#traveldiaries

Epizódy

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  King Jeongjo: The King Who Began With a Wound 11.09.2026 35min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we begin our new history and folklore chapter with King Jeongjo — not as a distant textbook figure, but as a prince shaped by family trauma, palace pressure, and survival. Through Lee Joon-ik’s film The Throne / 사도, we’ll look at Yeongjo as the ultimate “tiger parent king,” Sado as the son who broke under impossible expectations, and Jeongjo as the child who survived by becoming almost painfully disciplined. Before Jeongjo became the reforming king of Joseon, he first had to survive being Yi San.
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  Top 3 Korean Travel Destinations: Memory, Mood, and Story 04.09.2026 34min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we close one chapter and prepare for the next with our final classic travel segment before next week’s renewal into Korean history, folk history, and lore. Our listener survey answers traveled a little farther than expected – from Canada to Uganda to Japan, and even back to our Sky Castle episode – reminding us that travel is really about memory, mood, and story. So today, we bring that idea home to Korea with three destinations: Jongno for Memory, Yangpyeong’s Dumulmeori for Mood, and Seochon for Story.
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  Back to School Special: Hagwons, Teachers, Makgeolli, and Sinchon Cafés 28.08.2026 31min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we’re going back to school: new semester, new notebooks, same old anxiety. We’ll look at Korea’s latest school debates, from phone bans and AI textbooks to hagwon pressure and “friendflation,” then visit two very different school stories: the teacher drama Black Dog and the wonderfully strange indie film 막걸리가 알려줄 거야. Finally, we’ll head to Sinchon, Seoul’s classic student neighborhood, for campus nostalgia, cheap eats, and the legendary Doksuri Dabang.
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  KOSPI Follow-Up Special: 롤러코스피, Margin Calls, and Market Faith 21.08.2026 33min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we return to the KOSPI chart — because apparently the market heard our July episode and chose violence. On July 16, we talked about KOSPI fever: AI, semiconductors, retail investors, leverage, FOMO, and the emotional life of Korean “ants.” But just two weeks later, the market gave us a historic roller coaster: a brutal late-July selloff, a shocking rebound on July 31, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix surging nearly 30%, and investors asking whether this was 시황–market analysis or 신앙–market faith.
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  Gwangbokjeol Special: The Spirit of Resistance (The Age of Shadows & Mr. Sunshine) 13.08.2026 32min

  On this week’s Arirang Travel Diaries, we honor Liberation Day in Korea—Gwangbokjeol—the day light was restored after the period of Japanese colonial rule. But today, our core theme is resistance. We remember not only the moment of liberation in 1945, but the decades-long resistance of Koreans who refused to fade away: those who organized, fought, wrote, taught, and marched. Afterwards, we’ll dive into two films that capture the essence of resistance, and finish with a guide to key sites and events you can visit yourself this week.
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  Summer Heat Wave: Record Temperatures, Old Houses, and Cold Noodles 07.08.2026 36min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we step into Korea&s record-breaking heat wave – the kind of weather where corn visits Busan and comes back as popcorn, but visits Yangsan and comes back burnt. We&ll look at this week&s extreme 폭염, from Yangsan&s 42.5°C record to severe heat alerts in Seoul. Then we slow down with Yoon Dan-bi&s Moving On, or 남매의 여름밤, before cooling off with 냉면, 콩국수, 빙수
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  납량 특집 Part 2: Killer Webtoons, Cursed Scenes, and Snacks for Ghostly Nights 31.07.2026 35min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we continue our 납량 특집 with two Korean horror films that turn modern media itself into a source of fear. We look at 더 웹툰: 예고살인, or Killer Toon, where murders happen exactly as drawn in a webtoon, and 씬, or The Sin, where a film shoot in an abandoned school turns into a ritualistic nightmare. Then we explore ghost-repelling traditions and the very modern late-night snacks Koreans eat while scaring themselves on purpose.
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  CHILLING SUMMER: KOREA’S HORROR TRADITION & NETFLIX’S DONGGUNG 24.07.2026 32min

  On this week’s Arirang Travel Diaries, we’re beating the muggy summer heat with a classic Korean tradition: a chilling Nablyang (납량) special!We’ll explore the true meaning of Nablyang—literally 'inviting in the cool breeze'—and look into Korea’s long-standing tradition of summer horror stories. Then, we’ll step inside the haunted palace and dark curses of Netflix’s new series Donggung, starring Nam Joo-hyuk, Roh Yoon-seo, and Cho Seung-woo.To top it all off, we’ll introduce traditional red bean dishes believed to ward off evil spirits, along with the best modern late-night snacks to munch on during a horror drama binge!
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  'K-Stock Market' (Feat. the movie Default) 17.07.2026 36min

