Korea Deconstructed

David Tizzard
  • 4.5 (19)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Exploring Korea through open conversations with historians, students, professors, pop stars, and everyone in between. Learn, reflect, and understand with Korea Deconstructed. The host, David Tizzard, has a Phd in Korean Studies and is a Professor at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He also writes a weekly column in the Korea Times.

  1. Kim Mi-young: Itaewon and the Search for Identity

    JAN 27

    Kim Mi-young: Itaewon and the Search for Identity

    Episode Summary: What defines a neighborhood? In this episode, we are joined by Mi-young Kim, a writer and essayist who has written about the unique culture and practices of Itaewon in Seoul. We dive into her latest book, Itaewon Is My Home (이태원에 삽니다), and explore how "place" shapes our sense of self.   About the Guest: Mi-young Kim is an essayist and the Korean Director of the International Comedy Association. Having majored in Philosophy and Arts Management, Mi-young explores the intersections of identity and place. She is the author of the essay Bellefleur's Dream and her newest work, Itaewon Is My Home (이태원에 삽니다). Beyond her writing, Mi-young leads a community of creators through writing groups focused on self-discovery and healing.   Miyoung's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellefleur_de_france/ 이태원에 삽니다: https://www.yes24.com/product/goods/172736056 Discussion Outline 0:00 Introduction 2:30 Who is Kim Mi-young? 10:55 Moving to Itaewon 28:54 Being a Writer 33:22 Meditation 39:00 Discovering the Self 48:10 The Importance of the Book   Thanks to Patreon members: Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell, Sara B Cooper, Anne Brennels, Ell, Johnathan Filbert  Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873   David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades.  Connect with us:  ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: @datizzard ▶ KD Insta: @koreadeconstructed Listen to Korea Deconstructed ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com

    57 min
  2. Bong Joon Ho: Filmmaker and Philosopher

    JAN 15

    Bong Joon Ho: Filmmaker and Philosopher

    Anthony Curtis Adler is professor of German and Comparative Literature at Yonsei University's Underwood International College, where he has taught since 2006. His present research interests span modern and Classical literature, literary theory, continental philosophy, media studies, and German idealism. Academia : https://yonsei.academia.edu/AnthonyCurtisAdler Bong Joon Ho book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/bong-joon-ho-9781350414655/ Celebricities: https://www.amazon.com/Celebricities-Culture-Phenomenology-Commodity-Inventing/dp/0823270807/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 Discussion Outline 0:00 The Blandness of Face 2:45 Bong Joon Ho's Reputation 9:30 Categorizing Bong's Movies 12:25 Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000) 22:20 Memories of Murder (2003) 41:10 Mother (2009) 48:50 Morality and Anti-Americanism in Bong's Movies 52:50 The Host (2006) 1:01:15 Okja (2017) and Snowpiercer (2013) 1:11:45 Parasite (2019) 1:25:45 Recommendations Thanks to Patreon members: Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell, Sara B Cooper, Anne Brennels, Ell, Johnathan Filbert Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873 David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. ▶ David's Insta: @datizzard ▶ KD Insta: @koreadeconstructed ▶ Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com

    1h 29m
  3. Korean Indie Music, Capitalism, and Cultural Identity

    12/23/2025

    Korean Indie Music, Capitalism, and Cultural Identity

    In this episode of Korea Deconstructed, we explore Korean indie music, its culture, artists, and how capitalism and technology is reshaping the K-indie scene. Joined by Zuza Sołtykowska, a Polish writer and academic based in London, we discuss Korean language studies, underground music culture, and the tensions between art, industry, and economic growth. Zuza is a Polish writer and academic currently based in London. Her work spans Korean indie music, film, and art, with a particular focus on gender, cultural identity, and economic equality. Find her online https://www.instagram.com/zuzasoltykowska/ https://www.koreanindie.com/author/zuza/ Discussion Outline 0:00 Discovering the Korean Language 7:20 Identity and Being Polish 9:05 Introduction to Korean Indie Music 15:40 Writing and Researching K-Indie 21:20 Capitalism and the Indie Music Industry 33:30 The Growth of Korean Indie Music 40:00 Ideology and Meaning in K-Indie 47:12 Rethinking the Korean Music Industry 51:36 The Beauty of Korean Indie + Artist Recommendations Thanks to Patreon members: Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell, Sara B Cooper, Anne Brennels Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873 David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. Connect with us:  ▶ David's Insta: @datizzard ▶ KD Insta: @koreadeconstructed ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com

