Kpop Bookshelf: Recent Episodes
Mina
Exploring Korean Pop Culture Through Books!
This podcast will discuss books written about Korean society or set in Korea to help give a better understanding when consuming KPop culture such as KPop music and K Dramas! Each episode will be about a different book.
Season 6 Episode 5
We cover the book Many Lives Intertwined by Hyun Sook Han
Mrs. Han was a strong-willed, very honest social worker in both Korea and the United States as well as an adoptive mother.
We will learn more about the Korean adoption process in the 1950s-1960s, including the adoption of mixed race Korean children, from the social worker perspective.
LINKS
- Hyun Sook Han, Korean Social Worker and Adoption Pioneer, Dies at 83 [New York Times]
Season 6 Episode 4
We cover the book A WAR BORN FAMILY: African American Adoption in the Wake of the Korean War by Kori A. Graves
Dr. Graves explores the unique issues surrounding the adoption of Korean Black mixed race children during 1950s-60s from Korea to African American adoptive parents in pre-Civil Rights Era United States.
We also take a brief look at the story of Milton Washington. Check out the links below!
LINKS:
- Dr Kori A Graves Biography [Rutgers]
- A War Born Family - [NYU Press]
- World’s Largest ‘Baby Exporter’ Confronts Its Painful Past [New York Times]
- Jim Crow Laws [History. Com]
- Occupational Segregation in America [Center for American Progress]
- Black, Korean and searching for the American dream [BBC]
- Lives Less Ordinary -Black, Korean, stateless: A Slickyboy’s American dream, part 1 [BBC]
- Lives Less Ordinary - Black, Korean, stateless: a Slickyboy’s American dream, part 2 [BBC]
- Adapted Podcast - podcast about Korean adoptees
- The Janchi Show: Your New Favorite Korean Adoptee Podcast
Kori Graves on Black Korean Adoptees - [Time To Say Goodbye Podcast]
Season 6 Episode 3
In this episode, we discuss the book Palimpsest: Documents From a Korean Adoption by Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom.
Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom is a Korean-Swedish adoptee who discovers some shocking truths about the circumstances surrounding her adoption.
We explore some of the secrets of the Korean intercountry adoption and learn about why some adoptees and adoptee advocates are accusing the South Korean government and the government of the country they were raised in of not enough oversight over South Korean adoption practices of the late 20th century.
LINKS:
- Legally 'orphaned' to be adopted transnationally [The Korea Times]
- Paper orphans [CBC]
- Dutch gov't broke law by destroying adoption files: Inspectorate [NL Times]
- South Korea’s truth commission to probe foreign adoptions [AP]
- When her mother came to see her, Holt lied and said she’d already been adopted [Hankyoreh]
- ‘Korea is hiding our past’: the adoptees searching for their families – and the truth [Guardian]
- All records must be unsealed for Korean adoptees who want it, argue experts [Hankyoreh]
Season 6 Episode 2
We discuss the book From Orphan to Adoptee: US Empire and Genealogies of Korean Adoption by SooJin Pate
This book gives some background on how Korea came to be one of the countries to adopted out the most children to other countries. Learn about how the US government and Americans played a big part in this practice, which continues to this day. There is so much more to this book than discussed here, but hopefully you can some small additional insight into the early days of Korea inter-country adoption.
LINKS:
- The Janchi Show - 004 // SooJin Pate + Choco-Pies! [The Janchi Show]
- Paper Orphans [CBC]
- Christianity and Korea - How did the religion become so apparently prevalent in South Korea? [The Diplomat]
Season 6 Episode 1
This season will be about Adoption from Korea.
In this first episode, we discuss the book ALL YOU CAN EVER KNOW: A MEMOIR by Nicole Chung.
We are joined by special guest and Korean American adoptee, Kim!
LINKS:
- Kim’s Instagram
- Adapted Podcast
Bonus Episode with Teeny and JoJo where we talk about our experience at KCON LA 2023!
