Settlers of Seoul

Robert Koehler is a long-time Korea resident, who rose to fame - at least among expats in Korea and those interested in the country - by way of blogging. The Marmots Hole, as his site was called, was for a time arguably the most well-known and well-written blog of its kind. It was certainly a tremendous conduit for those interested in Korean politics, society, history, and just general everyday life here. Now Robert spends his time wearing many hats - he writes books, he edits columns, he tours, and he takes photos - beautiful photos. We talk about all of that, his decision to terminate the Marmot, and what it’s like living in Seoul for some two decades. You can follow him on instagram at rjkoehler74, and while you’re there check out TooSix Media Group at tsmg_sound. This episode was recorded and co-produced at their studio in Hongdae, Seoul, South Korea. You can also check them out at their website at toosixglobal.com. Full show notes can be found at www.settlersofseoul.com Lastly, don't forget to rate Settlers of Seoul on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Darcie Draudt is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. She is currently in Seoul as a Korea Foundation dissertation fieldwork fellow and a visiting scholar at the Yonsei University Department of Political Science. Darcie's research comprises US-Northeast Asian relations and Korean identity and multiculturalism, and we spend a lot of time on what it means to be Korean today and how the country is grappling with internationalism and growing migration, and how that forces a reconciliation of sorts with traditional - or lets say, conventional - Korean values and perceptions of self. You can connect with Darcie on Twitter, @darciedraudt and view all of her work and current research at darciedraudt.com As always if you like the show please subscribe and rate us on iTunes, it’s the fastest way to help grow our audience. And lastly, a huge thank you to TooSix Media group, which is making this show possible by recording and co-producing Settlers of Seoul at their studio in Hongdae, Seoul, South Korea. You can check them out on Instagram at tsmg_sound and at their website toosixglobal.com   Full bios and show notes can be found at settlersofseoul.com

Colin Marshall is a Seoul-based essayist, broadcaster, and public speaker on cities, language, and culture. He writes the Los Angeles Review of Books Korea Blog, and his work has appeared in Guardian Cities, Open Culture, the Times Literary Supplement, and many more. Colin is also a regular contributor to a Seoul urbanism radio feature on TBS eFM’s Koreascape. You can follow him on Twitter and at colinmarshall.org This episode of the podcast is brought to you by TooSix Media Group and recorded and co-produced at their studio in Hongdae, Seoul, South Korea. You can check them out on Instagram at tsmg_sound and also at their website, toosixglobal.com Full bios and show notes can be found at www.settlersofseoul.com

Joey Croner is the founder and owner of The Dice Latte board game cafe in Seoul's Dongdaemun district. In this interview we talk about the market for board games in Korea, what the locals like to play, discuss what it’s like starting one's own business in Korea, and how The Dice Latte distinguishes itself from competitors. This last part is hugely important as board games become tremendously popular not just in Korea but seemingly everywhere. Keen listeners to Settlers of Seoul have noticed the name was inspired by a certain board game – a favorite of my friends and family. Anyway, The Dice Latte is a really cool spot and I encourage everyone to check it out - after, of course, listening to this podcast. For bios and show notes please visit www.settlersofseoul.com, and connect with the show on Facebook and Twitter, at Settlers of Seoul.

Laura Bicker has worked for the BBC for 18 years. She is currently the BBC Seoul Correspondent, covering everything from North Korea to women’s rights. She is one of the more well-known foreign correspondents on the peninsula, not only for her excellent news coverage but for her willingness to ask the kinds of questions and dig deeper in a way the local press does not. Connect with Laura on Twitter @BBCLBicker   For bios and show notes please visit www.settlersofseoul.com, and connect with the show on Facebook and Twitter, at Settlers of Seoul.

  For bios and show notes please visit www.settlersofseoul.com, and connect with the show on Facebook and Twitter, at Settlers of Seoul.

