The Korea File

On episode 110 hosts Andre Goulet and Gennie Pimentel welcome Shanna Tan, translator of the smash hit book WELCOME TO THE HYUNAM-DONG BOOKSHOP by Hwang Bo-reum.In this conversation Shanna explains why a slice of life novel about a high-flying career woman in Seoul who leaves a life of burnout and marital misery to open a book shop outside of the city has become a massive international success in a conversation exploring the barbarity of life under late capitalism and the changing face of contemporary South Korean literature.Find the book at your local library or independent bookstore and support this podcast at patreon.com/thekoreafile

On episode 109 Dr. Theresa Hyun, a York University professor and the author of “Writing Women in Korea: Translation and Feminism in the Colonial Period”, joins hosts Andre Goulet and Gennie Pimentel to talk about children's literature, fairy tales and the role of mothers in the North Korean revolution. Plus: a surprising data set on the number of immigrant and multiethnic children who live outside of Seoul and a clip from episode 1 of the classic North Korean children's cartoon 'Squirrel and Hedgehog'.Watch 'Squirrel and Hedgehog' here.Support the show at patreon.com/thekoreafile

On episode 108 Seoul National University master's student An HaKyeng's joins hosts Andre Goulet in Montreal and Gennie Pimentel in Toronto for a conversation unpacking her research on the immigration experience for new arrivals, the challenges migrant workers face in South Korea, ethnonationalism, fertility rates, government policy and more. Works cited in this episode: Immigration in Japan and Social Mobility: Policies and Implications - HaKyeng An, Henry Cho, Wakana MoriguchiSocial capital and assimilation of migrant workers and foreign wives in South Korea: The case of Wongok community -Jun Hee-jung Ha Seong-kyu Creating hierarchies of noncitizens: race, gender,and visa categories in South Korea - Erin Aeran ChungThe citizenship of foreign workers in South Korea - Seol Dong-hoonSupport the show at patreon.com/thekoreafile

On episode 107 Cambridge PhD candidate Alexandra Leonzini joins Andre Goulet and co-host Gennie Pimentel for a conversation exploring how music builds soft power and promotes national prestige, the DPRK opera's greatest hits, cultural diplomacy and the Cold War, how tourists serve as intermediaries in North Korea's noraebang branding efforts and more.Watch 'Where Are You, General?' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCGkIwZa2UEWatch 'Sea of Blood' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quIl4qeEWogThis conversation was recorded on April 10th, 2023.Support our work sharing Korean history and culture with an international audience at patreon.com/thekoreafile

On ep106 Korea University PhD candidate Elizabeth Campbell joins host Andre Goulet and associate producer Gennie Pimentel for a conversation exploring the role of women in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's revolutionary past and present, the legacy of anti-Japanese guerrilla and 1st Kim Il-sung spouse Kim Jong-suk, the influence of 1972 cult classic film 'Flower Girl' on DPRK cinema, regional North Korean cuisine and more.This conversation was recorded on January 19th, 2023.Find some of Campbell's recent research at https://www.northkoreanreview.net/single-post/hotels-tourist-infrastructure-in-north-koreaThe Korea File has been exploring Korean society, culture and politics since August 2014 and is produced, researched and hosted free for listeners around the world with no institutional or academic financial support. To support our mission to share Korean history and culture with an international audience for as little as a dollar a month go to patreon.com/thekoreafile

On episode 105 Toronto podcasters Erin Hynes and Kattie Laur, host and producer of the ethical travel show 'Alpaca My Bags', sit down with Montreal astronomer (and recent Busan/Jeju tourist) Trevor Kjorlien for a round-table conversation on ethical travel, the end of the 'Golden Age' of flying and how to approach international travel in an era of climate crisis with TKF host Andre Goulet and new associate producer Gennie Kim Pimmental.Subscribe to Alpaca My Bags wherever you get your podcasts and at https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/alpaca-my-bags-responsible-travel-podcast/id1449041086Find out more about Trevor's work at https://plateauastro.com/

Widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language, the Oxford English Dictionary is the unsurpassed guide of its meaning, history, and pronunciation featuring more than 600,000 words and spanning over 1000 years. In this conversation UK scholar Cerise Louisa Andrews joins host Andre Goulet to discuss the recent influx of Korean-origin words into English, the influence of the Hallyu phenomenon, and the global success of Korean culture, music, film, television, fashion and food.You can support the podcast in its mission to share Korean history and culture with an international audience by becoming a patron at patreon.com/thekoreafile

On a new episode scholar Mikayla Neyens joins host Andre Goulet to discuss the cultural events that have inspired and defined contemporary feminism in South Korea, exploring the new face of radical activism confronting the threats of Deepfake porn, 'Molka' and the 'Nth Room' cyber sex ring, and explaining how its rising political influence nearly defeated a misogynist political establishment in the 2022 Presidential election.For more from Mikayla read https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/k78zzy/k-pop-deepfake-porn-idols-cyber-investigationSupport the show at https://www.patreon.com/thekoreafile

