William S. Gilbert is doing PhD research on Korean Taoism's syncretic qualities at Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea. He completed his Master's in Korean Philosophy at Sungkyunkwan University in 2024 and was a graduate research assistant for the Korean Academic Expansion Project. This is a conversation about Taoism, "Eastern" religions and ways of thought, life, death, god, and the poetry of the Korean scholar Yi Gyu-bo (李奎報).   Discussion Outline  0:00 What is Taoism (도교)? 9:10 What is the Yin Yang (음양)? 22:09 What is Wu-wei (무의)? 32:50 Zen Buddhism (선불교) and Taoism 43:05 The Tao Te Ching (도덕경) 53:20 The Zhuangzi (정자) 1:03:11 Is there such thing as Asian thought? 1:15:52 Does Taoism feature in modern life? 1:29:40 Yi Gyu-bo (이규보)’s poem “In Sickness” 1:45:14 The “Creator” in Taoist thought 2:08:40 Closing thoughts   Will's Website: https://sites.google.com/view/williamgilbert/home   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/ ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard ▶ Find us on 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/ ▶ Music: Savage Penguin by Radical Gary (David Tizzard)

Cho Ye-won and Jeon Yunseo are students at Seoul Women's University while Park Kyung-hoon (Charlie) studies at Hanyang University. They discuss the best and worst things about living in Seoul, from the safety, the beauty standards, the gender differences, the economic challenges, and much more. They also talk about why some young Koreans want to move abroad.   Discussion Outline  0:00 Do Young People Talk about 탈조선?  3:30 What are Traditional Korean Values? 8:45 What Do Koreans Want from Living Abroad? 19:30 The Best Things About Living in Seoul 27:15 Does Gender Affect Your Life in Korea? 34:45 The Social Gaze (남의 시선) in Korea 37:00 How Do You Feel About Foreigners Coming to Korea? 47:00 Appearance and Personal Colour Tests 55:15 Is Comparison Culture Real? 1:05:55 The Economic Reality of Seoul 1:15:40 Using Korean Titles 1:20:45 The Rise of 평어 1:27:20 Message to People Leaving Korea 1:43:36 Being Gay in Korea 1:48:05 Yewon's Last Message   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard  ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/ ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard  ▶ Find us on 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/ ▶ Music: The Reoccurring Peace Machine by Radical Gary (David Tizzard)

Jeanie Chang is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. Jeanie is also the Founder and CEO of Noona’s Noonchi, LLC, a global company offering social media platforms providing deep dives into K-Content from a mental health perspective. In Korea to promote her tours and her latest book (How K-Dramas Can Transform Your Life), we sat down with her to discuss life, culture, society, identity, and, of course, K-Dramas. Jeanie's Website: https://noonasnoonchi.com/ Her book: https://www.amazon.com/K-Dramas-Mental-Health-Jeanie-Chang/dp/1394210477   Discussion Outline  0:00 Life in Seoul 5:39 Watching K-Dramas 33:23 Self-Care and Dramas 38:55 Mental Health and Gender 43:10 Antifragility 47:47 Generational Change in Korea 53:06 The Korean American Identity 1:16:40 Military Service and BTS 1:25:33 My Mister (나의 아지씨) 1:37:22 Jeong and Nunchi 1:49:20 Collective Society and Titles 2:01:55 Emotions in Korean Society 2:11:39 Shame and Redemption 2:20:47 K-Pop Idols and Karina's Apology 2:28:41 Is Hallyu's Popularity Declining? 2:47:37 Dr. Slump   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/ ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard ▶ 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/ ▶ Music: Tokyo Cafe by Tvari

John DiMoia is Associate Professor of Korean History at Seoul National University, South Korea. He is the author of Reconstructing Bodies: Biomedicine, Health, and Nation-Building in South Korea since 1945 (2013)   Discussion Outline 0:00 What is History? 7:20 Korean Medicine 30:30 Plastic Surgery 39:30 Korea and the Pandemic 57:05 Korean Health 1:00:10 The Joseon Dynasty 1:27:30 Japanese Colonization 1:50:00 The Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 2:09:33 The Division of Korea 2:26:55 Seoul National University 2:36:07 The Future of Korea   Book: https://www.amazon.com/Reconstructing-Bodies-Biomedicine-Nation-Building-Weatherhead/dp/0804784116   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/ ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard ▶ 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/ 

