othering, and finding beauty in cultural differences. Raychel opens up about her language learning journey, the reality of living in a co-living space in Yeongdeungpo, and adjusting to Korean social norms around public transit etiquette, restaurant timing, and high-context communication.If you're interested in hearing a fresh perspective on moving to Korea, understanding the complexities of race and diversity across cultures, learning about the unexpected challenges and joys of language immersion, or gaining insights into how collectivism and individualism shape American versus Korean society, tune in to hear Daniel, Jun, and Raychel discuss all this and more. This episode offers an honest, thoughtful look at cultural adaptation, the privilege of diversity, and the courage it takes to completely upend your life for personal growth.As a reminder, we publish our episodes bi-weekly from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!Guest bio:Raychel is an American currently living in Korea and attending Korean language school. When she is not studying Korean, she can be found talking to her family or nerding out on her 2 podcasts: MultiNerds Podcast and Tavern of Tomes. Follow her Korean adventures on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raychelmckelvyLinks:MultiNerds:https://open.spotify.com/show/6cDn8vhL0XRTTBxl5z5xaL?si=PrrWuVz4TDyMA-d_sz0esQ Tavern of Tomes:https://open.spotify.com/show/3sx3q8fhQ7mNLvt2I9PRJk?si=FTh-4cX3T-Sw_mLY5fEcoQSupport the showWe 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=99211862Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/https://twitter.com/korampodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcastQuestions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected] Member of the iyagi media network (www.iyagimedia.com)

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• Episode 106: Cilantro Sundae, Political Polarization, Violence in Media

  This week Jun and Daniel discuss the evolution of acquired tastes in food, turbulent political news from America, controversial tech updates, and a thought-provoking listener perspective on violence in Western vs. East Asian culture. Daniel shares his milestone of finally accepting sundae (Korean blood sausage) after years of trying, prompting a broader conversation about cilantro, kimchi, and how palates develop differently across cultures. The hosts then dive into heavy news topics including immigration enforcement affecting Korean nationals and the deeply polarizing assassination of Charlie Kirk. Jun analyzes recent tech updates from Apple's "liquid glass" iOS design to KakaoTalk's controversial Instagram-like interface changes, examining the concept of originality versus imitation. The episode concludes with a powerful listener message from Portugal about perceptions of violence in American society versus the emotional intimacy of East Asian media, sparking reflection on whether the global rise of K-content represents a cultural backlash against Western chaos.If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more!As a reminder, we publish our episodes bi-weekly from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!Support the showWe 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=99211862Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/https://twitter.com/korampodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcastQuestions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected] Member of the iyagi media network (www.iyagimedia.com)

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• Episode 105: Summer Recaps, August News and Trends, and Podcast Updates

  This week Jun and Daniel return after a two-and-a-half-month break with updates on the future of their podcast and stories from their summer European travels. They announce changes to their recording schedule required to maintain a predictable and sustainable release cadence. The hosts explore their different European experiences, comparing notes on coffee culture, American tourists abroad, and the stereotypical beauty of European cities. They then discuss the latest news and trends from August 2025 before closing by reading a meaningful email they received from a listener. Additionally, they reflect on taking breaks from creative work and how refreshing time off can be, even from something you love doing.If you're interested in learning about any of these topics, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This episode also touches on items such as Korea’s credit card fraud protection, Daniel's first time in Europe, and predictions on a Korean fast food chain's launch in the US.Support the showWe 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=99211862Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/https://twitter.com/korampodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcastQuestions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected] Member of the iyagi media network (www.iyagimedia.com)

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• Episode 104: K-Pop Demon Hunters Review (Media)

  We’re back!This week Jun and Daniel finally tackle the highly anticipated media review of "K-Pop Demon Hunters" (or "케데헌" in Korea). After discussing the massive global success of the Netflix animated film—which became the number one Netflix original movie of all time—they dive deep into various aspects of the production. From analyzing what defines authentic K-pop versus generic pop music, to exploring the typical K-pop group format and how the film made Korean culture accessible to non-Korean audiences, our hosts examine everything from the nostalgic snack spread featuring classic treats like 새우깡 to the film's blend of traditional and modern Korean cultural elements. They also grapple with complex questions about cultural authenticity, discussing director Maggie Kong's Korean Canadian background and whether Korean Americans can represent "authentic" Korean culture, while exploring the natural evolution of cultural export from origin countries to diaspora communities.If you're interested in understanding the cultural significance of K-pop group roles (visual, rapper, leader, maknae), learning about the differences between how Korean Americans and Korean Koreans preserve traditional culture, exploring questions of cultural appropriation versus cultural evolution in the context of Korean content, or hearing Daniel and Jun's personal reactions to a film that has captivated audiences worldwide, tune in to hear them discuss all this and more! This episode also touches on the broader K-wave phenomenon, comparisons to other Korean cultural exports like Squid Game, and the emotional impact the film's soundtrack has had on families.Support the showWe 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=99211862Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/https://twitter.com/korampodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcastQuestions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected] Member of the iyagi media network (www.iyagimedia.com)

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• Episode 103: Korean Etymology, Language Purification, and Hidden Origins ft. Byeong (Language)

  ⚠️Disclaimer⚠️This episode was recorded in early May while Daniel was traveling, as an experiment during their regular recording schedule. Some references may feel slightly dated as it's being released during their summer break.This week Jun and Byeong explore the fascinating evolution and cultural layers of language, particularly focusing on Korean linguistic heritage and cross-cultural language acquisition. Through Byeong's perspective as a Korean Canadian with deep knowledge of linguistics, they dive into how Korean has been influenced by Chinese characters (hanja), Japanese colonial period vocabulary, and modern English borrowings. The conversation covers everything from discovering that everyday Korean words like "sukgarak" (spoon) and "tamaneegi" (onion) have unexpected origins, to examining how government language purification efforts selectively target Japanese words while embracing English ones. They also discuss the cultural implications embedded in common phrases, the challenges of learning Korean as a heritage speaker, and how understanding etymological roots can deepen one's connection to both language and culture.If you're interested in learning about the historical layers that shape modern Korean vocabulary, understanding why certain borrowed words feel more "foreign" than others, discovering how language reflects cultural attitudes and hierarchies, or hearing insights about navigating multiple languages as a heritage speaker, tune in to hear Jun and Byeong discuss all this and more! This episode also features discussions about the politeness levels embedded in seemingly casual Korean expressions, the connection between Chinese characters and Korean subway station names, and Byeong's personal journey of discovering Japanese loanwords he thought were originally Korean.Support the showWe 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=99211862Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/koreanamericanpodcast/https://twitter.com/korampodcasthttps://www.tiktok.com/@koreanamericanpodcastQuestions/Comments/Feedback? Email us at: [email protected] Member of the iyagi media network (www.iyagimedia.com)

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