Korea Deconstructed

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 49:25 Recommendations   Connect with us:  ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com 

A few years ago, Blair's grandmother gave him a present. Approximately 300 photographs his grandfather had taken in Korea nearly 70 years ago. These beautifully preserved color photos not only revealed a country and its people emerging from war and beginning to rebuild, it also showed Blair members of his family. It showed him where he was from, and, therefore, where he was going. He has digitized these photos and made them into an archive. This has since grown to feature a wide range of photos and videos expertly organized to allow visitors to discover Korea as it once was and, perhaps, also help some people understand where they came from. Korean Image Archive: https://www.koreanimage.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/koreanimage Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/koreanimage Discussion 0:00 My Grandparents in 1950s Korea 9:45 300 color photos of old Korea 27:40 Creating an archive 34:40 Mixed race families in Korean history 54:10 American soldiers and camptown Korean women 1:05:35 Recommendations 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 Connect with us: ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com 

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. Jack Greenberg works as an independent consultant, researcher, and freelance writer. His current focus is on heritage and conservation issues, historical memory debates, truth-seeking and reconciliation, and civilian massacres of the Korean War.    Connect with Jack Substack: https://ggachi.substack.com/ Twitter: https://x.com/jackwgreenberg BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/jackwgreenberg.bsky.social Insta: https://www.instagram.com/jackwgreenberg/   Jack's Work  False Squid Game Links: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/02/113_390188.html Brothers Home Adoption Scandal: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/02/113_392647.html Togani Review: https://chajournal.blog/2023/05/29/togani/ 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 Shamanism 15:30 Shamanism and Politics 21:50 The Minjung Movement 36:15 North Korean Sympathy and the Korean Left 43:30 The Protests of 2025 53:20 Group Confinement Facilities: 형제복지원 1:01:25 The Truth and Reconciliation Commission 1:09:45 Japanese Collaboration (친일파) 1:20:25 Civilian Massacres in Korea 1:42:00 American Military Comfort Women 1:50:50 Finding Courage   Connect with us: ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com 

Eunjae Cho is currently studying Chinese Language and Literature at Seoul Women’s University. She has a deep interest in languages and Asian culture, which led her to work as a journalist in the e-sports industry. She has primarily written articles about League of Legends and Japanese subculture. A distinctive feature of her articles is that they include voices and interviews from fans and professionals across various countries. Her recent work: https://m.post.naver.com/viewer/postView.naver?volumeNo=42695436&memberNo=6799533 Her social media: https://www.instagram.com/noir_p90?igsh=czdvc3NiY3ltd2Ru&utm_source=qr  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 4:35 League of Legends 10:35 Who Plays E-Sports? 15:45 Why are Koreans so good at E-Sports? 18:55 National E-Sports Culture 21:50 PC Bang Culture 25:00 DDOS Attacks 28:15 E-Sports Online Communities: Inven and More 31:00 Zeus Leaving T1 for Hanwha 36:10 E-Sports in the Asian Games and Military Service 40:05 Can it become an Olympic Sport? 44:00 Being an E-Sports Journalist 48:20 E-Sports Fan Culture 1:01:10 Recommendations   Connect with us:  ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com

I watched Squid Game Season 2 over the holidays and decided to record some brief thoughts on it. You can find an abridged version in the newspaper here: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2025/01/782_389692.html  I am back in the studio next week with a new guest and a new topic before flying to the UK to spend a month with my family. Happy 2025 everyone.  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 a social-cultural commentator, and musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. 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 Connect with us: ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com   #koreadeconstructed #davidtizzard

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 a social-cultural commentator, and musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. Sanko Lewis (PhD) is a professor, philosopher, martial arts researcher, and artist living in Seoul, South Korea. Find him and his work: https://linktr.ee/sankolewis 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 Taekwondo as Korean Wave 4:03 Explaining 천지 (Heaven and Earth) 6:02 The Birth of Taekwondo 12:55 North Korea and Taekwondo 15:12 Olympics Taekwondo 20:00 Martial Arts Deconstructed 32:40 Early Western Interactions with Martial Arts 39:20 Taoism as Asian Philosophy 55:00 The Japanese Origins of Taekwondo 1:04:22 Choi Hong-hi 1:14:50 Taekwondo in Modern Korea 1:20:20 Ethnographic Research 1:26:00 Korean Body Culture 1:32:20 곡선미 (The Beauty of Curved Lines) 1:43:31 단전 호흡 (Korean Breathing) 1:47:48 Korean Aesthetics in Modern K-Pop 1:56:55 Recommendations   Connect with us:  ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/  ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ #koreadeconstructed #davidtizzard Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com 