At the age of sixteen, Anton discovered Taekwondo in his native Germany. From there, he began exploring Buddhism only to be told by a visiting monk that if he wanted to truly understand it, he would have to visit Korea. Anton then embarked on a journey of practice and discovery in Korea in 1994, initially intending to stay for just a year. This conversation took place in 2024, thirty years later. Anton has regularly appeared on television during his time here. He has also worked as a producer for the German public broadcaster ARD, offered his expertise as a business consultant, taught at a university, and sought to capture the essence of Korean society as a documentary filmmaker. He has also just written a book in Korean, 한국인들의 이상한 행복, which sheds a critical light on many of the country's social problems. This book was what prompted our discussion today. Anton's Book: https://product.kyobobook.co.kr/detail/S000001297085   Discussion Outline  0:00 Foundations 1: Taekwondo 11:02 Foundations 2: Buddhism 54:10 The Strange Unhappiness of Korean People 59:17 Education  1:31:27 The Home 1:41:08 Seoul 1:52:22 Korean History 2:23:00 Anton Speaking Korean   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/ ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard ▶ 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/ ▶ Music: Hack to Work by Disorientalz

서늘한 여름밤 (Lee Seo-hyun) is a South Korean writer and psychological counseling planner. She received her Master's Degree from the Department of Psychology at Korea University in 2015, and then became a counselor at a large hospital. She soon began drawing and recording her thoughts before then uploading them on the internet. This led to her also starting a popular podcast and authoring 3 different books. In 2017, she established the psychological counseling center ‘Every Mind’. Today, her Instagram and YouTube content reaches countless thousands, providing solace, honesty, and the message for Korean people that, "It's okay". We spoke with her about her recent appearance on Mark Manson's YouTube video declaring Korean people to be the most depressed in the world. We then spoke about trauma, anxiety, perfectionism, the self, fear of failure, micro aggressions, and much more.   Find her work online  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seobam_breeze/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC7Z6ogmq-3N9KoNACH10Hlg 1-on-1 Coaching: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEruSwPi33wmq9j35_oKaAhg3sfaPC0XoT2siRzQcpwD1ieQ/viewform   Discussion Outline  0:00 Generations of War Trauma 2:05 Is Korea the Most Depressed Country in the World? 8:17 What Does Depression Look Like? 13:40 Who Is Most Susceptible to Depression? 16:10 Why Is Our New Generation More Open to Mental Health? 17:40 Psychotherapy and Trauma 22:25 Minorities and Depression 25:25 Drugs and Mental Health 31:45 Are We Becoming too Fragile? 33:25 서늘한 여름밤's Insta and Online Content 43:10 Ego and the Self 48:10 Perfectionism 52:00 The Steps to Self Compassion 55:30 Our Inner Child 1:00:35 The Public Gaze (남의 시선) 1:04:00 Social Media 1:10:40 Psychological Coaching 1:14:35 Breaking Taboos around Mental Health in SK 1:16:50 AI and Mental Health 1:18:45 Toxic Masculinity 1:24:10 Is it Hard to be a Psychologist? 1:27:33 강박 - Being Obsessive 1:29:53 Childhood 1:35:30 Closing Comments   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Yunseo Jeon: https://www.instagram.com/y_jeon_s/ ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard ▶ 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/ ▶ Music: Mindstrap by David Tizzard

In communicating with each other before this conversation, Robert asked me to explain certain aspects of Korean culture to him. If you find yourself frustrated that we sometimes hear more about Korea than his own work, I completely agree with you and apologize. Nevertheless, that was part of what was established. My sense is that he also might have wanted a break from explaining his latest book to everyone. We’ve since realized that we need to look more into the rice production in Korea and I hope that we can find out more of if and how that might have affected Korean culture, particularly in terms of interdependency and human relationships. I highly recommend his latest book Determined. It genuinely made me rethink much of what I see around me. And, even if you don’t find yourself ultimately convinced by his argument concerning free will, you will still learn lots and be treated to writing that is as comfortable making jokes and never taking itself too seriously as it is explaining the hard science.   Bio: Robert Sapolsky is a professor of biology, neuroscience, and neurosurgery at Stanford University, well-known for his research on stress and behavior in wild baboons, as well as his studies on the physiology of the brain. His approach to understanding the complexities of human behavior has made him a respected figure in both the scientific and popular science communities. His latest book, Determined, argues that it is time for us to remove agency from our behavior and stop attributing praise and blame to people for things over which they often have very little control.   Determined: https://www.amazon.com/Determined-Science-Life-without-Free/dp/0525560971 My favourite lecture from him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRYcSuyLiJk   Discussion Outline 0:00 How Did Korea Get Here? 7:15 Rice Theory of Culture 13:55 Do We Have Free Will? 32:56 Changing Morality 37:00 Birthrates 45:15 Transhumanism? 54:40 Death 1:03:45 Closing Questions   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard  ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard ▶ 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/ ▶ Music: Mindstrap by David Tizzard

