Episode 79: Squid Game 2 Review (Media)

01/09/25 • 98 min

This week Jun and Daniel discuss the much anticipated Squid Game 2, and use it as a way to explore various aspects of Korean culture. Our hosts run through the cast of characters with commentary, discuss each of the Korean games that were played, dive into Korea’s high household debt to GDP ratio, and more. Through discussions of character portrayals, game mechanics, and underlying themes, they touch on topics like Korea's media industry, gender roles, military service culture, what parts of the show Koreans would find most nostalgic.

If you're interested in learning about Korean childhood games, how Netflix seems to be influencing K-drama production, or perspectives on trans representation, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! In this episode, our hosts also share their favorite and least favorite characters, and highlight several cultural notes that loyal listeners of the pod may have also picked up on.

Links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most-watched_Netflix_original_programming (Squid Game 1 is most watched Netflix series of all time)
https://youtu.be/SVxiqGiLMCM?si=U0_bEE1NHJH74GvE&t=71 (그대에게 performance)

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As a reminder, we record one episode a week in-person from Seoul, South Korea. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, and we're so excited to have you following us on this journey!
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Previous Episode

Episode 78: Lady Vengeance (Media)

This week Jun and Daniel review the 2005 Korean film "Lady Vengeance", the unofficial final installment in Park Chan-wook's vengeance trilogy. Through their analysis of the film, they explore how revenge is depicted differently in Korean versus American media, discussing themes of collectivism versus individualism, institutional injustice, and the contrast between surface appearances and underlying realities in Korean society.

If you're interested in learning about Korean cultural elements like prison tofu traditions, why revenge plots are so prominent in Korean media, how Korean and American societies view justice differently, or what makes Korean collective revenge distinct from Western individual revenge, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! This week they also explore hierarchical power dynamics in Korean society, debate the role of physical appearances, and share their thoughts on harmony versus authenticity in collectivist cultures.

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Next Episode

Episode 80: Yes, Uh, Jin, Jee (Taiwan)

This week Jun and Daniel discuss Daniel's recent family trip to Taiwan for the holidays. Listen as Daniel shares his observations and experiences visiting Taipei and surrounding areas, while Jun offers his commentary as someone who has visited multiple times before. From weather to food to cultural influences from both Japan and China, our hosts explore what makes Taiwan unique while drawing comparisons to Korea and America. They discuss everything from the prevalence of English to toilets, and bubble tea to building design. What is the de facto travel itinerary for Koreans visiting Taipei and its surrounding suburbs? What does humidity feel like when it isn’t hot? What animal seems to be trending in popularity in Taiwan? What Korean things were Daniel surprised to find in Taiwan? What unlikely food item seemed to appear unexpectedly throughout the trip? What were some of Daniel’s most memorable meals?
If you're interested in any of these questions, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel reflects on seeing a familiar face in a totally different context, Jun reveals a surprising personal fact, and both hosts bond over their love for Taiwan's culture, food, and people.
Links
https://namu.wiki/w/%EB%B6%84%EB%A5%98:%EC%98%88%EC%8A%A4%EC%A7%84%EC%A7%80 (예스진지)

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