Episode 88: Finding Heaven On Earth And Being A Bridge ft. Nelson aka @sochourner (iyagi)

03/13/25 • 129 min

This week Jun and Daniel interview Nelson, a third-culture kid who was born and raised in Brazil before attending college in the US and eventually settling in Korea. They explore his unique journey navigating multiple cultural identities, from experiencing racism as an Asian in Brazil to voluntarily serving in the Korean Marines during a college gap year. Nelson shares how being an "outsider" everywhere ultimately became his superpower, allowing him to bridge different cultural groups. They discuss a wide range of topics including what life was like in a Brazilian international school, cultural differences in dating, gift-giving customs, military service, and Nelson's unexpected rise to social media fame in Korea.

If you're interested in hearing a fresh perspective on Korean culture from someone who approaches it with a "bridge-builder" mindset, or learning about the rich complexity of Korean diaspora experiences beyond Korean Americans, tune in to hear Daniel, Jun and Nelson discuss all this and more! Also in this episode, Daniel shares his struggles with maintaining a fresh perspective on familiar surroundings, Jun explains why Koreans might be hesitant to greet strangers, and Nelson reveals his theory about how societal environments shape our behavior more than we'd like to admit.

Guest Bio

Nelson is a third culture kid trying to build bridges.
He's working on an app that teaches Korean and Japanese:
https://teuida.page.link/cho

You can find him on:
http://instagram.com/sochourner
http://tiktok.com/@sochourner

LEAD how this story ends is up to us
A TRUE STORY starring Merritt Wever, Alessandro Nivola & Cynthia Nixon.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

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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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Guest Bio

Nelson is a third culture kid trying to build bridges.
He's working on an app that teaches Korean and Japanese:
https://teuida.page.link/cho

You can find him on:
http://instagram.com/sochourner
http://tiktok.com/@sochourner

LEAD how this story ends is up to us
A TRUE STORY starring Merritt Wever, Alessandro Nivola & Cynthia Nixon.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Previous Episode

Episode 87: Listener Comments - Read and Response (Media)

This week Jun and Daniel respond to comments from their Instagram Reels, YouTube channel, and emails in their second "Read and Response" episode. From discussing American strawberries tasting like "vegetables you put in soup" to deeper conversations about Korean American identity, our hosts thoughtfully address both supportive feedback and critical comments. They explore topics like Korean snowmen versus American snowmen, the concept of Jeong (정) in Korean society, Korean parents' decisions about teaching their children Korean, and how modern Korea approaches its past. Throughout the episode, they aim to foster greater cross-cultural understanding while responding to misunderstandings with empathy and nuance.
If you're interested in hearing Jun and Daniel's responses to comments about Korean American identity struggles, learning more about Jun's impressive fitness journey and weight loss, understanding the differences between how Koreans and Americans build snowmen, or discovering why Korean toilet paper disposal practices differ from Western ones, tune in to hear them discuss all this and more! This episode also includes Daniel sharing his emotional response to a particularly touching email from a listener, Jun revealing his pre-40th birthday feelings, and both hosts reflecting on their podcast's mission to cultivate empathy between cultures.

LEAD how this story ends is up to us
A TRUE STORY starring Merritt Wever, Alessandro Nivola & Cynthia Nixon.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Next Episode

Episode 89: Communities, Social Circles, and Third Places (Culture)

This week Jun and Daniel dive into a deep exploration of social circles in Korea compared to America. Daniel shares his recent experience joining a church community group after five years, which sparks the main discussion about how social connections form differently across cultures. The hosts debate whether Korean social groups are more like "cliques" while American groups function as broader "communities," examining why Koreans tend to form smaller, deeper, and more exclusive social circles compared to the more open, expansive networks common in America. They explore the role of group harmony, hierarchy, and Korea's competitive society in shaping these differences, and discuss the concept of "third places" - neutral social environments outside of home and work - which Daniel feels are notably missing in modern Korean society.

If you're interested in understanding why Korean social groups often require multiple commonalities while American groups might form around just one shared interest, how utilitarian values factor into relationship-building in Korean society, or how much things have changed from the previous generation, tune in to hear Daniel and Jun discuss all this and more! Daniel also shares his personal struggles adapting to the Korean social landscape despite living in the country for well over three years.

LEAD how this story ends is up to us
A TRUE STORY starring Merritt Wever, Alessandro Nivola & Cynthia Nixon.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show