    1h 1m
  4. The Hidden Realities of Studying in Korea

    11/23/2025

    The Hidden Realities of Studying in Korea

    What's it really like to study in South Korea? In this episode, I sit down with four exchange students from around the world to talk honestly and openly about their experiences at Korean universities. We cover everything from first impressions and making Korean friends to campus culture, visa challenges, professors, trends, expectations, and the toughest parts of living here as a foreigner. Dillon Lia (https://www.instagram.com/lia_nana9/) Zhaniya Joana Topics & Timestamps 0:00 Expectations Before Coming to Korea 10:10 First Impressions 20:00 Interacting with Korean People 30:00 Making Friends in Korea 40:00 Studying in Korea 48:20 Korean Professors 1:07:00 Korean University Campus 1:13:20 Working on a Student Visa 1:21:20 Korean Trends 1:41:15 Hardest Thing About Being a Foreigner 1:56:05 Advice for Studying in Korea Thanks to Patreon members: Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell, Sara B Cooper, Anne Brennels Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873 David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/vIbpLfWJoZM?si=srRVQ1vRkLvCV076 Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos Music by Jocelyn Clark Thank you to 한종철 for helping me record this. ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: @datizzard ▶ KD Insta: @koreadeconstructed Listen to Korea Deconstructed ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com

    2h 12m
  5. Korea in 1980s: Heritage, Hallyu, and the Making of Modern Identity | Dr. Roald Maliangkay

    11/16/2025

    Korea in 1980s: Heritage, Hallyu, and the Making of Modern Identity | Dr. Roald Maliangkay

    In this episode of Korea Deconstructed, David Tizzard speaks with Dr. Roald Maliangkay about the forces that shaped modern Korea, its culture, speed, identity, and contradictions. We explore Korea in the 1980s; North Korean pro wrestling; the rise of gossip magazines; the banning of Chinese characters; the manufacturing of Korean heritage; and the origins of Korea's bballi-bballi (빨리빨리) culture. We also dive into folk music, Sino-Korean relations, Korea's global image, and the evolving future of Korean Studies. Roald's work uncovers how cultural narratives are made, forgotten, and reinvented. This is a conversation for anyone interested in Korean history, identity formation, and the cultural mechanics behind modern Korea. Roald's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Voices-Postcolonial-Entanglements-Preservation/dp/0824866657   Discussion Outline 0:00 Korea in the 1980s 10:30 North Korean Pro Wrestling 17:18 South Korean Gossip Magazines 24:00 Banning the Chinese Script 26:26 Manucfacturing Korean Heritage 35:30 The emergence of Bballi Bballi 49:20 Exploring Folk Music 1:02:15 Korea and China 1:14:25 Korea's Image Abroad 1:29:10 The Future of Korean Studies 1:36:20 Closing Idea   Thanks to Patreon members: Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell, Sara B Cooper, Anne Brennels Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873 David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/vIbpLfWJoZM?si=srRVQ1vRkLvCV076 Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos Music by Jocelyn Clark Thank you to 한종철 for helping me record this.   Connect with us:  ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: @datizzard ▶ KD Insta: @koreadeconstructed ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com

    1h 45m
  6. Four Korean Women Talk Feminism, Culture, and Professional Careers

    11/02/2025

    Four Korean Women Talk Feminism, Culture, and Professional Careers

    Many Korean women face both institutional barriers and everyday cultural expectations. Life often feels mapped out in advance, and those who deviate from that path meet resistance or worse. Meanwhile, the media tends to celebrate only the rich and famous, making it harder to see the everyday heroes and role models who truly reflect women's lives in Korea. In this episode, I'm joined by Minyoung Kim, Victoria Yi, Sarah Soeun Lee, and Sangeun Kim — a team of writers behind a recently published bilingual book that shares real stories of women's experiences in Korea: their challenges, frustrations, families, dreams, and triumphs. Together, we talk about what it means to live honestly in a society that often prefers silence. Apologies for the sound issues in this one. It was a new set-up and mistakes were made. Hopefully you can still find value in the courage and ideas of the four women. Book Links 📘 Amazon: https://a.co/d/hCzXIyF  (Currently only the eBook is available.) 📗 The printed edition will be officially released on major global retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others on December 19th. If you can't wait, you can purchase the printed version directly through BookBaby: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/bethekey Discussion Outline: 0:00 Introduction 8:05 Beyond Stereotypes 15:40 The Power of Community 28:05 Writing a Book 42:00 On Feminism 56:52 Hierarchical Korean Language 1:06:50 Changes in Korean Society 1:27:00 Hope for the Future 1:40:40 Recommendations   Thanks to Patreon members: Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell, Sara B Cooper, Anne Brennels Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873  David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades.  Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/vIbpLfWJoZM?si=srRVQ1vRkLvCV076 Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos Music by Jocelyn Clark Thank you to 한종철 for helping me record this. Connect with us: ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: @datizzard ▶ KD Insta: @koreadeconstructed ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com