Paul Carver heads the Seoul Global Center, a multi-lingual, comprehensive support center that provides counseling on a wide range of issues like business, legal concerns, labor disputes and real estate, and much more. The center also provides resources to start your own business, education classes including the all-important language training, and even organize networking and volunteer events for the local and international community. You can connect with the Seoul Global Center here.   Full show notes available at www.settlersofseoul.com

Walter Foreman is the Director of UC Riverside's International Education Center in Gangnam (GNUCR), content monitor for the Korean government's Culture and Information Service, and the host of tbs eFM’s Weekly Review. Previously communications manager for Korea University's Office of International Affairs, Walter as well has extensive radio and print media experience, hosting the shows Inside Out and Weekly Edition. He’s also an avid car lover and Pez collector. You can connect with Walter on Twitter @walter_foreman and GNUCR at http://www.gnucr.net Show notes, bios, and links can be found at www.settlersofseoul.com

Alastair Gale is the former Korea bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal and now Japan Editor, writing about Japan’s economic, business and security challenges. Alastair has lived in Asia for over two decades covering the two Koreas, including the emergence of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Prior to Seoul, Alastair spent several years in Singapore and Tokyo. He’s originally from the U.K. and graduated from the University of Bristol with a degree in Philosophy and Mathematics. You can connect with Alastair at alastair.gale@wsj.com and on Twitter @AlastairGale Show notes and links can be found at www.settlersofseoul.com  

Matt Rutledge is a voice actor, radio announcer, and co-founder of TooSix Media, which he founded in 2009 with his wife of 10 years, Kay Rutledge (정경옥). The TooSix brand (Media and Global) connects native-speaking voice and translation talent with Korean companies across all industries. A publishing company, TooSixHouse, will launch in 2018. Matt also entered the exciting food services industry in 2017 as a partner with CraveFood. You can connect with Matt and TooSix at www.toosixglobal.com Show notes and links available at www.settlersofseoul.com

Nell Fox is the leader of Seoul's first-ever burlesque team, WhiteLies BurlesqueRevue. Nell has been in Korea nearly a decade and performing for over six years. We take a deep dive on what burlesque is, the difference between subject and object, sexism and lookism in Korea, expression, and experiences navigating a sexually conservative society. You can learn more about WhiteLies at www.whitelies.me and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wl.burlesque Bios, show notes, and links available at www.settlersofseoul.com

Susan Sell-Haynes is the Director of Sport at Seoul Foreign School, an institution many regard as Korea’s best primary and secondary school. She has lived in Korea for over eight years, spending most of that time working in athletics. As anyone familiar with the education system here in Korea can attest, sports and other extracurriculars are not high on the priority list for most parents. We talk about navigating  ‘Korean sensibilities’ about education, the benefits of physical activity to childhood development, institutional resources, and the best parts of living in Seoul. You can connect with Susan at susan.sellhaynes@seoulforeign.org and Seoul Foreign School at www.seoulforeign.org.   Bios, show notes, and links available at www.settlersofseoul.com

Elise Hu is the Seoul Bureau Chief and Asia correspondent for NPR, an American broadcast and digital network that reaches 1,000 affiliate stations across the United States. Her coverage area includes both Koreas, Japan and she pitches in on stories across the Asian region. Previously, she covered the intersection of technology and culture for the network, from Washington, D.C. She joined NPR in 2011 following television reporting jobs in Texas, South Carolina, and Missouri. An honors graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia's School of Journalism, Elise's work has earned a Gannett Foundation Award for Innovation in Watchdog Journalism, a National Edward R. Murrow award for best online video and The Austin Chronicle once dubiously named her the "Best TV Reporter Who Can Write.” Outside of work, she's an adviser to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, a panelist on the Korean network Airing’s talk show, Foreign Correspondents, sits on the board of Grist magazine and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. You can connect with Elise on Twitter, @elisewho, on her website https://about.me/elisehu, on Facebook, and follow her blog at www.heyelise.com Show notes and links available at www.settlersofseoul.com

Alek Sigley is a founding partner of Tongil Tours, an Australia-based organization specializing in educational tourism to North Korea founded while he was a student at the Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific. He is a regular traveler to the DPRK, and has lived in China, Japan, and South Korea, near-fluent in all three languages. Alek’s research interests revolve around North Korean film and literature. You can connect with Alek and Tongil Tours at www.tongiltours.com, their Facebook page, and Twitter.

