The Side Dish

This week's episode is all about nut-punches, bar fights, college parties, and our experiences fighting (or in some cases, fleeing) with friends, family, strangers and ourselves. We also talk about near death experiences and a bunch of other shit. Chris gushes over the new season of Survivor, of course.04/17/22

Friend of the pod James rejoins the gang to talk our favorite musicals (or why we hate them), the DMV's Latin Club scene, charangos, writing for late night comedy, and much more!02/11/22

The gang records an episode while making a 10-hour stew. Former co-cost Sue talks about voice-over acting and Smirnoff Ice, Aaron can't stop shitting on House of Gucci, Jay sings “I'll Make a Man Out of You”, and Chris tends to the Genovese (while sharing blackout airplane stories). Enjoy!02/11/22

Our friend James Chung joins the podcast to talk about Valentine's Day plans, whether we use the dick-holes in our underwear, exciting developments for Seoul City Improv (which James helps lead), the TRUTH behind mixing alcohol, and much more!01/05/22

01/28/22

The premiere of Season 2! Topics include: Christmas gifts, what we are looking forward to this year, eating bad oysters, Chris' psychic powers, and a review of movies Seline hasn't seen.01/14/22

The legendary, venerable, and very opinionated Chuck Chun is in the house for our 40th episode special! From doing pop-ups in Haebangchon and opening his first brick and mortar in an old Pakistani curry shop, to becoming one of the go-to spots in Kyungridan and being featured on 백종원 new TV show, Chuck offers his insights into the Korean (and more specifically Korean-American) food scene in South Korea. He talks about the importance of iterating a dish, adapting to modern trends, and his friendships (and rivalries) within the F&B scene. He also dishes on his first impressions of new restaurants, outlines his criteria for a $20 vs $30 pizza, and offers advice for anyone thinking about opening up shop in Seoul.08/01/21

Most of us are able to meet our basic needs of food and shelter, but how do we reach self-actualization? Join us as we analyze, dissect and debate Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, assessing our current states of ascension and how we believe his metric works (or doesn't) for a modern generation. We jump around talking about the importance of a good night's sleep, where and how we forge meaningful relationships, Kung Fu Panda, states of “flow”, and what homeless people, street vendors, and billionaires all share in common. Enjoy! 08/16/21

Small group sessions, late-night ramen, and letting the Holy Spirit into your heart. If you didn't go to Jesus Camp (i.e. church retreats) while growing up, then what the hell did you do during your summer and winter breaks? Join us as we talk about being “on fire” for God, side-eye moments when people overshared their sinful struggles, and the difference between Catholic and Protestant praise bands. We finish the episode with a Bible Quiz that shows just how far we've wandered from God's path. Whoops!08/09/21

Nearing the end of a very busy summer, Seline drops by the podcast to update us on her life. She talks about her impending trip to the United States while Jay and Aaron regale her with stories from their recent trip to Busan. The conversation takes a few twists and turns but ultimately lands on the Olympics and how we're not really watching them. If you're in the mood to hear a pleasant conversation, this is your episode! 08/02/21

What do four ex-stoners do when their country is in lockdown and weed is extremely illegal? Talk about all the times they got high, of course. The episode starts off with debate over Space Jam: A New Legacy, then goes into stories of our first times toking up, encounters with school administrators and police officers, our favorite ways to inhale the sticky-icky, favorite stoner movies, shows, and albums, and a little chat about guacamole, post-credits. Swear to God we weren't stoned for this one, folks. 07/19/21

Periods, pimples, and no reason boners: this episode has got it all. It's TMI time as the gang recounts the awkwardness and shame of our pubescent years. Stories include moody arguments with teachers, condom curiosity, masturbation tales, and much more. 07/12/21

In our quest to reach 200 followers, the podcast dishes about clout chasing, celebrity culture, and what each of us would be famous for. We also talk shit on Mark Zuckerberg's Instagram page, debate the intents and impacts of cancel culture, try to wrap our heads around why Cosby is free, and compliment the 26-year-old intern's new face tattoos. We conclude the episode by swapping stories of us meeting celebrities in real life. 07/05/21

William Butler Yeats once wrote: "There are no strangers here; only friends you haven't yet met." In this week's episode we share our worst interactions with these so called "friends". We discuss sliding into DMs, being courted by sexy cultists, whether we are good judges of character, and much more. Notable stories include: Jay befriending an ajumma, Andrew getting trolled abroad, Chris hating Indian scammers, and Aaron meeting a stranger with a foot fetish. The episode concludes with a few "confessions" from Reddit that you won't wanna miss. Enjoy!06/29/21

In what can only be described as our shittiest episode, the gang shares its gnarliest pee, poo, and barf stories. And yeah, it's kinda gross! Topics include: waxing hairy assholes, pooping in public restrooms, pissing our pants, the best way to fold toilet paper, developing the ability to puke on-demand, and an ass-whole lot more. Enjoy! 06/21/21

