The Last Voyage of the Pong Su

4.4 (48)
TRUE CRIME
SERIES

A North Korean dictator, bags of heroin, drug lords, spooks, sailors, Australian cops and a web of lies: Come aboard The Last Voyage of The Pong Su.

EPISODE 1

"This f---ing boat"

Episode one. North Korean cargo ship the Pong Su comes dangerously close to Australia’s Great Ocean Road shoreline as part of a high-risk, high-reward operation to import a record amount of heroin. Coastal locals have never seen anything like it. The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays. If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )Executive Producer - Rachael DexterNarrative Consultant - Kate Cole-AdamsConsulting Producer - Siobhan McHughMusic & Composition - Vicki HansenSound design & mixing - John GreenfieldScript translations - Yan ZhuangHead of Audio - Tom McKendrickActors:Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy SongKiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony TingYau Kim Lam is played by Jason ChongCasting - Catapult Casting Additional Audio from: Largo International N.V, World Surf League and Sky NewsThe poem you heard at the start of this episode is titled ‘Waves’ by South Korean poet Cho Oh-hyun, read by Jason Chong. Support the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

30 min
EPISODE 2

Master Sun's big gamble

Episode two. Pong Su skipper Song Man Sun embarks on his final journey before retirement, while Australian police get a big break as they covertly track suspected Asian crime syndicate foot soldiers around Melbourne’s casino and the nearby Great Ocean Road coast. The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays. If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )Executive Producer - Rachael DexterNarrative Consultant - Kate Cole-AdamsConsulting Producer - Siobhan McHughMusic & Composition - Vicki HansenSound design & mixing - John GreenfieldScript translations - Yan ZhuangHead of Audio - Tom McKendrickActors:Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy SongKiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony TingYau Kim Lam is played by Jason ChongCasting - Catapult Casting Additional film audio from: Narcos Productions LLC and MMDP Munich Movie Development & Production The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge - read by Jason Chong. Support the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

37 min
EPISODE 3

Going fishing

Episode three. Secretly bugged conversations give Australian police clues about the immense scale of the heroin import. On board the Pong Su, two men prepare to risk everything to make it happen. The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays. If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )Executive Producer - Rachael DexterNarrative Consultant - Kate Cole-AdamsConsulting Producer - Siobhan McHughMusic & Composition - Vicki HansenSound design & mixing - John GreenfieldScript translations - Yan ZhuangHead of Audio - Tom McKendrickActors:Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy SongKiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony TingYau Kim Lam is played by Jason ChongCasting - Catapult Casting Additional audio from: Reuters, Associated Press and the Australian Liberal Party. The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, read by Jason Chong. Support the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 min
EPISODE 4

"Do you believe in luck?"

Episode four. Tension among the Asian crime syndicate members is at breaking point, while Australian police keep finding their best laid plans are going astray.A dead body on the beach throws everyone off their game. The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays. If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )Executive Producer - Rachael DexterNarrative Consultant - Kate Cole-AdamsConsulting Producer - Siobhan McHughMusic & Composition - Vicki HansenSound design & mixing - John GreenfieldScript translations - Yan ZhuangExtra production - Tim MummeryHead of Audio - Tom McKendrickActors:Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy SongKiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony TingYau Kim Lam is played by Jason ChongCasting - Catapult Casting The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from The Wasteland by T.S Eliot, read by Jason Chong. Support the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

43 min
EPISODE 5

Hot pursuit

Episode 5. A dramatic chase at sea unfolds to stop a fleeing Pong Su. The North Korean crew fears the worst for their Master after they are told by their superiors in Pyongyang to stop and fight.Age & SMH subscribers can listen to an extended interview with former SAS soldiers Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis here: https://bit.ly/36s4szb The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays. If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )Executive Producer - Rachael DexterNarrative Consultant - Kate Cole-AdamsConsulting Producer - Siobhan McHughMusic & Composition - Vicki HansenSound design & mixing - John GreenfieldScript translations - Yan ZhuangExtra production - Tim MummeryHead of Audio - Tom McKendrickActors:Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy SongKiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony TingYau Kim Lam is played by Jason ChongCasting - Catapult Casting Additional audio from: Channel Seven The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from The Old man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway- read by Jason Chong. Support the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

