Afternoona Asks

Grace welcomes guest Ryan Estrada, co-author of the critically acclaimed graphic novel Banned Book Club to the show. We discuss Ryan's work and the history and culture of protest in South Korea. We also get a sneak peek behind the scenes of a Kdrama on which Ryan was an extra. And, in the language section, we talk about how easy it is (for some) to learn the Korean alphabet.Find Ryan online at:www.ryanestrada.com@ryanestrada.com on Bluesky@ryanestradadotcom on Instagram @ryanestrada on XDramas and movies mentioned on this show:Squid Game (2021)JSA (2000)Memories of Murder (2003)Castaway on the Moon (20099Break Out (2002)Youth of May (2021)Tempest (not yet released)

Sarah, Grace, and guests Megan (from Afternoona Delight podcast) and Kalena (from AD Patreon) chat about the Fallen for Seo In Guk fan meetings in Los Angeles and Washington DC. We discuss Seo In Guk's filmography and fandom, his beautiful live singing, and the hilarious and endearing games and fan service prepared for the event. We also talk about the perks and pitfalls of VIP tickets and the amazing vibes among fan meet attendees. Show Notes:Sarah and Megan's deep dive of Death's Game for Afternoona Delight (also available on your favorite podcast platform)https://www.afternoonadelight.com/podcast/episode/faec72d2/deaths-game-no-filler-all-killer Seo In Guk's Birth Secret Revelationhttps://youtu.be/O9LPrE8i0R0?si=VWiVb7PUV2B64EY-Seo In Guk Youtube Channelhttp://www.youtube.com/@seoinguk8178Megan - 5 faves watched in the past 6 months4minutes (Scifi Thai BL)Gyeongseong creature 2 (Horror)My Sweet Mobster (Romcom)No Gain No Love (Romcom)Blackout (Twisty thriller)Kalena - 5 examples from fave genres 365 Repeat the year (twisty time travel)Let me be your knight (Kpop idol)Shooting stars (satirical look at the entertainment industry)Life (hospital stories)Doom at your service (epic/philosophical fantasy romance)The instagram friend Megan mentions:@kdramabingo - look for funny hi/bye story

Grace welcomes fellow Korean American, Lisa, as a guest this episode to talk about Park Chan-wook's 2000 film Joint Security Area and compare notes on our personal experiences of Hallyu. We discuss the standing of the film as an early Hallyu success, its moving and humanizing portrayal of soldiers from both sides of the armistice line, the impact of Korea's division on the psyche of its people both at home and abroad, and the tension and longing that characterize relations between each side of the divided peninsula. We also discuss the differences in Korean language usage between North and South Korea in the language section.Find Lisa on Youtube, posting on the ARMY Auntie channel (@ARMYAuntie777), and @chibifromouterspace on Instagram.Dramas we reference during the show:Get KarlLaw SchoolDivorce Attorney ShinHyenaExtraordinary Attorney WooWonderful WorldWhy Her?Dinner MateMy Dearest25/21CLOYJewel in the PalaceGo Back CoupleTomorrowKnight FlowerFilms we reference during the show:Secret ReunionLone StarMementoShiri

We are delighed to be joined by Dr Seo Hyojin, who is a gender and labour market sociologist and an international and interdisciplinary scholar. Hyojin currently work as Post-doctoral Researcher for a Horizon Europe project EqualHouse at the Department of Sociology, Tilburg University (NL). She joins us to chat about women in the South Korean workforce and which Korean Dramas portray different elements. We also go on to talk about how much women's inquality in the workplace impact the low birth rate.We found the discussion fascinating and hope you do too!Notes for this show:Dr Hyojin Seo biography4B Movement ExplainerKorea Times article on parental leave take upProfessor Heejung Chung Twitter

We had so much fun diving deep into one of Grace's top comfort dramas, the 2010 sageuk Sungkyunkwan Scandal. We were excited to have Gavin join us again to discuss the historical backdrop, queer-coded characters, and surprisingly liberal version of Confucianism we find in this "Joseon Coffee Prince." Join us to discuss this gender swap historical drama, in Park Min Young's breakout role. We start with a spoiler free section so you can listen to see if this might be a drama for you!Note - Sarah mentions JK Rowling upset Taiwanese people over her criticism of a Taiwanese Olympian, Lin Yu Ting, and her eligibilty to compete in Women's sport. However, Sarah referred to her as trans, which is incorrect, as Lin Yu Ting is a cis-gendered woman (which makes it worse!). For more on this story, check out this Focus Taiwan news piece.If you have not yet listened to the other episodes in our Confucian series, you can find them here:An Introduction to Confucianism for Asian Drama FansAnd here:My Dearest Unpacked with a Confucian LensFor those interested in more from Yoo Ah In, Chicago Typewriter is available to watch free-with-ads on Pluto TV (thank you to our fellow Patreon member who tracked this down!)