Find out what ticketing was like, what interacting with artists was like, whether anyone actually experienced a black ocean, and how we dealt with natural disasters during a major Kpop convention!
Presenting Idol Book Club: A Little Bit Biased - a spinoff of our Idol Book Club series!
This time, instead of focusing on books read by kpop idols, my friend, Ash, and I explore the act of being a fan through reading a Japanese book about a Jpop fan, IDOL, BURNING by Rin Usami.
LINKS:
- Dictionary . com definition of Parasocial Relationship
-
In Defense of Parasocial Relationships [TIME]
-
Friend or Faux: Are Parasocial Relationships Healthy? [Cleveland Clinc]
For this bonus episode, I give you my initial impressions and first reaction to the book Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS by BTS and Myeongseok Kang.
I have some thoughts about the structure of the book, a few random bones to pick with some of the topics, some newer things I learned, and what I see as parallels between The Beatles and BTS!
Season 5 Episode 2
In our second episode about the book Flowers of Fire by Hawon Jung, we explore how the bodies of women and girls were used to build up the nation of South Korea.
The government needed the physical labor in the form of factory girls to help gain economic strength, which helped usher in the "Miracle on the Han River."
Comfort women were used not only during WWII, but after, as well, and it was the government who oversaw the system of comfort women working in camptowns.
The government also needed women to give birth to babies, yet also controlled reproductive health access for women in more recent years.
Mature themes will be discussed in this episode.
Links:
- Factory Girl Literature by Ruth Barraclough [Book]
- Blood, puss and pitiful pay: Why Korean factory workers are calling it quits [Hankyoreh]
- A Brutal Sex Trade Built for American Soldiers [The New York Times]
- After 40 years in US camptown sex trade, S. Korean woman rejoices in court victory [Hankyoreh]
- Koreans & Camptowns: Reflections of a Mixed-Race Korean [Korean American Story.org]
- Polish Women Hold 'Black Monday' Strike To Protest Proposed Abortion Ban [NPR]
- Korea decriminalized abortion, but has anything actually changed? [Korean JoongAng Daily]
- Not illegal but not legal: The murky landscape of abortion in Korea [The Korea Herald]
Season 5 Episode 1 - CONTENT NOTE: Discussions of sexual harrassment and assault
This season we discuss the book Flowers of Fire by Hawon Jung
Episode 1 is about the #MeToo cases in Korea of Seo Ji Hyun and Kim Ji Eun.
We also discuss the concepts of Hoesik and Flower Snakes.
Links:
- Hawon Jung: Bio [BenBella Books]
- KBS World Interview w/ Author Hawon Jung [KBS World]
- Anthony Rapp Opens Up About Kevin Spacey Lawsuit in First Comments Since Trial: ‘A Courtroom Is Not a Safe Space for Trauma’ [Variety]
- 4 women testified at Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial that they were sexually abused. Here’s what they said [CNN]
- Seo Ji-hyun, The South Korean Prosecutor Who Spoke Up & Sparked The Country's MeToo Movement | TIME
- Female prosecutor opens up about sexual harassment [The Korea Herald]
- 'Hoesik' can help blow off steam, or spark unfortunate events [The Korea Herald]
- Young South Koreans are fighting against the return of hoesik — 'compulsory' after-work and weekend gatherings — as COVID-19 restrictions ease [Insider]
- As South Korean government proposes flexible overtime rules, some fear workers may suffer [Reuters]
- This country wanted a 69-hour workweek. Millennials and Generation Z had other ideas [CNN]
- In the throes of South Korea’s #MeToo, it’s “very hard to speak up” [Mic]
- More women coming forward with stories of sexual abuse following Seo Ji-hyun’s allegations [Hankyoreh]
- Seoul's Mayor Championed Women's Rights. The #MeToo Allegations Against Him Have Bitterly Divided Korea [TIME]
-
MeToo: South Korea gives more jail time to harassers [USA Today]
- How #MeToo movement is pushing for revision of South Korea’s defamation law [The Korea Herald]
One of the representative kpop groups of the Hallyu Wave, Super Junior, had a documentary come out about them called Super Junior: The Last Man Standing! In this bonus episode, my friend, Ash, and I recap and talk about our impressions of the documentary as well as some of our own personal memories.