If you've ever wanted to know more about Chris (a.k.a. “the 26-year-old-intern”), this is your chance! Originally published right after he graduated from UCLA in December 2020, this episode is with all seriousness one of our best. In it, Chris recounts his struggles with depression and addiction, subsisting off of Taco Bell and bong rips for the better half of his college career. But in those struggles also lies critical honesty, vulnerability, and ultimately--triumph. We're proud of our boy, and after you listen to this episode we promise you'll be too. 12/29/20

Everyone's back! The podcast reunites for the first time in a couple of weeks to dish about traveling to America, vaccination stories, Andrew's gripes with Seoul city folk, how to deal with a murder of bros, another cringe-y crush story, a traumatizing Tinder date, and much more. Full disclosure: this episode has nothing to do with the actual "Friends" reunion special, but we're gunning for similar numbers. 06/08/21

The year was 2020. The month: November. Jay was taking Korean classes at Sogang University, the Intern was slogging through his last semester at UCLA, Aaron was learning how to host a podcast, and Seline came on as a special guest. You don't want to miss this legendary rerelease! Not only does it mark the first time Seline and Aaron joined forces on the mic, but it's also replete with an array of topics: horoscope compatibility, people who suck at communication, first date nightmares, and stories of cheating in high school (don't lie…you did it too). The stars perfectly aligned for this one, folks. Check out The Side Dish's fate in the making. Original air date: 11/19/20

On this week's episode, we talk about all things crush-y. For instance, are you the serial crusher or the one getting crushed? What IS crushing, and do you do it as an adult? Jay and Seline discuss the magic, the humiliation, and the ridiculousness of crushing with friends of the podcast Elaine Shin and Elena Kim. We dish on being late bloomers, obsessing over strangers at WeWork, and how at the end of the day, reality will never live up to the fantasies we construct in our minds. We end the episode with a heated discussion on how Balto the dog is hot af and discover that all our childhood celebrity crushes were basic ass white men.05/11/21

Living in a human body means having hang-ups about your physical appearance -- that's just the rules of science! In this episode, special guest Khloe Kim visits the studio to discuss how these insecurities manifest individually and how to live with them. We touch on the differences between Korean and American beauty standards, insecurities in the "face department," bloated stomachs and flat butts, the merits of plastic surgery, and more. We conclude the episode with how we perceive our bodies when dating and looking for sexual or romantic validation. 05/04/21

What makes something cool? Subversiveness? Ironic detachment? Chain-link wallets and nautical tattoos? In this week's episode, we unpack the aesthetics of cool and rate things ranging from virginity and Russian literature, to pilates and Elon Musk. We also touch on indie rock and hip hop, mainstream skateboard trends, those people who always have cracked phone screens, and debate whether California is, indeed, the coolest U.S. state. 04/27/21

Korea has changed a lot over the last 21 years. In other respects, it's stayed exactly the same. Join us as we compare our childhood impressions of Seoul (either visiting or living here) to what it's become today: a pretty awesome place to call home! Topics include: hiking culture and horny grandmas, the dark side of hailing a taxi after 12AM, Seline's sexy (“I like to dress like a slut”) fashion sensibilities, the conveniences of Korean apartment living, and how Andrew is either really good at making older friends, or is being seduced by a cult. 04/20/21

As opposed to parents or friends, your siblings are typically the people who have known (and will know) you for the longest time. And yet, there's a neglected discourse surrounding the impact siblings have on each other, whether through the power of birth order, gender dynamics, or serving as role models or rivals. Join our conversation with Elaine Shin as we reminisce about shared living quarters, shit-stained road trips, and our favorite childhood movies.We also debate whether you'd help your siblings bury a dead body. 04/13/21

It's only natural to ponder the “what ifs” of life. But as we break down in this week's episode, such ruminations are actually “low energy” thoughts that lead—at worst—to self-pity and regret. So instead, the podcast celebrates decisive moments that, for better or worse, led us all to the present. Topics include: Jay choosing to break up with a long-term girlfriend, the moment Aaron decided to eschew K-Pop, yet another cringe-y story from the 26-year-old intern, and a heartwarming tale from Seline about why the podcast made her cry. 04/06/21

Once a social work major at NYU, Katie Kim is now a filmmaker finishing her last year at Columbia University's MFA program. As a highly empathetic and perceptive person, Katie details how her creative process hinges on the simple--yet powerful--premise that beauty and humor can heal both viewers and creators alike. She also talks about what she learned about directing and writing from her two short films (“egg” and “Blue Grey”), her love of Miyazaki, her current feature, and more. Jay, Andrew, and the 26-year-old intern intermittently chime in with movies that make them cry, their favorite musicals, and why Pixar films are quite possibly the apex of cinematic art.04/06/21

