Libsyn Directory

Voices of Change: Korean Students, Art, and Democracy

Release Date: 03/22/2025

The God of Pyongyang: How Christianity Built North Korea

Korea Deconstructed

How was North Korea, a state that famously mandates atheism, built on a foundation of Christian fervor? In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Cheng, the Wall Street Journal’s China Bureau Chief, to discuss his new book, Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult. We trace the journey of Pyongyang from the "Jerusalem of the East" to the center of the world's most rigid cult of personality. From the collapse of the Joseon Dynasty’s caste system and the arrival of missionaries like Samuel Moffett to Kim Il Sung’s own Christian upbringing, we...

The SEAbling War: Why Koreans and Southeast Asians are Fighting Online

Korea Deconstructed

What happens when you take the wrong camera to a Day6 K-pop concert? In this episode of Korea Deconstructed, we explore the recent "SEAbling War". Discussing viral memes to deeply uncomfortable conversations about race and history, our four guests demonstrate why this is about much more than just social media comments. For them, it's also a lived experience and connected to their own identity as individuals bridging multiple cultures. The Guests 1) Gabby 2) Yelynn 3) Dabin 4) Nuri Discussion Outline 0:00 Introduction 3:25 What Happened at the Day6 Concert? 7:30 The SEAblings Internet War...

100 Years of Queer Korean Fiction | Dr. Samuel Perry

Korea Deconstructed

What does it mean to be queer in a society often defined by its rigid traditions, colonial scars, and rapid neoliberal transformation? In this episode of Korea Deconstructed, we sit down with Dr. Samuel Perry from Brown University to challenge the common misconception that LGBT issues are a "new" or "Western" import to the Korean peninsula. Through his new anthology, A Century of Queer Korean Fiction, Dr. Perry reveals a long-standing tradition of diverse sexualities and gender expressions that have navigated censorship, war, and dictatorship for over a hundred years. We explore the coding of...

The Fall of Yoon: Martial Law, the Far Right, and the Power of Minsim | Dr. Benjamin A Engel

Korea Deconstructed

What happens when a democracy is pushed to the brink? In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Ben Engel to explore the outrageous martial law declaration, the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, the life sentence, and the rise of the far-right in South Korea. We also explore the powerful concept of Min-sim (민심) and how ethno-nationalism is reshaping the country’s democratic future. About the Guest: Benjamin Engel is an assistant professor of Korean Studies at Dankook University. He received his Ph.D. and Master’s in International Studies from the Graduate School of International...

Kim Mi-young: Itaewon and the Search for Identity

Korea Deconstructed

Episode Summary: What defines a neighborhood? In this episode, we are joined by Mi-young Kim, a writer and essayist who has written about the unique culture and practices of Itaewon in Seoul. We dive into her latest book, Itaewon Is My Home (이태원에 삽니다), and explore how "place" shapes our sense of self. About the Guest: Mi-young Kim is an essayist and the Korean Director of the International Comedy Association. Having majored in Philosophy and Arts Management, Mi-young explores the intersections of identity and place. She is the author of the essay Bellefleur’s Dream and...

Bong Joon Ho: Filmmaker and Philosopher

Korea Deconstructed

Anthony Curtis Adler is professor of German and Comparative Literature at Yonsei University's Underwood International College, where he has taught since 2006. His present research interests span modern and Classical literature, literary theory, continental philosophy, media studies, and German idealism. Academia : Bong Joon Ho book: Celebricities: Discussion Outline 0:00 The Blandness of Face 2:45 Bong Joon Ho’s Reputation 9:30 Categorizing Bong’s Movies 12:25 Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000) 22:20 Memories of Murder (2003) 41:10 Mother (2009) 48:50 Morality and Anti-Americanism in...

Korean Indie Music, Capitalism, and Cultural Identity

Korea Deconstructed

In this episode of Korea Deconstructed, we explore Korean indie music, its culture, artists, and how capitalism and technology is reshaping the K-indie scene. Joined by Zuza Sołtykowska, a Polish writer and academic based in London, we discuss Korean language studies, underground music culture, and the tensions between art, industry, and economic growth. Zuza is a Polish writer and academic currently based in London. Her work spans Korean indie music, film, and art, with a particular focus on gender, cultural identity, and economic equality. Find her online Discussion Outline 0:00...

The Hidden Realities of Studying in Korea

Korea Deconstructed

What’s it really like to study in South Korea? In this episode, I sit down with four exchange students from around the world to talk honestly and openly about their experiences at Korean universities. We cover everything from first impressions and making Korean friends to campus culture, visa challenges, professors, trends, expectations, and the toughest parts of living here as a foreigner. Dillon Lia ( Zhaniya Joana Topics & Timestamps 0:00 Expectations Before Coming to Korea 10:10 First Impressions 20:00 Interacting with Korean People 30:00 Making Friends in Korea 40:00 Studying in...

Korea in 1980s: Heritage, Hallyu, and the Making of Modern Identity | Dr. Roald Maliangkay

Korea Deconstructed

In this episode of Korea Deconstructed, David Tizzard speaks with Dr. Roald Maliangkay about the forces that shaped modern Korea, its culture, speed, identity, and contradictions. We explore Korea in the 1980s; North Korean pro wrestling; the rise of gossip magazines; the banning of Chinese characters; the manufacturing of Korean heritage; and the origins of Korea’s bballi-bballi (빨리빨리) culture. We also dive into folk music, Sino-Korean relations, Korea’s global image, and the evolving future of Korean Studies. Roald’s work uncovers how cultural narratives are made, forgotten,...

Four Korean Women Talk Feminism, Culture, and Professional Careers

Korea Deconstructed

Many Korean women face both institutional barriers and everyday cultural expectations. Life often feels mapped out in advance, and those who deviate from that path meet resistance or worse. Meanwhile, the media tends to celebrate only the rich and famous, making it harder to see the everyday heroes and role models who truly reflect women’s lives in Korea. In this episode, I’m joined by Minyoung Kim, Victoria Yi, Sarah Soeun Lee, and Sangeun Kim — a team of writers behind a recently published bilingual book that shares real stories of women’s experiences in Korea: their challenges,...

More Episodes

보도지침 (Media Guidelines) is a satirical work that critiques the media landscape and the influence of government or corporate power on Korean journalism in the 1980s. It explores themes such as censorship, the manipulation of public opinion, and the ethical dilemmas faced by journalists. The play is known for its sharp wit and critical perspective, often using humor and irony to highlight the challenges and compromises that media professionals may face.

More and more young Koreans are bringing this play to the stage—not as a history lesson, but as a statement about their own reality. So, I spoke with four university students who recently performed 보도지침. They shared why this play matters, how it connects to the present, and why art remains a powerful tool for democracy and social change.

If you care about free speech, activism, and the role of art in shaping society, this conversation is for you.

Read more about it in Korean here: https://namu.wiki/w/보도지침(연극)

Go Minjeong, Lee Seoyeon, Nam Sumin, and Park Hayeol are members of the Seoul Women's University theatre group.

Their Insta page: https://www.instagram.com/swutheaterart/

David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr.

Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/L9azQpXZ2Rc

Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos

Thanks to Patreon members: Hee Ji Jacobs, Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell

Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873

Discussion Outline

0:00 Introduction

3:00 보도지침 (The Play)

9:30 The Parents' Generation

15:00 Reactions to the Play

26:30 Communism and North Korea

33:00 The Importance of Theatre

42:14 Reflections on Korean History