SeoulPodcast

Seoulpodcast.jpg

SeoulPodcast is a podcast by three ESL teachers living in and around Seoul, South Korea. This weekly show is sponsored by the Korea Herald.. The show gives listeners who are intent on teaching ESL in Korea advice on how to land a good job, be a successful ESL teacher, and GeneRally succeed as an expatriate in South Korea. It is hosted by Joe McPherson (native of Alabama, USA), Jennifer Young (native of Louisiana, USA) and Stafford Lumsden (native of Auckland, New Zealand). Most shows feature a guest, usually a notable personality in the Korean blogging community.

Hosts

Joe McPherson is a food writer for the Korea Herald daily newspaper and a judge for the Miele Guide. McPherson is also the publisher of the Zenkimchi blog which was mentioned in the New York Times. McPherson lives in the Seoul satellite city of Anyang.

Jennifer Young is vice president of Korea Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (KOTESOL) Seoul Chapter. Young is also a graduate of the US military's Defense Language Institute, where she learned the Korean language. Young lives in the Seoul satellite city of Bundang. She has been teaching in Korea since 1998 and survived the Korean IMF crisis.

Stafford Lumsden is an Elementary School teacher in Gangnam, Seoul and has had a number of articles published including in The East, a London based community paper for East Asian ex-pats living in the United Kingdom.

History

The show began March 28, 2008 and remains an ACTIVE weekly podcast. The show is the progeny of the Seoul Survivors podcast, which ran from September 2006 until January 2008. Seoul Survivors was hosted by Karl Mamer, Jennifer Young, and Joe McPherson. When Mamer returned to his native Canada, McPherson and Young continued the podcast under the SeoulPodcast name.

Stafford Lumsden first appeared on the podcast in June 2008 as a panelist. Initially filling in for Jennifer Young while she was outside of Korea, he began to appear on a more regular basis from October of the same year. Lumsden was named a regular and official co-host on SeoulPodcast #45, in March 2009.

Death of Michael White

The SeoulPodcast has been responsible for getting US media attention regarding the death of Stephen Michael White, the son of an American ESL teacher in Korea named Stephannie White. Mike White died under mysterious circumstances and White's mother has felt Korean authorities have not properly investigated the death. The SeoulPodcast's initial interview (May 21, 2008) with White's mother has been released as a transcript and translated by the ESL community into Korean. Two follow up InterViews were held on June 25, 2008 and Feb 1, 2009.

The Feb 1st interview was also guested by Lee Ellen Ramsey, sister of Matthew Sellers and Diane Blower, sister of David Gearson. The cause of death for all three victims have not been completely resolved. The three women have come together in their struggle for answers from the South Korean government and closure from the loss of their loved ones. A website community is under development which will be dedicated to bringing together the friends and families of those who've lost loved ones in South Korea called Expatriate Deaths in South Korea.

Features

Each episode is segmented into several regular features:

This Week's Sponsor: In addition to the show's actual sponsorship by the Korea Herald, the podcast runs a fake sponsorship ad that lampoons some aspect of the ESL experience in Korea (for example, the chaotic nature of Korean barbecue restaurants and the cursory service frequently experienced there) The show also claims it is the only podcast sponsored by a Korean king (King Sejong).

Main Topic: Usually the guest host is the main topic, covering the guest's background and life in Korea.

Drink of The Week Preceded by a sting voiced by Lumsden, the hosts and guests discuss the beverage they are drinking during the show's recording.

News and Stuff: A segment where the hosts and guest discuss interesting Korean news items, usually items that affect expats living in Korea, like changes to Korean immigration law.

Things That Make You Go Whaa: Newsworthy items that highlight the uniqueness of or contrasts in the Korean culture.

Time Wasters of the Week: A round up of the odd konglish, engrish signage, and culture shock the hosts have witnessed that week.

Jen's Teachin' Tips: Young presents a short 5 minute tip on how to improve teaching ability and classroom management. Jen's Teachin' Tips have been spun off into their own iTunes feed.

King Sejong's Closing Advice: The show's exit theme includes a voice over by McPherson impersonating the ghostly voice of King Sejong. Sejong closes the show by imparting some advice to ex-pats in Korea. Sejong's tips are usually a play on IDeaS Koreans have AbOUT health that are largely unfamiliar (and occasionally bemusing) to Westerners or Korean customs ex-pats typically stumble over. The advice is usually satirical, for example urging listeners to turn off their fans at night to avoid fan death.

Notable Guests

See also

See Also

SpanishPod

SpanishPod is a language course podcast and accompanying website that offers free lessons in...

Thoughtcast

ThoughtCast is a Podcast and public radio interview program with authors and academics. The...