Michael Breen, CEO of Seoul-based PR firm Insight Communications Consultants and author of the outstanding 2017 book ‘The New Koreans: The Story of a Nation', joins host Andre Goulet to preview next week's Presidential Election and explore the unique ideological history and framework behind South Korean electoral politics.For more on Michael's most recent book see https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/29939342-the-new-koreansOrder your Seoulbox at https://myseoulbox.com/Support The Korea File for as little as $1/month and keep the show free for listeners around the world at https://www.patreon.com/thekoreafileThis conversation was recorded on March 1st, 2022.

Seoulbox has been bringing a taste of Korea through snacks, magazines, and K-pop merch to subscribers around the world since 2019 with a focus on authenticity and the darker side of Korean culture that has cultivated an enthusiastic clientele. In this conversation Suji Sohn joins host Andre Goulet to describe her journey from War Studies major at King's College London, where she participated in the War Simulation Society, the Marxist Society and the Korean Hallyu Society, to CEO of one of the world's most successful Korea subscription boxes.For more information go to https://myseoulbox.com/Support The Korea File for as little as $1/month and keep the show free for listeners around the world at https://www.patreon.com/thekoreafileThis conversation was recorded on January 12th, 2022.

On a celebratory 100th episode host Andre Goulet welcomes Harbinger Media Network podcast pals Paris Marx of leftist tech worldview critique show Tech Won't Save Us and Evan MacDonald of socialist film review show Kino Lefter to explore the historical parallels and context of Squid Game, examine the show's cultural capitalist critique, regret impulsive investments in crypto currency and try to explain why we can't help but hate those notorious VIPs. Hear Paris' popular tech critique show Tech Won't Save Us at https://techwontsave.us/ and support his work at https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveusSubscribe to hear 128 episodes of Evan's excellent, long-running Kino Lefter series at https://www.buzzsprout.com/226175 and get access to more than 100 bonus episodes by supporting the show at https://www.patreon.com/kinolefterHear Andre's political panel show Harbinger Society Presents at https://www.spreaker.com/show/harbinger-society-presentsFind out more about our work building a politically progressive podcast community at https://harbingermedianetwork.com/This conversation was recorded on November 1st, 2021.

On the 99th episode of The Korea File podcast diplomatic studies scholar Jeffrey Robertson joins host Andre Goulet to argue that foreign policy options previously considered extreme – like abandoning the US alliance, acceding to China's dominance and even of securing a nuclear weapons capacity – are entering strategic debate in South Korea. Follow Robertson on Twitter @Junotane and read his piece athttps://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/coming-soon-neutral-south-koreaFind out more about his work athttps://www.junotane.comFollow Andre at @andremarrgoulet and listen to his other broadcasting work on left politics and society at https://www.harbingermedianetwork.com and subscribe to The Harbinger Spotlight wherever you get your podcasts.Subscribe to the excellent Blue Roof Politics newsletter at https://www.blueroofpolitics.com/tag/newsletter/This conversation was recorded on January 30th, 2021.

Armed with theory set out in the "Korean Revolution Manifesto" and practical experience drawn from the March 1st Independence Movement, in 1925 worker and citizen organizations including the Daegu League of Truth and Fraternity, the Changwon Black Friend League and the Jeju Island Mutual Aid group began to organize on the peninsula. In the summer of 1929 Anarchists formed an administration representing more than 2 million Koreans in the Manchurian province of Shinmin, but by the summer of 1931 Stalinist pressure in the North, Japanese pressure in the South and a series of targeted political assassinations ended a distinctly Korean experiment with an extraordinary ideology. On episode 98 of The Korea File journalist, filmmaker and screenwriter Abdul Malik joins host Andre Goulet to explore the history of this fascinating and largely forgotten era. Plus: details about our work amplifying new Left discourse at the Harbinger Media Network and what to expect from Abdul's deeply researched new sports, society and politics podcast 'Offcourt', launching in early January as a network exclusive.Find out more and get access to premium supporter-only Harbinger podcasts for as little as $3/month at https://harbingermedianetwork.com/Historical information on this episode is sourced from Ha Ki-Rak's 'A History of the Korean Anarchist Movement', published in 1986 by the Korean Anarchist Federation.Read the entirety of Hwang Dong-yun's 'Anarchism in Korea: Independence, Transnationalism and the Question of National Development from 1919 to 1984' athttps://libcom.org/files/Anarchism%20in%20Korea_%20Independenc%20-%20Dongyoun%20Hwang.pdfRead a concise summary of Anarchism in Korea by the late Irish historian Alan MacSimoin at http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/ANARCHIST_ARCHIVES/worldwidemovements/koreahis.htmlTo read about Anarchism under the Park Chung-hee regime go to https://libcom.org/book/export/html/33946Subscribe to the excellent Blue Roof Politics newsletter at https://www.blueroofpolitics.com/tag/newsletter/This conversation was recorded on December 22nd, 2020.

