The Pho-King Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Pho-King Podcast
Two Vietnamese Americans, Jayden and Thu, who met while studying abroad in South Korea discuss their teenage experiences and insights through the perspective of their shared Asian heritage, all the while navigating life across the United States from each other. Connect w/us on Instagram! @thephokingpocast
Step 1 to getting into a good college: be built different… literally. In this episode, meet dancer with best feet Maija B, Bad Bunny fanboy Brandon C, concert fiend Gabriella I, FOB Thu L, and gay Jayden T all joined together as BUILT!! Listen as they discuss the individual high school experiences and components (including their friendship) that make up the college applications that got them into Stanford, Yale, Northwestern, Cornell, and other top schools! They breakdown the nitty gritty details about their applications, timelines, as well as give input on what they believe contributed to their successes.
DRAMA ALERT‼️ Jayden and Thu finally reveal the TRUTH on how they feel about their friends, including each other… and it’s not pretty. Just kidding! It’s never actually that dramatic. In this episode, hosts Jayden and Thu get personal and share stories of their past friendship drama with others, a monumental moment in their friendship that wasn’t the brightest of days, as well as how they’ve handled conflict to help them grow stronger and create a deeper bond with not only each other, but all of their friends. In the end, they also bring light to some of their baggage and trauma that stems from friendships, asking with how they’ve learned to deal with toxicity and FAKE friends!
What happens on Facetime, stays on Facetime… or does it?? In this episode, join hosts Jayden and Thu, along with their Big D Energy guest Lynn Tran, as they talk about Thu and Lynn’s experiences of growing up together, ask each other controversial questions, and give their piping hot takes. The three discuss consent, relationships, racism, and so much more… but you’ll just have to join the Facetime to find out!
Watch out BTS!! Lead vocalist Jayden Tran and main visual Thu Le are debuting in the Pho-King Group!!! Jk... they're too untalented for that. In this episode, podcast hosts (and unfortunately not idols) Jayden and Thu throw it back to their time in Korea last summer and delve into how their shared interest in Kpop helped them bond and grow closer together. They also discuss what they think makes Kpop standout as a genre, share their favorite artists, and shed light onto some of the darker and more controversial parts of the industry.
This goes out to all the HOT singles, boyfriends, girlfriends, and everyone out there who either loves or despises the thought of Valentines Day. In this episode, join hosts Jayden and Thu, along with their SUPER SPECIAL guest Dustin Dang, as they talk about their shared similarity of being lonely & single. They discuss everything from the experience and desire (as Thu & Jayden have yet to date anyone because they’re just too good for everyone, or at least that’s their excuse…) of high school dating, to dating toxicity within the Asian community, romantic hot takes, and most importantly, how to romanticize the PHO out of our lives and learn to love ourselves more than anything. Because lets face it, if you can’t love yourself, how in the HELL are you gonna love somebody else?! Remember, in the famous words of Miley Cyrus, we can buy ourselves our own flowers.
XOXO
Jayden, Thu, and Dustin
Sometimes, it's refreshing to imagine being able to have a new beginning that has no definitive ending. Just ask our girl Ariel...that Thu met while she met on the BOAT. In this episode, hosts Jayden and Thu discuss the constant desire to leave their hometowns (maybe not on a boat, but rather a yacht this time), the motivations behind wanting to leave (including the at times competitive and intrusive environment within their Asian communities), all the while reconciling what it would truly mean to leave and start a new life chapter.
Life is short (just like some of the Nguyens out there)... just ask Jayden's neighbor across the street! In all seriousness though, it's important to remember not to take your wins for granted. In this episode, hosts Jayden and Thu talk about how they've learned to count even the smallest wins in their lives, along with how even amongst the losses (RIP Jayden's long-lost cat) and disappointments, they've continued to credit themselves for their successes (like Thu learning to control the weather), no matter how big or small.
Teenage life crises are earth-shattering, bone-rattling, world-ending... or at least they can seem to feel that way. In this episode, hosts Jayden and Thu talk about the culmination of doubt, pressure, fear of the unknown, and constant changes that accompany the challenge of being a teen. Join them as they recount their lowest moments and discuss the ways they're learning to reconcile their feelings, as well as how to not feel alone in their experiences.
Hosts Jayden and Thu talk about the inspiration behind starting the PhoKing Podcast, including what the name means to them, while they dive into their friendship and the connection they have to their Vietnamese culture through food.
Introducing the culmination of ingredients to the secret recipe of The Pho-King Podcast.