We're back with another episode to discuss travelling to Seoul - Sarah was lucky to return for another work trip this summer! This time she had some time to go for some experiences: a hair spa, a facial and some kimchi making. She also tried soy marinated crab and met 2 Korean Instagram influencers! Check out the episode to hear about more things to do in Seoul. Show Notes:Hair spa: Sarah went to ParkJun Beauty Lab Cheongdam branch. For more details and to book go to their Instagram pageMassage and Facial: Sarah went to : CheongKwanJang SPA 1899 DONGINBI in Daechi, which she booked via Klook Kimchi Making: Sarah did this with Jomin, which she booked via AirBnBInfluencers she met: Tour Guide: @wookeunshinCooking Influencer: @_cookim_Spots mentioned:Ihwa Mural VillageSeoul City Wall TrailCheonggyecheon Stream

We are delighted to be joined this episode by Emma from EmmaB Videos, a fan video editor and fellow Asian drama fangirl. We get to know Emma and her tastes in drama - both Asian and Western - and we speak to her about where she gets her inspiration from for her fab video edits. Check out our show and then enjoy Emma's amazing video edits via her socials below.Please check out the shownotes below for links to EmmaB's social media pages as well as other content mentioned in the podcast.Follow EmmaB.Videos on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram Check out her videos for:Love Between Fairy & DevilLovely RunnerDoom At Your ServiceThe KDrama Megamix!Video editors that inspire Emma:https://www.youtube.com/@hurleybirdhttps://www.youtube.com/@Shainira

We had so much fun speaking with fellow Patreon member Lindsay about learning Korean. We share our language learning experiences, our favorite resources and strategies for learning, as well as our Korean learning goals and dreams of all the different ways we'll be able to use Korean as we improve. See how well you follow along with our snippets of Korean conversation and relate to the struggles and joy of diving into a new language or brushing up on an old one.Korean Language Learning Resources:King Sejong Institute (online and in-person classes)Talk to Me In Korean (self-teaching books and resources)Naver Webtoon App (Korean version) Busuu (self teaching app)LingoDeer (self teaching app)Teuida (self teaching app)iTalki (language exchange/tutor app)AmazingTalker (language exchange/tutor app)Essential Korean PodcastGo Billy (explanations from POV of native English speaker)How to Study Korean  (explanations from POV of native English speaker)HanBooks.com (source for books written in Korean or translated into Korean)"Comprehensible input" (search term for beginner resources on YouTube)

We are delighted to be joined by actor and fellow Patreon member Katherine Bourne Taylor. We have a great chat with Katherine as she gives her views on KDramas from an actors lens and what the differences she sees are between how KDramas are acted, produced and shot versus Western media. We also manifest a KDrama for Katherine to star in and discuss what might be some upcoming trends for co-produced Korean and American shows. Tune in, it's a super interesting chat!Notes:Wondering where can you see more of Katherine's work? Find her at:katherinebournetaylor on Instagram - check out her bio or click this link to find her Asian drama spreadsheet! Go see her live at "Obsessed," a monthly comedy show at Nico's Wine in LA, the third Tuesday of every month (started in May).Guest appearance on The Ms. Pat Show episode that aired at the end of May.For more information, go to katherine-bourne.comNote on the Korean in this episode: Grace isn't great at thinking in honorifics off the cuff, so the version of the phrase she gave Katherine to say to a kdrama director was the polite but not honorific form 잘 부탁합니다 (jal butak- hamnida). The honorific form, which is more proper for addressing a director you look forward to working with, is 잘 부탁드립니다 (jal butak-deurimnida). Also, technically it's -habnida and -deuribnida, but the romanizations in parentheses reflect what it actually sounds like when you run those syllables together.

We invited Erin & Gavin from previous podcast episodes to come and chat 2024 as a KDrama year for us so far. We cover what we've enjoyed, what we've dropped and what we're watching now. We also throw forward to dramas we're looking forward to. Come join us to find out if you agree with us, vehemently disagree or find some dramas that might tickle your interest.Notes:If you'd like to hear more about Gavin's KDrama tastes, we talked this through with him and about Costuming on an earlier podcast episode.We also did a year end reivew with Erin and a short intro to her fave KDramas on this earlier podcast episode.