Tanner Rogers is a 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Winner. His research consists of the literary analysis of fictional texts produced during the Park Chung Hee era (1961-1979), particularly focusing on the development of “space” in its various physical and conceptual forms, and how texts engage with the rapid urbanization and industrialization of cities like Seoul and Incheon during this time. We spoke about books, life, and Korea.   This episode again featuring Jeon Yunseo  Instagram: @y_jeon_s   Discussion Outline 0:00 Tanner's Introduction to Korea 15:55 The Park Chung-hee Era 40:05 Korean Literature 53:44 The Dwarf (난장이가 쏘아 올린 작은 공) 1:11:08 The Concept of Han 1:18:05 Hwang Sok-yong 1:36:34 Changing Korean Traditions 1:55:50 The Concept of Space 2:12:05 The Urbanization of Korean Space 2:25:35 1970s Korea vs 2024 Korea 2:36:25 Book Recommendations   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard ▶ 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/ ▶ Music: Mindstrap by David Tizzard ▶ Recorded at 허브 36.5: https://www.instagram.com/the_story_from_you/

Can Korean people speak English? That was the question we explored in this discussion. Three young women studying at Seoul Women's University in South Korea talked about their own experiences of learning a foreign language and how it ultimately became something more than just education or study. Hyun Minjung is a second-year student in the Department of Child Studies Eo Gyeongin is a first-year student in the Department of Applied Food System Jeon Yunseo is a first-year student in the Department of Journalism and Media This episode again featuring Jeon Yunseo   Find them on Instagram  Yunseo: @y_jeon_s  Minjung: @llovnj  Gyeongin: @djurbyrfish   Discussion Outline 0:00 Encountering English for the First Time 7:50 Was English ever hard? 13:35 What kind of English Accent? 25:45 Learning English in Korea 34:15 Is there a Socio-Economic Aspect to English in Korea? 40:50 Having an English Name? 48:14 Korean Celebrities Speaking English 53:30 Interacting with Foreigners 1:01:20 Swearing in English 1:07:13 Is English more Democratic than Korean? 1:14:28 Would you Date Someone Who can't Speak English? 1:23:00 How to Learn English Online? 1:30:50 Advice for Learning English 1:47:40 Changing Korean Identity   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard ▶ 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/ ▶ Music: Fighting by Disorientalz (https://www.instagram.com/disorientalz/) ▶ Recorded at 허브 36.5: https://www.instagram.com/the_story_from_you/ 

ID:Earth is a singer, songwriter, and music producer from Seoul, Korea. She sings about human civilization, existence, birth, and the Earth with her music providing a fantastic backdrop for these explorations. Her latest album Space Station was released on December 12, 2023. We sat down with her to learn more about her music, her life, and being an artist in South Korea. ID:Earth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamidearth/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCVo9uVMP5JWUfXQh_hUDK0g Her latest album Space Station: https://www.melon.com/artist/song.htm?artistId=2622503   Discussion Outline* 0:00 The Birth of ID: Earth 14:18 “Aliens” 22:18 Finding a Minimalist Sound 27:18 Being an Artist in South Korea 35:23 “Fire” 41:57 Writing Choruses 48:18 Creating OSTs for Dramas and Movies 1:03:21 “Sky Where You Are” 1:06:40 People’s Brains 1:10:37 ID:Earth’s Favourite Song 1:17:25 What ID:Earth is Listening to These Days 1:21:34 ID:Earth’s Plans for 2024 1:26:00 Advice for Young Artists 1:28:22 Message to the Fans *Due to copyright reasons on audio platforms, we had to remove the audio of the 3 songs we played in the studio. You can find the tracks on YouTube or anywhere else.  This episode again featuring Jeon Yunseo Find her on Instagram: @y_jeon_s   Korea Deconstructed by David Tizzard ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=62047873 ▶ Watch us on Youtube: /davidtizzard ▶ 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/ ▶ Music: Fighting by Disorientalz (https://www.instagram.com/disorientalz/) ▶ Recorded at 허브 36.5: https://www.instagram.com/the_story_from_you/