Off the Page Podcast

Sewon and Michelle

We start with books. Then we just talk.

에피소드

  1. 6일 전

    [Ep. 7] Off the Page: The Pillowman (필로우맨)

    A young writer with a remarkable talent is suddenly arrested without explanation. Soon after, his brother, who struggles with cognitive impairment, is also brought in for interrogation. Why? A series of child murders has been carried out in ways disturbingly similar to the stories the writer has written.Who is responsible for these killings? And why did the writer feel compelled to create such dark and violent tales? If you're curious about this gripping and unsettling play, stay tuned!Coming Up Next: Love and Flaws by Ye Soyeon00:00 Intro: Sewon's offsite training experience at the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원)16:25 Yay! Michelle won the prize from Kyobo! (feat. World Poetry Day)30:10 The Pillowman1:07:22 Translation Quality (+ a tangent: same Korean, different vibes? Seoul vs. Daegu)1:19:25 Outro + next week’s book(+) Poetry books & poems mentioned in this episodeMichelle1)『언니의 나라에선 누구도 시들지 않기 때문, (Because No One Withers in Sister's Country,)』 by 김희준 (Kim Hee-jun)2)『당근밭 걷기 (Walking Through a Carrot Field)』by 안희연 (Ahn Heeyun)3)『여름 언덕에서 배운 것 (What I Learned on a Summer Hill』 by 안희연 (Ahn Heeyun)4)『이걸 내 마음이라고 하자 (I'll Call This My Heart)』 by 황인찬 (Hwang Inchan)Sewon1)「청혼 (Proposal)」 by 진은영(Jin Eun-young) from 『나는 오래된 거리처럼 너를 사랑하고 (Like an Old Street I Love You)』2)「생각날 때마다 울었다 (I Cried Whenever It Came to Mind)」by 박형준 (Park Hyeong-joon) * title poem from 『생각날 때마다 울었다 (I Cried Whenever It Came to Mind)』3)「눈물은 왜 짠가 (Why Are Tears Salty)」by 함민복 (Hahm Min-bok) * title poem from 『눈물은 왜 짠가 (Why Are Tears Salty)』

    1시간 22분
  2. 3월 22일

    [Ep. 5] Off the Page: The Art of Sarah (레이디 두아)

    This week, Michelle and Sewon take a closer look at the Netflix original The Art of Sarah (레이디 두아)—a story of a woman who, driven by circumstance, reinvents herself through multiple identities in a relentless pursuit of success. The series explores the tension between opposites—real and fake, light and darkness—revealing a character who is constantly pulled between what is seen and what lies beneath. * Coming up next: Soft Burial (연매장) by Fang Fang (팡팡) * 00:00 Intro: Why we missed last week’s recording + Sewon’s fun first virtual meeting with Michelle’s friend Su! 09:20 Coach’s new mini-book keychains: the Honmono (혼모노) keyring is out! 17:20 Contemporary vs. earlier Korean literature 20:25 We need to read more Korean literature! (featuring We Love Poetry (우시사) by Munhakdongne, Seoul Review of Books (서울리뷰오브북스), Prof. Youngmin Kim (김영민 교수님) aka the legendary Chuseok guy, Korean.American.Podcast ❤️, our office book club, Michelle getting shy over her professor’s encouragement, and Sewon’s obsession with the “안녕이라 그랬어” episode) 32:25 The Art of Sarah (⚠️Spoiler alert + enjoy some impromptu acting by Michelle & Sewon!) 39:44 Sewon discovers the concept of “입전개” + thoughts on Mu-gyeong + super charming Sarah 50:22 Yeo-jin and Sarah’s relationship… is it love? 1:01:16 Sewon’s favorite episode of The Art of Sarah (aka “Teatime”) 1:06:10 What does “Lottbon Keul-mee Eun-jang” even mean? 1:10:30 Seong-shin and Sarah… is it love? 1:20:06 Two reasons Sewon didn’t love The Art of Sarah 1:23:58 Michelle & Sewon’s thoughts on luxury handbags (+ Sewon getting teased at work for wearing a backpack 🤣) 1:30:13 Michelle’s final thoughts on The Art of Sarah 1:32:47 Outro + next week’s book