David A. Tizzard has a doctorate in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He is a social-cultural commentator and 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 Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873    Connect with us:  ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ #koreadeconstructed #davidtizzard   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard  ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com 

Korean gender, feminism, fairness and equality are discussed here at length. We also cover transgender representation in media, male mandatory military service, magic days for women, and the world's lowest birthrate. Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/L9azQpXZ2Rc?si=u-xsXr1c2atGH-ri Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos Connect with us: ▶ Email: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ ▶ Jeon Yunseo: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/ ▶ Jongmin: https://www.instagram.com/dunchonerd/   Guest Ms. Samantha Afflick-Smith is an associate professor at Hanyang University’s Seoul campus. She works for the Centre for Creative Convergence Education’s College of English Education Committee (CCCE:CEEC), where she teaches courses from conversation skills, critical analysis, academic writing to professional presentations. She also teaches a vibrant PBL discussion course on South Korean society and its evolving cultural diversity. Samantha is known as an educator, peer and mentor who regularly encourages people to be their best and persevere through challenges with her positive attitude and tireless energy. In her free time, Samantha enjoys reading, writing short stories for her blog – Cacophony of Cerebral Consciousness @c3griot.wordpress.com and learning new skills, such as drawing, and audio editing.   Discussion Outline 0:00 What is (Korean) Feminism? 12:05 Radical Feminism and the Internet 17:25 The Silencing of Men 23:40 Are Women and Men the Same or Different? 33:00 Can Men and Women be Friends? 42:50 Monthly Menstrual Leave 55:20 Transgenderism and Poongja 58:15 Should Women do Mandatory Military Service? 1:17:10 The World's Lowest Birthrate 1:38:40 How to Make the World a Better Place? 1:47:50 Recommendations   #koreadeconstructed #davidtizzard   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com  ▶ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873

This week I sat down with a group of BTS fans from around the world and spent two hours listening to their stories. As a lot of the media hype and attention around them has either focused on their solo efforts or been replaced by the next generation of idols, I thought it would provide some nice distance from the unprecedented levels of success they were achieving as a group a few years back. And so we explored different things together: When did they first discover BTS? What was the performance or the album that made them fall in love? How has their fandom affected their lives? What’s their favorite song? How many of the dances can they do? Who’s their favorite member? What makes them stand out from other groups?  Big thanks to the guests: Kit, Aishu, Celine, and Annis   Member Thank you again to the paid Patreon member Bhavya.    Discussion Outline  0:00 Introduction 1:00 Discovering BTS 5:35 The Evolution of BTS 10:48 What Makes BTS Great? 15:30 The Seven Members 36:35 BTS and Mental Health 43:05 ARMY 52:30 BTS and Politics 1:00:35 BTS and the K-Pop Industry 1:04:20 Recommendations   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ ▶ Kim Soyoon: https://www.instagram.com/celinesoyoon/ ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: www.youtube.com/@UCXcdboOUCnCFnrAOF5dV1sg ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com ▶ Song by Radical Gary (David): Savage Penguin

Zeljana Zmire, Ph.D. in International Studies and Korean Studies, is a lecturer at Hanyang University in Seoul. Her research interests include multiculturalism, immigration policy, comparative politics, international politics and other. She can be reached via zeljana@hanyang.ac.kr. You can also find her on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zeljana-zmire-2927307b/   Members Thank you again to the paid Patreon member Bhavya.    Discussion Outline  0:00 Defining Multiculturalism 6:00 Korea's Homogeneity 15:35 The Effects of Media 23:11 International Marriages 31:30 Becoming Korean 39:15 Racism in Korea 48:00 Nouveau-Riche Nationalism 53:05 Stereotypes on White Women 56:05 How to Make the World Better   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard  ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: https://www.instagram.com/datizzard/ ▶ KD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/koreadeconstructed/ ▶ Jeon Yunseo: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/ ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: www.youtube.com/@UCXcdboOUCnCFnrAOF5dV1sg ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com ▶ Song by Radical Gary (David): https://youtu.be/AAkVRbH8eyg?si=FYtMqj2YfmJcmPPI