What is alternative education in Korea? To answer this question, Contemporary Rebellions welcomes Tae Wook Ha, an activist and professor of Alternative Education at Asia Life University in the city of Daejeon and Minyeong Kim, a graduate of one of the first wave of accredited Korean alternative high schools and a current staff member at the NGO World Without War.In these conversations they discuss the Law on Alternative Education Institutions that's currently in front of the National Assembly, the relationship between un-accredited alternative schools and the government, and the future of alternative education in South Korean society. The Contemporary Rebellions podcast is produced by a non-hierarchical volunteer collective based in Seoul with connections across the country. The collective is a group of long-term, bilingual English and Korean speaking international residents in Korea, with involvement in various progressive social movements. Contemporary Rebellions is open to all Korean and foreign members who share our core values, have a background in social activism and would like to join the project.This podcast is intended to be a tool for educators, activists and anyone interested in South Korean social movements. To get in touch or get involved reach out on Facebook, on Twitter @ContemporaryRe3 or via email at contemporaryrebellions@gmail.com.You can find the transcript for this episode at: docs.google.com/document/d/1nntumexOq-LUPHEtmzAHQVUzMGV0j1GmYMSQWysS5lA/edit?usp=sharingPeople's Solidarity of Alternative Education: www.psae.or.krKorean Association of Alternative Education Institutions: kaaei.hompee.orgIndependent artists you heard in this episode:Kevin MacLeod (Intro): www.incompetech.comOreum Education Space student album: www.orumedu.org/notice/56790Seon Mun Bakk Hakyo: smbschool.krContemporary Rebellions is on:Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/contemporaryrebellionsLook for episode 98 of The Korea File in late December.

On a very special Halloween episode of The Korea File hear a haunting and horrific conversation between guest Joe McPherson (The Wall Street Journal, The Korea Herald, National Geographic, Zen Kimchi) and host Andre Goulet as they explore his 'The Dark Side of Seoul' walking tour, podcast and comic book and share some seasonally terrifying tales of terror in the shadowy and wind-swept hallways of the abandoned Gonjiam Psychiatric Hospital.Listen to the podcast at https://darksideofseoul.com/podcast/ And find out more about the tour and Joe's sprawling Zen Kimchi empire at https://darksideofseoul.com/ and https://zenkimchi.com/This episode was produced in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society- Korea Branch. To find out more about the RASKB, and to see a schedule of upcoming lectures and events, follow them on Facebook or go to http://raskb.com/You can watch previous RASKB lectures at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRwQTNTB7yHlZwW0VchAJ5Y-IVM7TirrUThis conversation was recorded on October 20th, 2020.

Since the end of the nineteenth century, Korea has faced waves of foreign domination, authoritarian regimes and divided development and, throughout these turbulent times, “queer” Koreans have been ignored, minimized and erased in historical narrative. But a new collection of academic writing is challenging this marginalization through critical analysis of non-normative sexuality and gender variance. On episode 96 of The Korea File academic Todd Henry, editor of ‘Queer Korea' and an authority on Colonial Era Seoul, joins host Andre Goulet to explore a pathbreaking work of scholarship that brings Korean queerness fully into the mainstream of Korean and East Asian studies.Find out more about the book athttps://www.dukeupress.edu/queer-koreaRead 'Queer Korea', courtesy of Duke University Press at https://www.dukeupress.edu/Assets/PubMaterials/978-1-4780-0290-1_601.pdfOrder Todd's 2014 book 'Assimilating Seoul: Japanese Rule and the Politics of Public Space in Colonial Korea, 1910–1945' athttps://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520293151/assimilating-seoulThis episode was produced in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society- Korea Branch. To find out more about the RASKB, and to see a schedule of upcoming lectures and events, follow them on Facebook or go to http://raskb.com/ You can watch previous RASKB lectures at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRwQTNTB7yHlZwW0VchAJ5Y-IVM7TirrUThis conversation was recorded on September 25th, 2020.