    1h 48m
  7. Breastfeeding vs Capitalism: Motherhood and Culture in Korea

    10/21/2025

    Breastfeeding vs Capitalism: Motherhood and Culture in Korea

    Liss Anda is a clincal psychologist and associate professor working at the University of Stavanger, Norway. Her research currently centers on perinatal mental health. She is especially interested in how cultural understandings and practices of maternity interact with mental wellbeing in new mothers. She also receives clients in a private practice as a therapist, where she takes a humanist and eclectic approach. She has two kids, two cats, nine fish and some shrimp, has fully renovated two traditional wooden houses from 1908, the latter of which also just about fits her husband. She loves travelling, reading, cinema, eating and laughing. She is a Korean adoptee, born in Busan. Find Liss online Insta: https://www.instagram.com/psykologliss/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@psykologliss Her book: https://enkelbutikk.no/psykolog-liss-anda Discussion Outline 0:00 Postpartum depression 5:39 Baby wearing 11:50 Is motherhood innate? 16:50 Are attitudes to children changing? 21:10 Are we better educated? 31:00 Are parents different from non-parents? 35:50 Korean motherhood 50:40 Teenage Mothers and Exporting Children 58:00 Changing gender attitudes 1:08:55 Is the collective unconsciousness real? 1:19:00 Love in Korean society 1:36 Advice for parents   Appendix and Glossary of Terms: https://www.patreon.com/posts/141703371 Thanks to Patreon members: Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell, Sara B Cooper, Anne Brennels Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873   David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/vIbpLfWJoZM?si=srRVQ1vRkLvCV076 Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos Music by Jocelyn Clark Thank you to 한종철 for helping me record this.   Connect with us:  ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: @datizzard ▶ KD Insta: @koreadeconstructed Listen to Korea Deconstructed ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com

    1h 45m
  8. Korean Architecture and the Weight of Han

    10/11/2025

    Korean Architecture and the Weight of Han

    Born in Taegu with roots in Jeju, Juhee then immigrated to the U.S. at age eight. As a 16-year-old Korean American girl, she ran away from home in Queens, New York, to become an architect. Having fulfilled that ambition, she returns to South Korea to reconcile with her abandoned heritage, resolve the family trauma, and achieve a sense of han puri. Find Juhee Online Personal Website: https://www.jleehartford.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jleehartford The Fortune Teller Story: https://ghll.truman.edu/juhee-lee-hartford-the-fortune-teller/ Discussion Outline 0:00 Rejecting Korean Identity (The death of a mother and Park Chung-hee on the same day) 8:52 Korean Architecture 19:30 Shamanism 23:05 Modern Korean Living 32:45 How Our Houses Shape Us 40:00 Jeju – The Land of Exile 43:25 Korea as an Emotional Land 48:50 Architecture as Class 54:00 Han Puri 1:01:34 Recommendations Episode Glossary (New!): https://www.patreon.com/posts/episode-appendix-140730565?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Thanks to Patreon members: Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell, Sara B Cooper, Anne Brennels Join Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873 David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. Watch this video next: https://youtu.be/vIbpLfWJoZM?si=srRVQ1vRkLvCV076 Subscribe to the channel: @DavidTizzard/videos Music by Jocelyn Clark Connect with us: ▶ Get in touch: datizzard@swu.ac.kr ▶ David's Insta: @datizzard ▶ KD Insta: @koreadeconstructed Listen to Korea Deconstructed ▶ Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/kr/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128 ▶Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zdXkG0aAAHnDwOvd0jXEE ▶ Listen on podcasts: https://koreadeconstructed.libsyn.com

    1h 5m
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About

Exploring Korea through open conversations with historians, students, professors, pop stars, and everyone in between. Learn, reflect, and understand with Korea Deconstructed. The host, David Tizzard, has a Phd in Korean Studies and is a Professor at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He also writes a weekly column in the Korea Times.

Information

  • Creator
    David Tizzard
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    121
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Korea Deconstructed 2021
  • Show Website
    Korea Deconstructed

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