My friend Emma and I discuss my recent experience at an ATEEZ fansign! Not only do we go into entering both video call fansigns and in-person fansigns, but we discuss meeting celebs in general and how the year 2019 in kpop really shook my faith in celebrities.
Some quick corrections from the episode: I say "area code" when I meant to say "country code." The country code for Korea is +82, not +88.
Also, I mention "Backstaging" Broadway shows, but the I think the term I meant to use was "Stage dooring."
My new instagram is @kpopbookshelf !
Our second Idol Book Club pick is I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee!
This book was read by RM from BTS, who is my cousin Teeny's ultimate bias!
Teeny and I discuss our thoughts on this breakout bestselling book about mental health. We reference an interview with the author, Baek Sehee, done by the Korea Society, which you can check out here.
If you're finally about to attend your first kpop concert, but you have some questions and don't know what to expect, check out this episode! My cousins and I will be answering questions about kpop concerts from first time kpop concert goers that I saw on the internet!
JoJo and Teeny (no relation to Atiny), will join me in sharing some information, advice, and impressions of our time at the ATEEZ Break the Wall concert in November 2022.
Please note that we are just providing some friendly advice and opinions, but we are not kpop concert experts, nor do you have to take any of our advice if you don't want to!
For more tips/tricks on concert planning, you can also check out the episode where I discuss our experience at BTS Permission to Dance Las Vegas here.
Today's Idol Book Club pick was recommended by kpop idols RM and Suga of BTS!
Almond by Won-Pyung Sohn
Our guest is Jess from ATC Presents: Daebak K Rambles Podcast! Find her @atcdaebakpod on Instagram and Twitter.
Listen to the end to find out who we would cast in a fantasy casting of a K drama version of this book (to date, we don't know if there will be a K drama based on this book!).
ABOUT THE BOOK & AUTHOR
- Gained popularity after members of BTS were seen reading it [Twitter]
- Korean coming-of-age novel wins Japanese literary award [The Korea Times]
- Korean Author’s Misfit Boys Teach Us About Emotion [Interview with the author, translated by the book’s translator] [authorlink]
- Writer Sohn Won-Pyung [Interview with the author] [K-Book Trends]
- Best-selling authors, veteran actors jump to filmmaking [The Korea Times]
- 'Almond' by Sohn Won-pyung sells 1 mln copies [Yonhap News]
- Coming-of-age novel 'Almond' to be made into musical [The Korea Times]
SCHOOL BULLYING IN KOREA
- The podcast Dramas Over Flowers has this episode where they discuss school bullying.
- South Korea’s school bullying has deadly consequences [CNN]
ALEXITHYMIA
- For people with alexithymia, emotions are a mystery [Spectrum News]
Ever wanted to read a book you saw your idol reading? Ever wanted to join a low-pressure book club? Now you can join me with a new sub-podcast, Idol Book Club with KPop Bookshelf!
Find out which book we'll be reading and who recommended it by listening to this episode!
Next month, I'll be joined by Jess from ATC Presents Daebak K Rambles podcast and we'll discuss the book!
Idol Book Club episodes will be posted periodically during KPop Bookshelf's hiatus (hiatus needed for reading purposes).
Join our discussion on my instagram when the discussion episode drops!
Buy the book or check it out from your local library.
Season 4 Episode 5
Radhika and K^2 from the Gogo Gayo! Podcast join us to discuss the book STRAIGHT KOREAN FEMALE FANS AND THEIR GAY FANTASIES by Jungmin Kwon.