In the charged political climate of '80s South Korea, university freshman Kim Hyun-sook finds refuge in the comfort of literature as the youngest member of a Banned Book Club, the title of the acclaimed 2019 graphic novel from Kim, co-author Ryan Estrada and artist Ko Hyung-ju. On episode 95 of The Korea File, Estrada joins host Andre Goulet to discuss censorship, sequential art and what Kim's powerful story of repression and dissent has to tell us about contemporary Korean politics, illiberalism and the erosion of democratic norms around the world.Find Ryan's work at http://www.ryanestrada.com/ and buy the book at https://ironcircus.com/?product=banned-book-club This conversation was recorded on August 14th, 2020.Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/thekoreafile

How has K-pop evolved and changed over the last decade? Is right-wing political paranoia about Tiktok teens and BTS Army activism exaggerated? And is the so-called 'dark side' of the industry just a reflection of broader South Korean society? On episode 94 of The Korea File K-pop authority Dr. CedarBough Saeji educates host Andre Goulet on the history, impact and world-wide popularity of the country's most influential cultural export. This episode was produced in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society- Korea Branch. To find out more about the RASKB, and to see a schedule of upcoming lectures and events, follow them on Facebook or go to http://raskb.com/ You can watch previous RASKB lectures at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRwQTNTB7yHlZwW0VchAJ5Y-IVM7TirrUThis conversation was recorded on July 25th, 2020.Support the show at patreon.com/thekoreafile

Introducing a special presentation of the March episode of Contemporary Rebellions: Yonsan. Never again everyone said. Yet in February, 2020 hired thugs attacked the Noryangjin Fish Market workers. The latest episode of the show explores how displacement and state sanctioned violence, as well as resistance to redevelopment and forced evictions, continue.The Contemporary Rebellions podcast is produced by a non-hierarchical volunteer collective based in Seoul with connections across the country. The collective is a group of long-term, bilingual English and Korean speaking international residents in Korea, with involvement in various progressive social movements. Contemporary Rebellions is open to all Korean and foreign members who share our core values, have a background in social activism and would like to join the project. This podcast is intended to be a tool for educators, activists and anyone interested in South Korean social movements. To get in touch or get involved reach out on Facebook, on Twitter @ContemporaryRe3 or via email at contemporaryrebellions@gmail.com.Look for episode 94 of The Korea File in late July.

A powerful new memoir ‘Witnessing Gwangju' was released this month to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising. The book's author, former American Peace Corps volunteer Paul Courtright, was one of only a handful of foreign witnesses to this pivotal event in modern South Korean history. On episode 93 of The Korea File, he joins host Andre Goulet to explore how his simple rural life of living and treating patients in the South Jeolla leprosy village of Hohyewan in May, 1980 collided with the Korean people's struggle against dictatorship. Find the book at https://www.hollym.com/product/witnessing-gwangju/Listen to ‘A March of the Beloved: The May 18 Democratization Revolution Song' at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=droIt4Gam_4 Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/thekoreafileThis conversation was recorded on May 22nd, 2020.

On episode 92 sociologist Jacob Reidhead and host Andre Goulet discuss the origins of the Democratic Party's unprecedented victory in April's parliamentary elections and contrast South Korea's patron-client political party system with Japan and Taiwan's faction-based traditions.Plus: rumors, America's failed media ecosystem and the life and 'death' of North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un.This episode was produced in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society- Korea Branch. Find out more about the RASKB at www.raskb.comSupport the show at https://www.patreon.com/thekoreafileThis conversation was recorded on April 27th, 2020.

On episode 91 of The Korea File visual sociologist, street photographer and Korea National University of the Arts cultural theory lecturer Michael Hurt joins host Andre Goulet to explore what the Moon Jae-in administration's COVID-19 management strategy tells us about how different styles of government engage with crisis. Plus: critiquing Confucian blaming and reflections on Seoul's new normal in an age of pandemic.This episode was produced in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society- Korea Branch. Find out more about the RASKB at www.raskb.comFor more on Michael's street photography check outhttps://medium.com/the-korean-style/the-korean-style-part-ii-hallyu-in-hanoi-or-style-in-the-time-of-corona-efaa94a2b59 Follow him on Instagram at @kuraeji and engage with the discourse at http://www.criticalkoreanstudies.com/ Support the show at https://www.patreon.com/thekoreafileThis conversation was recorded on March 26th, 2020.

On episode 90 of The Korea File it's a conversation on cults, conspiracies and the peninsula's very viral winter as host Andre Goulet welcomes freelance journalist, pirate, indie musician and media promoter Japhy Ryder.For more from World Pirate Radio go to https://www.wprpn.com/Check out Peter Daley's appearances on WPRPN athttps://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/space-pirate-radio/episodes/2016-06-18T10_27_43-07_00 and at https://archive.org/details/Episode102PeterDaleyReturnsSupport the show at https://www.patreon.com/thekoreafileThis conversation was recorded on February 26th, 2020.