We're back with another Afternoona Asks ND episode. We recorded this episode during Autism Awareness month in April so thought it would be a good chance to revisit some of our favourite KDramas to guide us on how to be a good ally for Neurodivergency. Join us as we give insight into why autistic people often find Autism Awareness month difficult and the ways you could support them - all year around!Notes from the show:Previous episodes covered in this show:Extraordinary Attorney Woo Part 1 (with Sarah) and Part 2 (with J & Franzi)Suspicious PartnerIt's Ok to Not Be OkSemantic Error/Light On MeAdvert on World Down's Syndrome DayTo read more on the specific Autistic Black experience, J recommends: "Autistic and Black - Our experiences of growth, progress and empowerment" by Kala Allen OmeizaSensory social cards - Sensory overload cardsFurther reading on Spoon theoryA Manifesto for Allies Adopting an Acceptance Approach to Autism - Dr Melanie Heyworth

Today we're talking Chinese! But what is "Chinese" language? Discover the basics of Chinese language, its regional variations, its writing system and pronounciation. Grace and Sarah talk about similarities between Korean and Cantonese and we all learn some basic Chinese phrases.Show notes:Word that is used to describe passing a test or being accepted into a program: 합격하다 hab-gyeok hada - the infinitive form, to pass or, more literally, to do pass. The word discussed was just the first part, 합격 hab-gyeok, pass.We hope you enjoy our show, and we hope to bring you a Chinese culture pod with your C-Drama related questions next time, email the show with any queries you may have!

Finally we're back, with the long awaited part two of our deep dive into Autistic Lan Wangji. "It has been 16 Years....", Well, two months, but we know you've all been at the edge of your seats. We’re finishing our discussion of The Untamed, starring Wang Yibo (王一博) and Xiao Zhan (肖战). It’s one of the most watched series in Asian television history with 10 billion views domestically in China as of 2022 in China on one service alone, never mind the huge international success and acclaim it garnered. This all with a cleverly crafted and nuanced production that captured the spirit of the original novel, while being able to stay within the framework of China’s strict onscreen morality laws. Franziska (@wanderingfranzi) and J (@theflowerthatbloomsalone) are joined by enthusiastic fandom guests and fanfic writers Jie (@JieJie_AiNi), Kaey (@Firebrd86) and PaidSubscription (@PaidSubAO3) for a deep dive into autistic-coded Lan Wangji. In this part two, we discuss the Cloud Recesses as a haven but also a constraint on an autistic Wangji, as well as how Wei Wuxian was the first one to really perceive Wangji and hear “the melody of his heart.” Add in queer symbolism, how an autistic Wangji articulates the drama’s themes, and a chat about the fics our authors have written. Join us as four fandom nerds and one very enthusiastic cohost (who wants to binge watch it all again) talk about the concept of expansive love, what we see the characters doing post-canon, and how Lan Wangji might just have the best arc an autistic character could have. PS this pod is not spoiler-free! Plus be sure to listen to part one (released for Valentines Day) where we discussed which of Wangji’s traits resonated the most for us, what we loved about his character development as an autistic-coded character (is it one of the best arcs ever?), and how and why his relationship with ADHD-coded Wei Wuxian just works so well. Don’t miss it!For Transcripts for both Parts 1 and 2 please see our website: https://www.afternoonaasks.com/transcriptLinks: Jie’s fics https://archiveofourown.org/users/jiejieainiPaid’s fics https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaidSubscriptionKaey’s fics https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixieLeaderzhiji explained https://www.tumblr.com/hunxi-guilai/612161034673946624/all-right-guys-lets-have-a-conversation-aboutPost with quote about the melody of his heart https://hunxi-guilai.tumblr.com/post/620065749733720064/god-please-tell-us-more-about-who-you-think-lan#kdramapodcast #kdramapodcasts #Idrama #cdramas #cdrama #chinesedrama #xianxia #koreandramapodcasts #asiandramas #asiandramapodcast #autisticcoded #autisticpodcast

In the second installment of our Confucian series, Sarah and Grace dive deep into the 2023 historical drama My Dearest. We discuss what made the drama "so Confucian," different characters and their varying levels of adherence to Confucianism, including our anti-Confucian hero and heroine, and try to clear up the confusing plot points and timeline. We had a lot of fun unpacking our joint favourite drama of 2023 and hope you enjoy listening it too!For a preview/another take on the drama, check out our sister pod's earlier discussion at Apple Podcasts or Spotify Podcasts

Haeji, Sarah's tour guide from her Gwangjang Market night tour in Seoul, joins us this episode to talk about life in Seoul in the era of Hallyu. We get her perspective on accessibility for people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ life, feminism, and drinking culture in Korea. We discuss what hot topics are for young women in Seoul right now and also talk about the centrality of Seoul to Korean life. In our Korean language section, we have fun learning some slang.Find Haeji on Instagram @gmt_haeji or see what her company's tours are like @jfromkorea, @goodmatetravel, and book her tour on AirBnB abnb.me/c3KME2UiYpb 