Whether or not a K-pop idol is actually gay, there is no shortage of fan content where they are imagined to be gay, and many straight women love this! Be it fan fiction, fan art, fan service, or eyebrow-raising choreo, straight women love to consume queer or queer-coded content when it comes to their idols!
Blog
LINKS:
- GoGo Gayo! Kpop Podcast: Special Episode 2: Queerness in Kpop
- [VOICE] Can Korea ever accept homosexuals? [The Korea Herald]
- The rise of anti-trans “radical” feminists, explained [Vox]
- K-pop stars subjected to sexual objectification online [The Korea Herald]
- Controversy grows over ‘real person slash’ sexualizing male K-pop idols [The Korea Herald]
- Fetishising Gay Men | A Yaoi Discussion
S4E4
We discuss the book FLIP THE SCRIPT by Lyla Lee, which features a bisexual main character who is also a K-Drama actress! Does it get any better?
We also consider the increasing amounts of queer K content in Korean media, and casting k-pop idols in BL (Boys' Love) K-Dramas.
[LINKS]
- This is how South Korea is celebrating Bisexual Visibility Day [SBS]
- Embassies show solidarity at Seoul Queer Culture Festival [The Korea TImes]
- South Korean rapper Aquinas defiantly comes out as bisexual with beautiful message of ‘courage’ [PinkNews]
- Aquinas’ (Kang MinSoo’s) interview with SPOTVNews (in Korean) [SpoTV News]
- Bisexual idol Wa$$up’s Jiae turns to fans to fund solo album as K-pop labels shun her [meaww.com]
- Idol School star Som Hye In comes out as bisexual as she shares sweet pictures of girlfriend [Metro UK]
- Laura Dern said she lost work, needed 'security detail' after 'Ellen' coming-out episode [NBC News]
- Tales of the Realm: Pride Month 2022— Interview with Lyla Lee; Author of Flip the Script [MistyRealms Blog]
- K-pop, body positivity, and bisexuality feature in Lyla Lee’s debut YA novel I’ll Be The One [AsAm News]
- Portrayal of LGTBQ characters slowly evolves in K-dramas [The Korea Herald]
- Embassies show solidarity at Seoul Queer Culture Festival [The Korea Times]
- LGBTQ streaming content influences Koreans’ perception of sexual minorities [Korea Herald]
- Webcomics-based boys' love genre dramas on rise [The Korea Times]
- Winners Of The 1st Blue Dragon Series Awards [Soompi]
- Korean LGBTQ+ reality show ‘Merry Queer’ to premiere next week [NME]
- 'A story about love'- S. Korea's first queer dating show comes out on Wavve [Arirang channel on YouTube]
- Semantic Error [BL drama on Viki]
- BL Drama Stars Reflect on Pride, Queerness, and the State of LGBTQ+ Rights [Teen Vogue]
Season 4 Episode 3
We discuss the books THE SUMMER by Choi Eunyoung & CONCERNING MY DAUGHTER by Kim Hye-Jin
*I mistakenly said out lesbian Kpop idol singer Maman's song was called Ordinary Day but it's called Obvious Story. Apologies for this error!
- Under The Radar – Magolpy [Soompi]
- Magolpy - Debut MV starring various other idols from g.o.d, Super Junior, TVXQ, etc
- Maman (aka Magolpy) - Ordinary Day
- The Korean gay and lesbian movement 1993–2008: from “identity” and “community” to “human rights” [chapter by HYUN-YOUNG KWON KIM AND JOHN (SONG PAE) CHO rom the book South Korean Social Movements]
- These South Korean women went abroad to get married. Then one spoke out at home, and the backlash began. [Washington Post]
- Parents fight for their LGBTQ children's rights [The Korea Times]
- A letter from a Korean mother to all the mothers with LGBT children [APRIL magazine]
- DingDong - Korean LGBTQ+ Youth Crisis Center. You can donate to support their work at the linked website.
- Beyond the Rainbow Foundation - Korean LGBTQ+ Foundation. You can find information on how to donate to support their work at the linked website.