On episode 89 of The Korea File: 'Campus Music' and martial law, the K-Pop precedent of the USFK's factory band system and some of the best music of an era. Join academic Matt Van Volkenburg (Gusts of Popular Feeling) and host Andre Goulet for an in-depth conversation on the music, personalities and history of 60s/70s Korean counter-culture.....plus: the not-so-secret history of President Park Chung-hee, composer.Music on this episode:* 송창식 - 고래사냥* 어니언스 – 작은 새 * Key Boys - 뱃노리* 강근식 - 별들의 고향 Prologue * 산울림 - A Flower in the Mist* Shin Jung Hyun And The Men - Beautiful Rivers And Mountains* Park Chung-hee - 나의 조국* 김인순 - 여고졸업반 * 한대수 – 고무신 Read Matt's long-running blog, now in its 15th year, at http://populargusts.blogspot.com/This episode was produced in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society- Korea Branch (RASKB). Find out about upcoming lectures and tours at www.raskb.comSupport the show at patreon.com/thekoreafileThis conversation was recorded on January 26th, 2020.

On episode 88 of The Korea File podcast, cultural and culinary anthropologist Jennifer Flinn joins host Andre Goulet to explain how factors like the decline in multi-generational family living, the increasing age when Koreans first get married and the globalization and urbanization of South Korea are altering traditional assumptions about gender and cooking in Korea. Plus: ghost tours, historical trauma and a menu for apocalyptic dining.This episode was produced in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society- Korea Branch (RASKB). Find out about upcoming lectures and tours at www.raskb.comSupport the show at patreon.com/thekoreafileMusic courtesy of Creative Commons. Support the show at patreon.com/thekoreafileThis conversation was recorded on November 28th, 2019.

Why does Gangnam, and so much of Korea, feel artificial and improvised? How are urban apartment complexes like undemocratic military bases? And will Seoul end up another megacity playground for tourists and the super rich like London, New York or Tokyo? Independent linguist Robert Fouser, a former Seoul National University Department of Korean Language professor and the author of the new Korean-language book ‘Exploring Cities' joins host Andre Goulet to explore all this and more on episode 87 of The Korea File podcast.This episode was produced in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society- Korea Branch (RASKB). Find out about upcoming lectures and tours at www.raskb.comMusic courtesy of Creative Commons. Support the show at patreon.com/thekoreafileThis conversation was recorded on October 25th, 2019.

In a break month for content, The Korea File is proud to present Singapore-based Shida Osman in conversation with TKF's Andre Goulet on 'The Podcast Show'. TPS show notes describe the conversation as follows: “Consistency, would be the key to a successful podcast”,says Andre Goulet, podcast host of The Korea File. The conversation unveils why he chose Korea, what happened to the punk rock band that he played in, his love for Korea's architecture and why he chose Bulgogi, in the “This or That” game.Hear more of 'The Podcast Show' at https://soundcloud.com/thepodcastshowasiaThis conversation was recorded on September 12th, 2019.

Traditional Korean homes have become a victim of recent waves of gentrification in Ikseon-dong and Bukchon. But as these old residential neighbourhoods become a haven for hipsters, the unique cultural footprint of an important aspect of Seoul's history is being erased.On episode 86 of The Korea File, Ji-hoon Suk, a University of Michigan Ph.D. student in Asian History and a keen observer of cultural heritage in the metropolis, joins host Andre Goulet to explore the rich historic legacy of some prominent hanok affected by development.Plus: critiquing the city government's too-little-too-late policy on managing gentrification, debunking so-called "heritage garden" Seongnagwon, investigating the architectural secrets of Seoul's long-lost Cheongnyangni 588 red-light district and more.This episode was produced in collaboration with the Royal Asiatic Society- Korea Branch (RASKB). Find out about upcoming lectures and tours at www.raskb.comMusic courtesy of Creative Commons.This conversation was recorded on August 25th, 2019.

Introducing Jeju Views, a biweekly snapshot of the global microcosm that is Jeju Island. Join host Ann Bush and guests in conversation as they discuss how to navigate the ever-evolving multicultural landscape of the South Korean island.On episode 1, performer Gaelan Whitney opens up about a recent production of the spoken word and comedy show 'Vajeju Nights' and how some Yemeni refugees in attendance may not have been expecting what they were in for. CONTENT ADVISORY: This conversation explores sex and female genitalia and may not be suitable for all audiences.Special thanks to Pitx for Jeju Views' theme music 'Caipirinha'.

On episode 85 of The Korea File,‘Transactions' journal General Editor Jon Dunbar joins host Andre Goulet to discuss Urban Exploration and Bong Joon-ho's ‘The Host', the Seoul Queer Culture Festival and the American Embassy's rainbow Pride flag and the legacy and future of the Royal Asiatic Society-Korea Branch. Plus: highlights from this year's edition of the journal including the North Korea/Guyana Friendship Association, Patrilineage and the Chaebols and the predictive power of Taemon Dreams.Subscribe to The Korea File on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts and support the show at patreon.com/thekoreafile

.....how engagement with radical anti-imperialist politics create the intellectual space to better understand the personal struggle of defining Korean identity as Korean-Americans in the United States….......how a trio of teenagers convinced an 89 year-old former Alaska Senator to make a presidential run…. ....and how an insurgent, largely social media-driven campaign is bringing a radically anti-colonial and anti-war message to the 2020 American election discourse.... On this episode, senior campaign staff Jonathan Suhr and Alex Chang join host Andre Goulet on a dual-cast of Korean history and current affairs show ‘The Korea File' and Canadian left politics podcast ‘Unpacking the News' to discuss the extraordinary anti-imperialist campaign of Gravel 2020. Subscribe to Unpacking the News on iTunes and Spotify. Associate Production from Savanna Craig. This conversation was recorded on May 16th, 2019.