John Nowell has lived in Korea since 1965 and has been a first-hand witness to the economic and political transformation of South Korea from a poor backwater to global powerhouse. He has worked for the U.S. Army, the Ambassador Hotel, and even Lowry’s Steakhouse for a time. At 77 years old he now heads the Oriental Press at the Dragon Hill Lodge inside Yongsan Garrison. This episode is a joint collaboration between Settlers of Seoul and Yongsan Legacy Project, an organization dedicated to capturing the historical and cultural legacy of Yongsan Garrison and archive historical facts, stories, and memories of the site. To learn more about this please visit www.yongsanlegacy.org.   Show notes, bios, and links can be found at www.settlersofseoul.com

Daniel Tudor is the former Korea Correspondent for the Economist and co-author or author of North Korea Confidential, Korea: The Impossible Country, and Geek in Korea. Daniel is also the co-founder of the Booth Brewing Company, a business endeavor made towards correcting the imbalance of taste between North and South Korean beer. He is a graduate of the University of Oxford where he studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Somerville College, and also received an MBA from the Manchester Business School. Show notes, links, and bios can be found at www.settlersofseoul.com

Christopher Maslon is a professor at Daejeon Health Sciences College and competitive bodybuilder. While not exactly a Settler of Seoul, Chris has lived in Korea for the better part of fifteen years and has experienced what he would call a complete transformation over that time. It was in Korea that he first starting lifting and taking fitness seriously, and now in his mid-40s Christopher is in the best shape of his life, achieving top placements at Korean bodybuilding shows,  appearing in magazines and model shoots, and even a few Korean movies. So it’s a great conversation you’re about to hear, one that I think was worth the trip to Daejeon. Let’s call this episode Settlers of (Mostly) Seoul.   Show notes and links available at www.settlersofseoul.com

Dmitriy Dyomin is a computer engineer working in the gaming industry here in Korea. And he’s got a pretty interesting backstory too. Dimitri was born in the former Soviet Union in what is now Turkmenistan. He was literally a Russian hacker before it was cool, working for the Turkmen government, and eventually made his way to South Korea some ten years ago. We talk about growing up in Turkmenistan, the game industry in South Korea, and what it’s like working at Epic Games Korea, Dimitri’s current employer.  Show notes and links available at www.settlersofseoul.com

Alexine Sanchez is a recent graduate at Korea University GSIS (MA) and has previously worked at the Korean Embassy in the Philippines. Born and raised in Manila, she had been introduced to K-pop at 12 years old when the Korean Wave was only starting its international reach in Asia. Alexine was a pioneer in the local Kpop community one of the core members of Bigbang Philippines, a local fansite of Filipino Bigbang fans. About 13 years later and now a graduate of International Peace and Security, she seeks a career in research and/or academia with a focus on U.S. foreign policy in East Asia. We talk about all these things in the show, including the very important role the Philippines plays on the Korean peninsula and the region. You can connect with Alexine at alxnsanchez@gmail.com

Joie Reinstein is a trend forecaster that has lived and worked on 3 different continents. Specializing in fashion, beauty and lifestyle, she consults and writes for international agencies. After seeing a 2pm music video 7 years ago, she made Korean fashion and culture the main focus of her research and eventually decided to move to Seoul. Joie curated part of the Seoul Vite Vite exhibition In Lille, France as part of the 2015 year of France-Korea, managed a K pop dance workshop tour around Europe with NY school I Love Dance, and recently was featured on Arirang TV’s Kphile series. Connect with Joie on Instagram: @kimchi_creative Find show notes, links, and more episodes at www.settlersofseoul.com