Blog with full links!
Season 4 Episode 2
Radhika and K^2 from the GoGoGayo! Podcast join us for a discussion about LOVE IN THE BIG CITY BY SANG YOUNG PARK, translated by Anton Hur. Spoilers abound! Some mature subject matter is discussed.
- Queerness in KPop - GoGoGayo! Podcast
- Author Talks: Sang Young Park 박상영 - The Korea Society
- [Duet] Dear Sang Young — by Alexander Chee [Korean Literature Now]
- To All the Gays of Seoul: On Translating Sang Young Park - by Anton Hur [LitHub]
- A Q&A with Anton Hur, translator of Love in the Big City [Grove Atlantic]
- Meet The Queer Activist Scholar Taking On the Korean American Christian Right - Article on Ju Hui Judy Han [LAist]
- Conservative Party Wins Big in South Korean Local Elections {New York Times]
- Discrimination against people with HIV rampant: UN study [The Korea Herald]
- Blued launches HIV awareness campaign in South Korea together with influencers and NGOs [GlobeNewsWire]
- DingDong - Korean LGBTQ+ Youth Crisis Center.
- Beyond the Rainbow Foundation - Korean LGBTQ+ Foundation.
- Korea Foundation for HIV/AIDS Prevention (KHAP) - provides free and anonymous HIV/AIDs and STI testing for foreigners living in Korea.
- Ivan Stop HIV/AIDS Project (iSHAP) - Provides free and anonymous HIV/AIDs and STI testing in Korea.
Blog
Season 4 Episode 1
LGBTQ+ Pride season!
Our first episode will look at the essay, "Don't Be Afraid To Be The First" by Holland. This essay can be found in the anthology book We Can Do Better Than This: 35 Voices on the Future of LGBTQ+ Rights, edited by Amelia Abraham.
Holland is an openly gay KPop idol. Find out about the sociopolitical history of queerness in Korea and about Holland himself in this episode.
*I make a mistake at about 13:30 where I say that Holland is often described as the first Kpop idol. What I should have said was that he is often described as the first OUT Kpop idol! Oops. :)
- Hong Seok Cheon (Tony Hong) on Not So Classy with Esna
- Hong Seok Chon on Showterview with Jessi
- Queer South Koreans Hope for an Anti-Discrimination Law to End Decades of Discrimination [Time]
- South Korea’s transgender community pushes for recognition and acceptance [East Asia Forum]
- How religion spurs homophobia in South Korean politics [Nikkei Asia]
- South Korea's first transgender soldier posthumously wins case against the army over her 'illegal' discharge [Business Insider]
- Anti-LGBTQ sentiment widespread in Korea: survey [The Korea Times]
- Conservative churches ramp up attacks on student rights ordinance [The Korea Herald]
- ‘Now is the time to pass anti-discrimination law’ [The Korea Herald]
- The Volatile Mix Of A South Korean Church, Politics And The Coronavirus [NPR]
- Holland: More Than Meets The Eye [Rolling Stone India]
- Holland Speaks Out After Suffering Homophobic Attack in Seoul: ‘I Want People to Recognize the Pain & the Courage’ [Billboard]
- ‘Ocean Likes Me’: First gay K-pop idol Holland cast with Han Gi-chan in BL K-drama [Meaww]
BONUS EPISODE: Analyzing the book BRIGHT by former Girls Generation member Jessica Jung!
I refer to Girls Generation as SNSD throughout this book, for clarity.