The Royal Asiatic Society- Korea Branch has been enhancing an understanding of Korean arts, customs, history and social trends through lectures, cultural excursions and special publications since it's founding more than a century ago. In that time, the RASKB and it's unusual cohort of members (including missionaries, diplomats and other expatriates) have witnessed every aspect of Korea's contemporary history, from occupation, colonization and fratricidal war to a modern era of democracy, development and international cultural influence. On this episode of The Korea File RASKB vice-president Steven Shields joins host Andre Goulet to explore the fascinating history of one of the country's oldest institutions.Subscribe to The Korea File on iTunes and support the show at patreon.com/thekoreafileFind out more about upcoming RASKB lectures and events at raskb.comThis conversation was recorded on April 21st, 2019.

Despite the high hopes many were feeling in the lead up to second Trump-Kim meeting, the Summit was probably dead before it even began late last month at the colonial-era Metropole Hotel in downtown Hanoi. But who pulled the trigger? What was the poison pill? And where do the United States and North Korea need to go from here to guarantee a lasting peace? On this episode host Andre Goulet is joined by speechwriter and former U.S. State Department diplomat Mintaro Oba, who last appeared on the show early last summer in the run-up to the Trump/Kim Singapore summit, to explore all this and more on episode 82 of The Korea File. This conversation was recorded on March 26th, 2019.Find Mintaro's recent piece 'Why, If Diplomacy is to Succeed With North Korea, John Bolton Must Go' at https://www.nknews.org/2019/03/why-if-diplomacy-with-north-korea-is-to-succeed-john-bolton-must-go/Become a monthly patron of the podcast at patreon.com/thekoreafile

In May 2015, on the 70th anniversary of Korea's national division, thirty international women peacemakers from around the world walked with thousands of North and South Korean women to call for an end to the Korean War, reunification of families and the inclusion of women's leadership in the peace process. Christine Ahn, the founder of Women Cross the DMZ, Women De-Militarize the Zone, The Korea Policy Institute, The Global Campaign to Save Jeju Island, The Korea Peace Network and a co-organizer of the May, 2015 event joins host Andre Goulet to explore how she and others continue to work for peace on the peninsula in 2019.For more information read Christine's op-ed with Gloria Steinem at https://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-ahn/gloria-steinem-north-korea-march_b_7018902.html?ec_carp=8996287911531269670Find out more about organizing for peace in Korea at womencrossdmz.org and at wagingpeace.orgThis conversation was recorded on January 25th, 2019.

The American military is gradually leaving Yongsan, a major garrison located in the heart of Seoul. But how are the dynamics of military spatial reorganization playing out beyond the metropolis? In this conversation Bridget Martin of the University of California at Berkley joins host Andre Goulet to explore how South Korean landscapes are shaped by the country's unresolved conflict with North Korea.This conversation was recorded on December 11th, 2018.Look for Bridget's ‘Field Notes from South Korea: Local Development in the Land of Securitized Peace' at scholarworks.csun.edu

With a unique cultural and geographical history going back centuries, the ‘Joseonjok' are considered too different to be fully Chinese in China while simultaneously 'not good enough to fit in' in South Korea.In this conversation, writer Eddie Park joins host Andre Goulet to discuss his recent investigative reporting from the Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Yanbian, China.This interview was recorded on October 25th, 2018.Read Park's piece at KOREA EXPOSÉ: https://www.koreaexpose.com/too-different-to-be-chinese-not-good-enough-to-be-korean/Image courtesy of Jonathan Skjott. Find his audio tour of Seoul's Daerim-dong neighbourhood at http://jskjott.com/Joseonjok.html

Is there room for freedom of conscience in the South Korean military? Amnesty International says that there are more than 230 conscientious objectors currently incarcerated in the country. But a Constitutional Court ruling this summer, a ruling that states that the government must provide alternative civilian roles for those who refuse to take up arms due to religious or political reasons, sends a clear message that conscientious objection to military service is a human right. On this episode of ké cast, Korea Expose staff writer Jieun Choi joins host Andre Goulet to discuss this major shift in legal rights for Conscientious Objectors.This episode was recorded on October 3rd, 2018.If you like this show support it at patreon.com/thekoreafilePhoto credit: The Hankyoreh