The 26-year-old intern originally pitched this “food draft” idea in a drunken stupor. It sounded pretty low-commitment and fun, plus we were too lazy/drunk to suggest anything better. Well, thanks to the intern's initiative and panache, this dish came out great! We touch on how modernization influenced Korea's food culture, the utilitarian vs artistic aspects of cooking, whether we ought to eat animals, and how truffle oil makes us go #3. The actual food draft has us arguing over our #1 fast food chains, all-time top Asian foods, savory meals from TV and film, and much, much more. Seline even raps for us! 03/16/21

This week, Seline, Jay, Chris and Aaron celebrate their podcast friendship by drinking tequila and dishing about--wait for it... friendship! The conversation jumps around from synced up menstrual cycles, our friends not inviting us to karaoke (you know who you are), middle school crushes, and NOT Seline's love life. We also talk about friendship breakups, that one insufferable guy/girl your friend is dating, and the hottest Disney Prince of all time: Eric. Lastly, for listeners who like juicy gossip and friend-on-friend drama: The intern apparently had secret beef with Aaron—did it ever get resolved? Tune in to find out! 03/30/21

In this episode we sit down to discuss the senseless attacks against Asians in the United States, talking openly about the complicated internal and external reckonings so many Asian Americans are forced to experience under the domain of white supremacy. We especially take time to focus on misogyny against Asian women, and how that comes in the form of sexual abuse and fetishization.What does it mean to be visible and invisible in the U.S., and how do we move forward in a country that disregards AAPI experiences, despite our so-called "integration" into white society? We stand in solidarity with the families of the victims in Atlanta, and our hearts are with AAPI women, immigrants, and workers who experience the highest rates of violence in our community.03/23/21

Conspiracy theories have long captured our collective imaginations and, in some cases, even turned out to be true. If you've ever wondered where conspiracy thinking stems from, or just want to hear us debate their veracity, then allow us to enter your minds.Dropping buzz words like “magical thinking”, “intuition”, “malicious intent” and “Ted Bundy's pajamas”, we come to learn that while some beliefs are benign, others can lead to insidious distortions of reality with real-life consequences.  And yet, they all stem from a very human desire to find meaning in an otherwise chaotic and irrational world. 03/08/21

Insecurities, selfish impulses, and mean streaks. From childhood, we are taught to repress these Jungian “shadow” traits, conditioned instead to be prosocial in all aspects of life. The problem is, these traits tend to leak out as we get older. That's right, this episode's all about leakage. What triggers our shadow traits and how can we channel them in healthy ways? Join us as we also discuss the kinds of people we dislike/are turned off by, and attempt to understand why we have these feelings to begin with. We get a little vulnerable and reveal our unsavory characteristics. But that's all part of the self-awareness journey. Your shadow can be your friend, if you'll allow it. And after listening to this episode, you should probably address your own leakage too.Follow us on Instagram at @_thesidedish03/09/21

What the hell is a third culture kid (TCK)? Our friend Elena Kim joins us in this episode to discuss her life growing up in many different cultures and eventually ending up in her mother country (Korea). We cover her journey from birth in London, adolescence in Singapore, prep school in Connecticut, college in the American South, and finally, life as a Korean American in Korea. Join us as we dish on the tensions between one's own identity and the identity others presume of us, being branded the “cool Asian” by white peers, sororities, problematic parties, speaking Korean with an American accent, and much more.Follow us on Instagram @_thesidedish03/01/21

Friend of the podcast Sol Lee revisits the studio to share the fascinating science of Motivational Interviewing. First developed to rehabilitate unwilling drug addicts, MI has incredible applications to our everyday lives, if we allow maestros like Sol to hypnotize and fix us. Listen to this episode because it will literally change your life! (Or put you to sleep.)Disclaimer: The demonstration at the episode's end is NOT reflective of MI techniques.Follow us @_thesidedish02/16/21

The podcast finally gets that coveted interview with Justin Kim, a bro of many talents. From finance consulting to the startup space, and now embarking on a new phase of his career, he shares what it takes to grow from a finance "bro" to a finance MAN. We also talk about wiping our asses at the end. Enjoy! Follow us @_thesidedish02/09/21

Are millennials really the “burnout generation”? Join us as we discuss the stages, symptoms, and our personal manifestations of chronic, unresolved work stress. We talk about traumatic stress-related fainting spells, how we can't afford spouses (lol), choosing how we want to live, feeling embarrassed about our jobs, and much more related to the nature of being approximately 26 to 35 years old under capitalism in 2021. On this episode we also have a special recurring guest, our friend Sue Hahn, who also happens to be the nuna/unnie of the group. She discusses jumping around from job to job, peaking at age 4, family pressures to get married, how she manages stress in a healthy way, and more. Follow us @_thesidedish02/23/21