LINKS
- Girls’ Generation Alum Jessica Jung Brings the World of K-Pop to the Written Word in YA Book ‘Shine’ [Variety]
- ‘Jung Sisters’ reveal their natural faces [The Korea Herald]
- Fan activism, cybervigilantism, and Othering mechanisms in K-pop fandom by Sun Jung [Transformative Works and Cultures]
- “JYJ Law” Prohibiting Blacklisting of Celebrities Passed [Soompi]
- Ex-Girls' Generation member Jessica Jung was into fashion from a young age [The Straits Times]
- Former Girls' Generation member Jessica Jung talks about career plans and cites Victoria Beckham as her role model [Venture Capital Post]
- Jessica Talks About Her Journey As A Designer And Hopes As A Solo Artist [Soompi]
- Brand founded by Kpop star Jessica embroiled in US$6.8m lawsuit [The Standard]
- Jessica’s Boyfriend & Agency CEO Tyler Kwon Clarifies Reports Of Her Fashion Brand Being Sued Over Unpaid $6.5 Million Loan [Soompi]
- Girls’ Generation Announce First New Music Without Jessica Jung [Billboard]
- OMG, Jessica Jung Will Compete In A Chinese Girl Group Survival Show [Cosmopolitan Phillippines]
- Jessica Jung stars in teaser for Season 3 of Chinese reality show ‘Sisters Who Make Waves’ [NME]
Blog
Season 3 Episode 3
In our final episode of the Tablo season of the podcast, we look at two books that he wrote: Pieces of You and BloNote.
We discuss Tablo's somewhat questionable acting career and the tragic hate crime murder of Thien Minh Ly in 1996.
LINKS
- Tablo to Hold Book Concert [The Korea Times]
- Tablo co-writes Amazon Studios’ comedy series ‘Neon Machine’ [Korea Herald]
- Tablo Discusses his Acting Career on the Daebak Show with Eric Nam [Dive Studios Channel on YouTube]
- Hate Crimes - (Information from State of California Department of Justice website)
- Letters to Thien
- Students hold candlelight vigil for Ly, a graduate killed in 1996 hate crime [Daily Bruin]
- Man who killed during hate crime gets death sentence [AP News]
- Tablo To Publish Compilation Of “Blonotes” From His Past Radio Show [Soompi]
- RM’s Tweet where he’s hugging his copy of Blonote[Twitter]
- South Korean star film-maker Park Chan-wook on Saturday won the Cannes Film Festival's best director award for his erotic crime movie "Decision To Leave"[France 24]
Blog
Season 3 Episode 2
My friend Linda, a Korean-American woman who was living in Korea during the TaJinYo scanadal that affected Epik High Tablo, joins us for a discussion of our reactions and takes on the wonderful podcast Authentic: The Story of Tablo!
LINKS
- Authentic: The Story of Tablo [podcast by Vice and iHeartRadio]
- Korean MBC: Tablo Goes to Stanford [YouTube]
- Footage of staff members at Stanford Discussing Tablo [YouTube]
- The Return of Superman - Are you watching us, Grandpa? [YouTube]
- 15 Minutes of Shame (documentary by Monica Lewinsky) | Official Trailer [YouTube]
Blog is here https://kpopbookshelfpod.wixsite.com/blog/post/the-life-of-tablo
Season 3 Episode 1 - The Life of Tablo
We examine a 2011 article called "The Persecution of Daniel Lee" by Joshua Davis where I persistently recommend you to listen to the podcast Authentic!
If you're not sure what the TaJinYo scandal is that Tablo barely survived, check out the article, the podcast series, and this episode. Apologies for some salty language used when quoting someone else.
- The Persecution of Daniel Lee [Stanford Magazine]
- The Stalking of Korean Hip Hop Superstar Daniel Lee [Wired]
- After Two Decades, Epik High Is Still Here and Still Shaping the Future of Korean Music [Vanity Fair]
- The 7 Best Podcasts of 2022 (So Far) [Vulture]
- Epik High’s Tablo on Longevity, Mental Health, and the Truth About His Stanford Controversy [Complex]
- The Triumph of BTS [Rolling Stone]
- Epik High React to Historic Coachella Announcement: ‘Dream Came True’ [Rolling Stone]
- Brian Nam of Dive Studios — Take Care of Your Health, Both Mentally and Physically. Stay Grateful and Enjoy the Process [Medium]
- "Tajinyo" Members Sentenced To Prison [KBS World]
- Prison terms upheld for anti-Tablo cafe members [Yonhap]
Link to the blog.