South Korean society has long been intolerant of outsiders, but the outrage sparked this summer by a thousand Yemeni asylum seekers on Jeju Island illustrates the depth of the country's xenophobia. On this episode of ké cast, Korea Exposé Publisher Se-Woong Koo joins host André Goulet to discuss why, despite its vaunted democracy and economy, compassion and humanitarian instincts are in short supply in South Korea.Read Se-Woong's piece 'Tyranny of South Korea's Majority Against Refugees' at https://www.koreaexpose.com/south-korea-xenophobia-shows-itself-yemen-refugees-situation/For more ké cast, go to koreaexpose.com.This conversation was recorded on August 28th, 2018.Photo credit: National Public Radio

This is 'ké cast' Season 2, Episode 1. Produced in collaboration with Korea Exposé, an independent media organization that speaks to a global audience about the Koreas in a way that goes beyond cliché and superficial analysis, look for this podcast at the beginning of each month through 2018. On this episode, Korea Exposé managing editor Haeryun Kang joins 'The Korea File' podcast host Andre Goulet to explore this summer's massive women-led protests against spycam porn and South Korea's pervasive culture of voyeurism and surveillance.Read Haeryun's piece 'My Life Isn't Your Porn: Why South Korean Women Protest': https://www.koreaexpose.com/south-koreas-biggest-womens-protest-in-history-is-against-spycam-porn/ For more ké cast, go to koreaexpose.com.This conversation was recorded on June 26th, 2018.

Former U.S. diplomat, speechwriter, and commentator on U.S. foreign policy in Asia Mintaro Oba joins host Andre Goulet to discuss this month's on again off again US-North Korea meeting how the Moon administration's heroic heavy lifting has kept the summit on track. Plus: a risk-free template for how to be a North Korea pundit. This conversation was recorded on June 1st, 2018.Music on this episode is from the album 'The Best of Yi Moon-sae'.

John Carl Baker, a fellow with Washington, DC think tank The Ploughshares Fund joins host Andre Goulet to talk about peace, nuclear proliferation and this historic week on the Korean peninsula. This conversation was recorded on May 2nd, 2018.Music on this episode, 'But I Like You' is from Busan indie rock band Say Sue Me. Find their new album 'Where We Were Together' on Bandcamp.Mastered by Chris Hernandez at Studio Petite Palais in Montreal.

Jenny Town (Assistant Director of the US-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies/Managing Editor at 38North.org) joins host Andre Goulet to discuss Washington's reaction to the surprise announcement of a Donald Trump/Kim Jong-un summit and- what can we expect from this month's upcoming inter-Korean talks? How do the conditions surrounding the summit compare to the Roh Moo-hun/Kim Jong-il meeting of 2007? Plus: John Bolton as White House National Security Adviser adds a dangerous element to peace-making efforts on the peninsula and- why is Seoul still without an American ambassador? All this and more on episode 73 of The Korea File. Music on this episode: 방주연's '당신의 마음' (1987)This conversation was recorded on April 3rd, 2018Mastered by Chris Hernandez at Studio Petit Palais in Montreal.

Steven Denney (Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto/Senior Editor at SinoNK.com) joins host Andre Goulet to discuss the diplomatic delegation's visit to Pyongyang and how Korean nationalism and American obstructionism continue to clash in the wake of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games. Plus: January's weird Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Security and Stability on the Korean Peninsula, organized by the Canadian government and the U.S. State Department, comes under observation. All this and more, on episode 72 of The Korea File. Music on this episode: ‘그리움만 쌓이네' by여진 (1979)This conversation was recorded on March 9th, 2018.Mastered by Chris Hernandez at Studio Petit Palais.

In this conversation with prominent blogger Ask A Korean, we unpack the spy-ops and psy-ops that have informed more than a decade of alt-Right agitation in South Korea. Plus: a look into the anti-democratic overreach of the National Intelligence Service and a deep dive into the origins of Ilbe, Korea's nihilistic proto-Reddit web forum and 4chan and Breitbart predecessor. And, an analysis of the diminished status of South Korea's political right-wing today. Also, three fundamental questions that establish first principles when talking about North Korea: May the North Korean state continue to exist? May the Kim Jong-un regime remain in power? And is war acceptable on the Korean peninsula? Ask A Korean's answer to all three questions is an emphatic ‘No'. This conversation was recorded on January 28th, 2018.Music on this episode is 심수봉 with '그때 그사람'.Mastered by Chris Hernandez at Villeray Studios in Montreal.Help support and sustain this podcast at patreon.com/thekoreafile and receive access to exclusive interviews and bonus content!