Sarah and Grace are joined by Youjeong Ssaem, one of Grace's Korean teachers, for a chat about the South Korean educational system. We go into technical details before discussing broader issues currently impacting students and teachers, like school violence and pressure to academically excel. In the language section, we talk about Konglish.Find Youjeong ssaem on iTalki at: https://www.italki.com/i/reft/ABDHece/FeBBCe/korean?hl=en&utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=share_teacherCorrection: During Grace's comments about early college admissions in the US, she misremembered the relevant terms - "early decision" generally describes early admissions applications that are binding, while non-binding early admissions applications are usually called "early action." 

This Valentine’s Day, the feeling of sticking to the single log bridge with us until it’s dark is not too bad! Finally, we’re covering the Untamed, starring Wang Yibo (王一博) and Xiao Zhan (肖战). Yes, one of the most watched series in Asian television history with 10 billion views domestically as of 2022 in China on one service alone, never mind the huge international success and acclaim it garnered. This all with a cleverly crafted and nuanced production that captured the spirit of the original novel, while being able to stay within the framework of China’s strict onscreen morality laws. Franziska (@wanderingfranzi) and J (@theflowerthatbloomsalone) are joined by enthusiastic fandom guests and fanfic writers Jie (@JieJie_AiNi), Kaey (@Firebrd86) and PaidSubscription (@PaidSubAO3) for a deep dive into autistic-coded Lan Wangji. In this part one of two, we discuss which of Wangji’s traits resonated the most for us, what we loved about his character development as an autistic-coded character (is it one of the best arcs ever?), and how and why his relationship with ADHD-coded Wei Wuxian just works so well. Join us as four fandom nerds and one very enthusiastic cohost (who wants to binge watch it all again) theorise a possible reason why the Lan clan has those 3000 rules and if in a modern alternate universe, Lan Wangji would make his own phone calls.Note: this pod contains spoilersPlus be sure to listen to part two (to be released shortly) where we will discuss the Cloud Recessess as a haven but also a constraint on an autistic Wangji, as well as how Wei Wuxian was the first one to really perceive Wangji and hear “the melody of his heart.” Add in queer symbolism, how an autistic Wangji articulates the drama’s themes, and a chat about the fics our authors have written. Don’t miss it! Link: The link to the translated portion of the interview with the author MXTX mentioned in the pod: https://asksythe.tumblr.com/post/716755273102082048/mxtx-interview-with-risa-wataya-for-subaru/amp#kdramapodcast #kdramapodcasts #Idrama #cdramas #cdrama #chinesedrama #xianxia #koreandramapodcasts #asiandramas #asiandramapodcast #autisticcoded #autisticpodcast #theuntamed #mdzs #chenqingling #lanwangji #weiwuxian #lanzhan #weiying

We're back with a very special guest, Lia from our sister pod, Afternoona Delight! Lia made a trip to Seoul, her first to South Korea and she's on our podcast to chat to us about how she found it, what KDrama locations she saw and how being in Seoul made her feel.Tune in to listen to how she found her trip and pick up some travel tips for your own future trip to Seoul!Notes from Show mentioned in episode:Sinchon Graffiti Tunnel Hakdong Park, GangnamGoblin walk - Doeksugung Stone WallBTS Rookie restaurant - Yoojung Sikdang Leeum museumSinger mentioned - Mesani and his EP, JungleSkincare place in Gangnam - Lienjang Plastic SurgeryThe 2 palaces - Changdeokgung and Changyeounggung Korean Dramaland - for Drama locationsPapago - also available as iOS/Android apps

Fellow podcaster William Han joins Grace and Sarah to discuss the history of wuxia, as well as its cultural context and significance. He discusses how men--and women--with a "particular set of skills" and an unshakable code have played a notable role in Chinese history and literature, why Jin Yong's wuxia novels are a lingua franca of the Chinese speaking/reading world, and how wuxia concepts have been embraced by Western creators. Join us for a deep dive into the origins of some of the most familiar C-drama themes and character archetypes!For more from William, find The Master of Demon Gorge on your favorite podcast platform. Or @w_t_han on Twitter/X. His book, From the Wall to the Water, is available via your favorite bookseller. 

In another episode examining autistic coded characters in KDrama, we discuss the popular Korean BL's Semantic Error and Light On Me. Sarah, J and Fran discuss what autistic traits we saw and how the dramas handled their characters autistic traits. We talk about what worked and didn't work for us about these two dramas.Show Note:Light on Me BL Express blog mentioned in the show by J.