Bonus Episode: My fan account of attending BTS Permission to Dance On Stage in Las Vegas (D4)!
Also, I include some tips in case you attend a future Kpop concert!
Recorded this while very sleepy, so forgot to mention that some of the problems that existed on the other days of the show, such as people throwing objects at the members, were not something I observed taking place during the show I attended (thankfully!).
Music credit:
Sincerely by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5033-sincerely
Season 2, Episode 4
Today's book is K-POP LIVE: FANS, IDOLS, AND MULTIMEDIA PERFORMANCE by Suk-Young Kim
Concerts are coming back so we explore various degrees of live that are used in K-Pop, including concerts, music TV programs, the effects of fandom behavior, and the popular convention, KCON!
Links to videos and sources used are here!
Don't forge to wear your masks to concerts!
This episode covers the 2010 book KOREA'S ONLINE GAMING EMPIRE by Dal Yong Jin. We also use the article IT ALL STARTED WITH A BANG: THE ROLE OF PC BANGS IN SOUTH KOREA'S CYBER CULTURES by Inkyu Kang, which was taken from the book THE KOREAN POPULAR CULTURE READER.
In the first part of the episode, it's just me talking about the rise of the gaming industry in Korea thanks to PC Bangs and government investment in highspeed internet. Then, my brother, an actual gamer (unlike me), joins me to discuss his favorite subject - gaming!
Blog post with links here!
This episode is all about Korean cinema in the late 90s/early 2000s, with a tiny bit of Parasite discussion!
The books discussed are The South Korean Film Renaissance: Local Hitmakers, Global Provocateurs by Jinhee Choi and Virtual Hallyu: Korean Cinema of the Global Era by Kyung Hyun Kim Find all the links here!
S2E1!
This episode is about the book POP CITY: KOREAN POPULAR CULTURE AND THE SELLING OF PLACE by Youjeong Oh!
Check out the blogpost here! https://kpopbookshelfpod.wixsite.com/blog/post/pop-city-selling-of-place-using-hallyu
Trailer episode to put you in the mood for season 2 of KPop Bookshelf Podcast!
This season is all about riding the Hallyu Wave! Dramas, Movies, Music, Food, Beauty, Gaming, and K-everything took the world by storm, and continues to do so today!
Check out all the important links here!
What a ride this first season has been! Thanks to all of you who joined us.
In this episode: The theme of this season (yes, there was a theme) was WOMEN.
Future seasons will also be themed!
Where to get some of the books I present in my podcast? I'll tell you!
WE'RE TAKING A BREAK!! In order to get a chance to read more books, we will be on a brief hiatus until after the new year. But don't miss us too much, we'll be back in early 2022!
My friend Rebecca joined me for a movie night and we discussed the movie and book Kim Jiyoung Born 1982.
Check out the blog post for this episode here.
THANK YOU, LISTENERS!
[Warning: we will be discussing grown up matters, so you may want to make sure you're listening where small or sensitive ears can't hear].
This is part 2 of our episodes on the book that caused a stir, Kim Jiyoung Born 1982! What do feminism, mental health stigma, spy cams, lack of upward mobility, and the mandatory military service all have to do with how much some Korean people hated this book? Find out in this episode!
Blog Post with links to everything I read to make this episode!
All other important links!
Kim Jiyoung Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo is the international bestseller that stirred up many headlines and even caused someone to file a Blue House Petition to stop the movie adaptation about the film. Find out what all the fuss is about in Part 1 of our 2 part episode about this book!
All the links used for research can be found on the blog https://kpopbookshelfpod.wixsite.com/blog/post/kim-jiyoung-born-1982-by-cho-nam-joo-a-book-about-the-f-word-feminism
This is part 2 of our episode about the book Shoko's Smile by Eunyoung Choi. In this episode, we will dive into some of my thoughts about a few of the stories in this wonderful short story collection. Be aware that there will be spoilers!