As the Koreas begin high level diplomatic talks, host Andre Goulet is joined by photojournalist Jules Tomi for a wide-ranging conversation on the upcoming Pyeongchang Olympic Games and the confluence of factors, including chaotic American political leadership, that may be leading to an easing of tensions on the peninsula. Plus: critiquing voyeuristic journalism, apocalyptic diplomacy by Twitter and debating the perilous potential of possible reunification. This conversation was recorded on January 4th.Music on this episode is Kim Gwan-suk's ‘Buchiji Anheun Pyunji #1 (Geudae Jal-gala)'Photo credit: Spencer Cameron w/ Getty Images Support The Korea File podcast at patreon.com/thekoreafile

Academics have long examined the relationship between nation-states and their "internal others," like immigrants and ethnic or racial minorities. Now, with her award-winning book ‘Contested Embrace: Transborder Membership Politics in Twentieth-Century Korea' Jaeeun Kim shifts this focus to look at how a state relates to people it sees as diasporic "external members".In this conversation, Kim shares some of the ideas behind her comparative, historical, and ethnographic study of the complex relationships between the states in the Korean peninsula, colonial-era Korean migrants to Japan and northeast China and their descendants, and the states in which they've lived over the course of the twentieth century.To see Jaeun Kim's full Nam Center lecture, look for ‘Contested Embrace: Transborder Membership Politics in Twentieth-Century Korea',on Youtube. Subscribe to the Nam Center's Youtube channel at 'umichncks'.Become a financial supporter of this podcast at patreon.com/thekoreafileFor more information on this lecture go tohttps://www.ii.umich.edu/ncks/news-events/events.detail.html/42278-9593311.htmlMastered at Villeray Studios by Chris Hernandez.

On this episode:The Nation magazine's resident Korea expert Tim Shorrock discusses American political instability, assesses the unthinkable cost of a new Korean civil war and examines the international community's role in resolving the nuclear crisis.Become a sustaining patron of this podcast at https://www.patreon.com/thekoreafileMusic on this episode includes the national anthems of the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

How do we consume nationalism in the marketplace? And what does it mean to treat nationalism as a commodity? In this conversation, Nam Center Postdoctoral Fellow Jiun Bang discusses the commodification surrounding the Dokdo/Takeshima dispute, and challenges some of the traditional assumptions behind our perceptions of nationalism. And- a conversation on the strange linguistic character of the name Ehwa Womans University. Bang shares some little known facts about her alma mater. All this and more on episode 67 of The Korea File. This episode was produced in collaboration with the University of Michigan's Nam Center for Korean Studies. Music on this episode:John Lopker's 'My Dear Dokdo' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTSMNaFB8Rk and also Kim Kyung-min's 'Dokdo, dokdo, dokdo' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT3NcD5162s

Choson Exchange is bringing capitalism to the DPRK. Since 2009, the Singapore-based non-profit has facilitated training workshops for everyday North Koreans in Economics, Entrepreneurship and Urban Planning in metropolitan Pyongyang and elsewhere around the country.In this conversation, Choson Exchange Associate Director of Research Dr. Andray Abrahamian discusses how the introduction of some aspects of a free market economy under the Kim Jong-eun regime is changing the way North Koreans look at capitalism. We'll also talk about the prospects for further change in North Korean society and discuss how initiatives like Chosun Exchange could impact how the United States, South Korea and other countries approach North Korea policy. Also: how can political leadership in the United States and the Koreas move past saber-rattling and militaristic rhetoric? How will South Korean policy towards the North change in the post-Park Geun-hye era? And what's it like to fly Air Koryo?Music on this episode is 'Great Comrade Kim Jong-eun, We Know Nobody But You' from KCTV State Television:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLbWjwIwKrIThis episode was produced in collaboration with the University of Michigan's Nam Center for Korean Studies. To see Andray Abrahamian's full Nam Center Undergraduate Fellows lecture, look for “Social Changes You See When Working in North Korea” on Youtube. Subscribe to Nam Center lecture series at 'umichncks'.

What role did public polling play in the spectacular political collapse of President Park Geun-hye? How effective is political polling today? And with social trends pointing to a continuing decrease in the rate of democratic participation, how can polls remain representative?In our conversation prior to his recent lecture at the University of Michigan, UC Berkley Professor Taeku Lee discusses how the political science of public polling, until recently a primarily American area of study, has gained academic traction in South Korea over the last decade. This episode was produced in collaboration with the Nam Center for Korean Studies. Subscribe to the Nam Center's Youtube channel at umichncks.Music on this episode is 7080 star 김연자 with 봄비가.

Joshua Van Lieu is a historian of 20th century East Asian politics and international relations and an authority on the histories of Joseon Korea and Late Imperial China. In this conversation, Van Lieu discusses the diplomatic intrigue of the Qing-Korea relationship and explains how the pageantry of tributary practice successfully manipulated Western preconceptions of the “unknowable orient”. This episode was produced in collaboration with the University of Michigan's Nam Center for Korean Studies. To see Joshua Van Lieu's full lecture, find “The Act was Oriental between Orientals: The Persistence of Late Victorian Translations of the Twilight of Qing-Chosun Tributary Practice” on Youtube.