    1시간 40분
  3. 3월 2일

    [Ep. 3] Off the Page: 나는 북경의 택배기사입니다 (I Deliver Parcels in Beijing)

    * 삶의 경험이 쌓이면서 원한의 무가치함을 깨달았기 때문이다. The more I have lived, the clearer it has become that a life filled with hate and anger is not one worth living. 因為從更多的生活經驗中, 我逐漸認識到,懷著怨恨的人生是不值得過的。 * This week, Michelle and Sewon talk about the book called “I Deliver Parcels in Beijing” by Hu Anyan. This memoir follows a young man in China who moves through nineteen different jobs—from nighttime warehouse loading and parcel delivery to working at a bicycle shop, a gas station, and even launching an online shopping mall—while documenting the realities of life under capitalism. Contrary to what he was taught by his parents—that one only needs to work diligently and avoid burdening others—the economic marketplace demands shrewdness and street smarts from those trying to survive as workers, and personal freedom is constantly under threat. If you’re curious whether it’s possible to live as a worker without losing one’s sense of freedom—and how this young man confronts that question head-on—stay tuned! * Coming Up Next: “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut and “No One Writes to the Colonel” by Gabriel García Márquez * 00:00 Intro in Chinese (surprise!) 01:28 Podcast 제조 schedule: Thursdays have become the last day of the week 06:23 Michelle's weekend updates: she went to see the play 살아있는 자를 수선하기 again! 13:40 Sewon's weekend updates: her poor time management and TOCFL test 25:30 Book of this week, 나는 북경의 택배기사입니다 (I Deliver Parcels in Beijing) 59:55 Short readings from the book (in Korean and in English) 1:30:48 Outro + next week’s book

    1시간 33분
  4. 2월 22일

    [Ep. 2] Off the Page: 안녕이라 그랬어 (They Said "Annyeong")

    This week, Michelle and Sewon talk about 김애란 (Kim Ae-ran)’s short story collection 안녕이라 그랬어 (They Said "Annyeong"). Acclaimed as “a work that sharply demonstrates a distinctive ability to capture the particles of emotion drifting through social spaces and render them with clarity,” 안녕이라 그랬어 (They Said "Annyeong) brings together seven short stories that construct a richly layered world through powerful emotional resonance and probing dilemmas. In this collection, “space” emerges as a central motif—not merely functioning as background, but as something inseparable from the characters’ very lives. Certain spaces serve as markers of one’s economic and social standing while also operating as complex, holistic sites that contain the full history of a person. The conflicts that unfold around these spaces therefore become clashes between differing standards of life. (Kyobobook book description, translated excerpt)Curious which story Michelle and Sewon picked as their favorite—and what moved Michelle to tears? Stay tuned! * Coming Up Next: 나는 북경의 택배기사입니다 by 후안옌 (I Deliver Parcels in Beijing by Hu Anyan) * 00:00 Intro: Timestamp announcement 01:42 Michelle's Seollal updates: time spent in 경산 (Gyeongsan) and 청도 (Cheongdo) 04:45 Listener feedback 07:45 Podcast visual update + special thanks to Michelle's friend! 10:35 Sewon's Seollal updates: family trip to 마산 (Masan) and her all-time favorite 경상 (Gyeongsang) regional specialty, 콩국 15:25 Book of this week, 안녕이라 그랬어 (They Said "Annyeong") and the terms "계급통 (class anxiety)," "서민통 (working-class pain)" 20:13 홈 파티 (Home Party) 26:30 숲속 작은 집 (A Small House in the Forest) 36:15 좋은 이웃 (A Kind Neighbor) 42:27 이물감 (A Sense of Discomfort) 50:27 레몬케이크 (Lemon Cake) + Sewon reflects on her mixed feelings about her aging parents 58:42 안녕이라 그랬어 (They Said "Annyeong") + the benefits of communicating in a foreign language (in relationships) 1:06:03 빗방울처럼 (Like Raindrops) + what made Michelle cry while reading on the bus + why Sewon thinks people want to make more money 1:19:21 Michelle and Sewon's favorites 1:19:55 Outro + next week’s book

    1시간 21분

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We start with books. Then we just talk.

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