SHORT STORIES COVERED IN THE EPISODE: (for your reference)
- Shoko's Smile
- Xin chào, Xin chào
-
The Secret
-
Korean Language Society - The society's website with information I quoted about the society's activities during the Japan colonization of Korea.
- Next time you're in Korea, visit the National Hangeul Museum to see one of the original manuscripts Mal Mo E (Gathering of the Korean language) in person (or just click on this link)
- Watch the film, Mal Mo E (this is not an ad, may also be available on other services).
- Vietnam War Victims Wanted Justice. They Were Given ‘30 Bags of Rice.’ [The NYT] - WARNING: Article includes some graphic images of victims of war massacres.
- Let's take a minute to remember probationary teachers Kim Cho-won and Lee Ji-hye, as well as all those who perished and survived the Sewol Ferry tragedy
If you want, send me an email!
Check out the blog
This week's episode is about the book, Shoko's Smile, a collection of short stories by Eunyoung Choi
As many of the stories in this book revolve around a character who has lived through a major event, I present some historical context for some of the stories.
kpopbookshelf.contactin.bio
- My Family’s Shrouded History Is Also a National One for Korea by Alexander Chee -
- Survivor of Korean troops’ civilian killings in Vietnam files suit against Korean government - By Ock Hyun-ju [Korean Herald]
- The Forgotten History of South Korean Massacres in Vietnam - Hoang Do [ the Diplomat]
- Namsan - then and now - Richard Pennington [The Korea Times]
- 7 Years After Sewol Ferry Disaster, Bereaved Families Still Urge Government to Reveal the Truth - by Mitch Shin (The Diplomat)
- On Teacher’s Day, father received carnations instead of his daughter - By Kim Gi-seong and Lee Jung-ae [Hankyoreh]
- What Does It Mean to be a Social Outcast in South Korea? - Interview with author Choi Eunyoung done with her translator, Sun Ryu, by Jae-Yeon Yoo [Electric Lit] - may contain spoilers
- The PEN Ten: An Interview with Choi Eunyoung, Translated by Sung Ryu - By: Viviane Eng [The PEN Ten] - May contain spoilers, click on the part that says “Choi’s Q&A in English” to access the English version)
- In the Absence - short documentary film about the Sewol Ferry Disaster
In this episode we discuss the book From Factory Girls to K-Pop Idol Girls: Cultural Politics of Developmentalism, Patriarchy, and Neoliberalism in South Korea’s Popular Music Industry by Gooyong Kim.
- The Kim Sisters on the Ed Sullivan Show
- Wonder Girls - Nobody
- SNSD on Letterman
- SNSD on Live with Kelly (guest co-host Howie Mandel)
- SNSD Featured in the Wall Street Journal [Soompi]
- Girls' Generation David Letterman Performance: “The Boys” Debuts Korean Stars K-Pop in America [International Business Times]
- How The South Korean Government Made K-Pop A Thing
We discuss the lives of trainees as discovered through SHINE by former member of Girls' Generation, Jessica Jung, with the help of additional former idols and trainees.
Website
Girls' Generation Playlist
About Jessica Lately
Former Idols and Trainees Who Spilled the Cha
From 9 to 8 - Articles about Jessica's Departure from the Group
Do you love Kpop and K Dramas? Do you also love to read books? Then check out KPOP BOOKSHELF, the podcast where we explore Korean popular culture through books!
My name is Mina. I am a Kpop multifan and K drama fan in the United States. I myself am not Korean, nor do I have any Korean heritage, and I have never lived in Korea. So I want to get a deeper knowledge of Korean society, history, & culture to enhance my appreciation of Korean music, dramas, and movies. I invite you to come learn along with me!
So come checkout the KPOP BOOKSHELF Podcast!