  In this week's Arirang Travel Diaries, we are unfolding stock charts instead of travel maps.We’ll dive into the KOSPI—Korea's benchmark stock index—and the unique trading culture of Korea's retail investors (locally dubbed "ants"). We'll also examine the recent market shocks triggered by leveraged ETFs and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) in the wake of the AI and semiconductor rally.Next, we'll connect today's investment anxieties with memories of the 1997 IMF financial crisis through the lens of the film Default. Finally, we’ll wrap things up with a highly relatable look at the everyday comfort foods of retail investors—from convenience store lunchboxes and "panic coffee" to cup noodles, fried chicken, and comforting stews.
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  The Rainy Season and the Onset of Sambok Heat 10.07.2026 33min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we discuss the onset of the intense summer heat, 'Sambok,' which arrives following a brief rainy season. We explore the meanings of 'Chobok,' 'Jungbok,' and 'Malbok,' and delve into Korea's summer culinary culture for restoring vitality in the sweltering heat. We then focus on the summer scenery, seasonal vegetables, and refreshing summer dishes featured in the movie 'Little Forest,' starring Kim Tae-ri. Finally, we compare two starkly different methods of surviving the summer: the piping hot Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) and the chilled Kongguksu (soybean noodle soup).
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  Back to School: True Education & Nostalgic School-Gate Snacks 03.07.2026 36min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we are heading back to school to mark the end of the spring semester and the start of summer vacation! We will look back at school memories—from report cards and hagwons (cram schools) to emailing professors about grades, and the nostalgic snack shops right outside the school gates. Next, we will dive into the hit Netflix series Vigilante (True Education) to examine the breakdown of teacher authority, school violence, and the ongoing debate surrounding juvenile offender laws. Finally, we will wrap up by treating ourselves to some classic comfort foods: tteokbokki, sundae (blood sausage), fried snacks, and the ultimate convenience store recipe combinations.
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  JSA, Divided Brothers, Border Memories, and a Day Trip to the DMZ 26.06.2026 31min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we take on the Korean War through Park Chan-wook’s JSA – a film that proves sometimes the most dangerous thing at the border isn’t a weapon, but friendship. We’ll talk about 6.25, separated families, televised reunions, and why Korea’s unfinished war still lives in memory, media, and everyday life. Then we head north of Seoul for a DMZ day trip through Imjingak, Dora Observatory, the Third Tunnel, and Paju’s surprisingly delicious borderland food scene.
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  Red Devils, Dream Teams, Reply 1997, and Seoul’s World Cup Park 19.06.2026 34min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we kick off a World Cup-themed journey through Korean soccer culture, from the Red Devils, street cheering, “대한민국!” chants, and chimaek to the unforgettable legacy of the 2002 World Cup. Then we look at the film Dream, before revisiting Reply 1997 and Cynthia’s memories of cheering for Korea in Tokyo’s Shin-Okubo Koreatown. Finally, we head to Sangam-dong for a travel route through Seoul World Cup Stadium, Peace Park, Haneul Park, and nearby places to eat or watch soccer.
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  World Cup Cheers and the Rising Sun Flag Controversy 15.06.2026 20min

  Pueyong, the newest member of The Kulture Inc., brings a fresh perspective on Korean culture. With bright energy and infectious enthusiasm, she explores World Cup cheers and the Rising Sun Flag controversy, all in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of coffee.
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  Seoul's Han River 12.06.2026 31min

  Murky Waters, River Gangsters, Merchant Dreams, and a Sunset Ride on Seoul's Han RiverThis week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we explore the river that made Seoul possible—the Han River. From Joseon-era ferries, merchants, and river gangsters to Disney+'s historical drama 탁류 (The Murky Stream), we examine a side of Korean history rarely portrayed on screen. Then we return to present-day Seoul to ride the new Han River Bus and discover how this ancient trade route is once again becoming part of daily life.
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  Local Elections, Kingmakers, Honest Candidates, and Daejeon’s Campaign Crossroads 05.06.2026 31min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, Korea’s June 3 local elections shift our focus to campaign trucks, city halls, local councils, and the power of the voter on the street. We look at Kingmaker, a sharp political drama about the strategist behind the candidate, and Honest Candidate, Ra Mi-ran’s comedy about a politician who suddenly cannot lie. Then we head to Daejeon, the symbolic heart of Chungcheong — Korea’s famous casting-vote region — where campaign symbolism meets gukbap, Seongsimdang bread, and old-downtown cafés.
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  Chaebol Salarymen, Strikes, and Company Towns 29.05.2026 32min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, Samsung’s labor talks put Korea’s office culture–wages, unions, shareholders, and all–in the spotlight. We look at On the Verge of Insanity and The Dream Life of Mr. Kim, two sharp stories about surviving corporate life. Then we head to Dongtan and Gwanggyo, where tech campuses, lake parks, cafés, and after-work dinners shape the “company town” lifestyle.
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  Buddha’s Birthday, Lantern Light, and a Walk Through Jongno 22.05.2026 32min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, Seoul lights up for Buddha’s Birthday with lotus lanterns, temple visits, and a long weekend made for wandering through Jongno. We explore Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring and Move to Heaven – two screen stories about karma, grief, compassion, and letting go. Then we walk from Jogyesa to Insadong and Cheonggyecheon for temple food, coffee, and lantern-lit city views.
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  Family Month, Found Families, and Long Walks Through Euljiro 15.05.2026 35min

  This week, Family Month in Korea gets a little complicated. We talk carnations, unconventional movie families, and the people who become family without sharing DNA. Then we walk it off in Euljiro with ramen, retro cafés, nogari, and 20,000 steps of Seoul chaos.
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  Busan, Family Introductions, and the City That Always Feels Slightly More Alive 08.05.2026 33min

  This week on Arirang Travel Diaries, we head to Busan — where family introductions, sea views, and strong opinions about livability all happen in the same weekend. Expect gangster cinema, ‘90s nostalgia, Busan satoori, and enough good food to make Seoul feel briefly negotiable. Because in Busan, even a family trip can come with dialect lessons and excellent coffee.