Tiffany Needham is a co-owner of Magpie Brewing Co, a local craft brewing company in South Korea. From their company bio: Magpie Brewing Co. is committed to creating the best craft beers possible and growing the culture of craft beer in Korea. We work hard to balance traditional beer styles with innovative recipes and flavors.   Show notes, links, and bios can be found at www.settlersofseoul.com

John Lee is a former gyopo who was born and raised in Brunei and spent his college years in the United States. He is a small business owner who runs his own convenience store. When he has time, he is also a freelance columnist and a blogger. You can follow his columns at NK News (nknews.org) and his blog at The Korean Foreigner (thekoreanforeigner.blogspot.com) Show notes and links can be found at www.settlersofseoul.com

Robert Hamilton is a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology at Seoul National University. Robert's research focuses on geographies of sexualities, transnational sexuality, queer theory, and male prostitution. He has lived in Korea for nearly twenty years. He is also an African American, and we explore what that means in Korea, how that has evolved over time, and what kind of obstacles and opportunities it presents. Show notes and links available at www.settlersofseoul.com

Wesley is a native of Guatemala, and lives in Seoul as a filmmaker and photographer. He studied Visual Communication Design in Hongik University and does various freelance creative projects in addition to his 9 to 5 as a professional marketer. In this episode we talk about the Spanish speaking community here, what it’s like working in a Korean office space, and go deep into Korean design and what it takes to be a photographer here. If you’d like to connect with Wesley you can find him on Instagram @wesleychangphoto, his website www.weschangphoto.com, or email him at wesleychangphoto@gmail.com

A native of Moscow, Masha Roslyakova has a lot to say on the Russian community in Seoul. In this podcast we talk about Russia’s role in Northeast Asia, human trafficking in Korea, the difficulties she’s encountered as a non-native English speaker, and why Moscow does not want reunification. Masha is a KGSP Scholar pursuing her MA in Korean Studies at Korea University.

This week’s guest is Peter Ward, an aspiring scholar of North Korean studies. He’s a research assistant to Dr. Andrei Lankov, as well as a masters student at Seoul National University, Peter is also a researcher at the Asan Policy Institute, and a contributing writer at NKNews. Peter is fluent in Korean and has unique insights on both North and South Korean society. We discuss growing up in the UK, misperceptions between the west and Korea, and how to learn Korean effectively. You can connect with Peter on Twitter @rpcward89. And just some quick housekeeping, if you like the show please share it with your friends, rate us on iTunes, Twitter, Facebook, you know whatever you use, just get it out there. I’ve already received several recommendations for future guests would love to hear from you, the listeners, who we should interview and what kind of topics you care about.

Manuel Azuaje-Alamo is a PhD Candidate at Harvard University. Manuel came to Korea mid-last year to conduct research for his dissertation on world literature in East Asia. He speaks seven languages and his lived in over half a dozen countries. Manual spent several years in Japan, and you’ll hear in this podcast a lot of references and inferences to the country as a reference point to placing Korea in context over certain topics and themes. We talk about growing up in Venezuela, the differences between Korea and Japan, how foreigners, especially Koreans, are received in Japan, the lifestyle of Tokyo compared to Seoul, language learning, and of course, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese literature.

Recorded one week before his now-infamous interview on the BBC, Robert Kelly is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Pusan National University. Dr. Kelly’s research interests include international relations theory in East Asia, U.S. foreign policy in Asia and the Middle East, Korean Foreign Policy, and international financial institutions. Dr. Kelly has written for Newsweek in Korea and Japan, Foreign Affairs, The National Interest, and The Diplomat, and he contributes to the Lowy Institute for International Policy and the Economist Intelligence Unit – Asia Group. He is also an avid blogger who runs the Asian Security Blog.