42 min
EPISODE 6

Hidden forces

Episode 6. Was Kim Jong Il’’s secretive money-making agency behind the Pong Su heroin importation? A high-profile North Korean defector speaks out. Age & SMH subscribers can listen to an extended interview with former clearance diver Nicholas Martin here: https://bit.ly/2Kackvx The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays. If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )Executive Producer - Rachael DexterNarrative Consultant - Kate Cole-AdamsConsulting Producer - Siobhan McHughMusic & Composition - Vicki HansenSound design & mixing - John GreenfieldScript translations - Yan ZhuangAssistant Producer - Margaret GordonHead of Audio - Tom McKendrickActors:Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy SongKiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony TingYau Kim Lam is played by Jason ChongCasting - Catapult Casting Additional audio from: Time Magazine, C-SPAN, Alux.com, Vidello Productions, NBC, Associated Press, Sky News UK, Journeyman pictures, Channel 10, Channel 9, ABC, ABC America and CNN The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from the poem Midnight Sun by Kim Hyesoon - read by Jason Chong. Support the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

41 min
EPISODE 7

You need a lawyer

Episode 7. The legal battle begins to save the Pong Su crew and a special relationship builds between a suburban Melbourne solicitor and a mysterious North Korean man who has everyone guessing. The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays. If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )Executive Producer - Rachael DexterNarrative Consultant - Kate Cole-AdamsConsulting Producer - Siobhan McHughMusic & Composition - Vicki HansenSound design & mixing - John GreenfieldScript translations - Yan ZhuangAssistant Producer - Margaret GordonHead of Audio - Tom McKendrickActors:Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy SongKiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony TingYau Kim Lam is played by Jason ChongCasting - Catapult Casting Additional audio from: Channel Nine, NBC and Asia Brief. The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from Diving into the Wreck by Adrienne Rich - read by Jason Chong. Support the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

45 min
EPISODE 8

The defector's choice

Episode 8. Australian prosecutors travel to Seoul to meet North Korean defectors as they try to understand the power structure on board the Pong Su. While laboratory results tell police there is something different about the Pong Su’s heroin. The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays. If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )Executive Producer - Rachael DexterNarrative Consultant - Kate Cole-AdamsConsulting Producer - Siobhan McHughMusic & Composition - Vicki HansenSound design & mixing - John GreenfieldScript translations - Yan ZhuangAssistant Producer - Margaret GordonHead of Audio - Tom McKendrickActors:Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy SongKiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony TingYau Kim Lam is played by Jason ChongCasting - Catapult Casting Additional audio from: Associated Press, ABC news America and Richard Rogers. The poem you heard at the start of this episode is called I go down to the shore by Mary Oliver - read by Jason Chong. Support the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

31 min
EPISODE 9

The most free they’d ever be

Episode 9. Nerves are frayed on all sides as a marathon courtroom case concludes. The Australian government plans for a spectacular end to the Pong Su. The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays. If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )Executive Producer - Rachael DexterNarrative Consultant - Kate Cole-AdamsConsulting Producer - Siobhan McHughMusic & Composition - Vicki HansenSound design & mixing - John GreenfieldScript translations - Yan ZhuangAssistant Producer - Margaret GordonHead of Audio - Tom McKendrickActors:Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy SongKiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony TingYau Kim Lam is played by Jason ChongCasting - Catapult Casting Additional audio from: Channel Nine and the AFL. The reading you heard at the start of this episode was from Law of the Jungle by Rudyard Kipling - read by Jason Chong. Support the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

32 min
EPISODE 10

Reckoning

Episode 10. After 16 years, the truth finally emerges about the tight bond between three of the key players in the heroin import and their ties to North Korea. The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is a 10-part series brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. If you enjoyed this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend. To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites. Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald. Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )Executive Producer - Rachael DexterNarrative Consultant - Kate Cole-AdamsConsulting Producer - Siobhan McHughMusic & Composition - Vicki HansenSound design & mixing - John GreenfieldScript translations - Yan ZhuangAssistant Producer - Margaret GordonHead of Audio - Tom McKendrickActors:Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy SongKiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony TingYau Kim Lam is played by Jason ChongCasting - Catapult Casting Additional audio from: CNNThe reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from The Truth the Dead Know by Anne Sexton - read by Jason Chong. Support the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

44 min

See All Season 1 (10)

Richard Baker

Host

4.4

out of 5

48 Ratings

perfect entertainment for quarantine boredom

2020-03-27

elsahunter16

THIS STORY IS GOOOOOOD. the characters are so entertaining and funny and the story is INTENSE! I love this podcast
Well worth the listen!

2020-01-15

Mitch Wies

Great job producing a high class podcast! This is a fascinating story I highly recommend listening to.
Another great podcast by this team

2019-11-12

Matt from Australia

Multiple perspectives, sensitively written and re-enacted and an interesting story at the core of it.
Pong Su: a gripping story

2019-10-15

Steve_Prentice

A fascinating story about a mysterious freighter and its North Korean crew. Real journalism paired with effective dramatization, reenactments, and soundscapes. Really well done. I’m only two episodes in and am already counting the days until next Monday when the next episode drops.