The Dark Side of Seoul Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Never a dull moment, especially if you’re paying attention. We go through some of the odder, weirder, surprisinger news stories in recent months.  This is my stop (May 2023) Video (86) 아시아나 여객기 '문 열린 채 비행'…아찔했던 그 순간 #shorts - YouTube You hit my baby! (2018 to 2022; reported Feb. 2023) This is not my stop (2019, reported Feb. 2023) Be our guest (2017) 'The Littl...

Send us Fan Mail As the first season of our Walk Among the Graves tour closes, we explore a few more rites and rituals connected to funerals and the dead.  Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Pitch your idea here. https://www.darksideofseoul.com/expats-of-the-wild-east/ Credits Produc...

Send us Fan Mail More strange stories of the creatures who approached Korea’s shores. Do you have a tale of an odd expat in Korea from the old days? We could include it in “ Expats of the Wild East .” Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Pitch your idea here. https://www.darksideofseou...

Send us Fan Mail One of Korea’s most promoted destinations is--well, it was conceived as a tourist trap. We talk about the history of the island and other places to avoid down Korea’s Tourist Trap River. Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of an odd expat in Korea f...

Send us Fan Mail The fourth lunar month is arguably the most important time of year for Buddhists. Various ceremonies linked to Buddha’s birthday, good fortune, and brightening the darkness permeate the lore and traditions of this time of year.  Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do...

Send us Fan Mail Ghosts may be trapped in the past, but ghost hunters today bring modern methods to track them down and send them scurrying to the afterlife. Some Korean ghost hunters even use rap music!  Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of an odd expat in Korea...

Send us Fan Mail In 1980, Chun Doo-hwan created a re-education “university” for criminals and ne’er do wells. It really was a concentration camp for anyone who didn’t fit in. “SEOUL SAID TO HOLD 15,000 IN CAMPS WITHOUT TRIAL” - The New York Times (Sept 20, 1981) Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksi...

Send us Fan Mail Behind the corporate gloss of K-pop, Samsung, and the hallyu wave lurks a tragic reality: poverty.  Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of an odd expat in Korea from the old days? We could include it in “ Expats of the Wild East .” Pitch your idea h...

Send us Fan Mail Korea’s gangsters went from the streets into the government. This is the second era of the history of Korean organized crime. Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of an odd expat in Korea from the old days? We could include it in “ Expats of the Wild...

Send us Fan Mail Colonial 1930s Korea was a time of independence activists, street gangs, and the Yakuza. This is the first of the four gangster periods of modern Korea. Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of an odd expat in Korea from the old days? We could include...

Send us Fan Mail Even the Korean lunar calendar has a leap year. Instead of an extra day, there's an extra month. Here's what to do. Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of an odd expat in Korea from the old days? We could include it in “ Expats of the Wild East .” P...

Send us Fan Mail The concept of an afterlife is consistent across cultures. How do old Korean traditions view the land of the dead? PLUS: a talk about our new cemetery tour and what we have coming up this year!  Check out the Cemetery Tour here . Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do...

Send us Fan Mail Our series continues covering the folk traditions of each lunar month. This time it’s the third month -  the onset of spring, farming, booze for powerful gods, and good days to visit the dead.  Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of an odd expat in...

Send us Fan Mail A young Korean man in Japan’s construction industry became the most powerful crime boss in 1930s Seoul. We talk about Korea’s early mob history and how Hayashi himself has left a big mark in daily Seoul life. Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of a...

Send us Fan Mail “The scariest market in Korea.” Majang Meat Market is not only unique in Seoul, it’s unique to all of Korea! It’s the only market dedicated to turning freshly slaughtered livestock into meat. Our new Majang Meat Market Experience https://zenkimchi.com/zenkimchi-get-immersed-in-korea/zkx/meat-lovers-premium-market-bbq/ Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=NDEEI5n7R...

Send us Fan Mail Some topics are hard to discuss. And some we prefer to not cover more than once. But child abuse has become an epidemic in Korea and it needs to be constantly in the public eye until something is done to stop it.  Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale...

Send us Fan Mail Ghosts and rites and folk, oh my! Our series on the monthly folk traditions on the Korean lunar calendar. It’s full of folklife customs, many of which are no longer widely practiced. In this episode, we explore the lore of the second lunar month.  Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://dark...

Send us Fan Mail Guest: Ji-yun Park The artist for the new volume of “Dark Side of Seoul: Weird Tales from Korean Lore” talks about her process in bringing Korean folk horror to life on the comic book page. Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of an odd expat in Kore...

Send us Fan Mail Korea attracts some odd expats. Here is a collection of tales written by expats about expats. This is a sneak peek at a feature exclusive to our Patreon subscxribers. Join our Patreon to get this and more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of an odd expat in Korea from the old...

Send us Fan Mail Get a taste of "Weird Tales from Korean Lore," a regular segment exclusive to our Patreon subscribers (starting at just $5 a month). Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Do you have a tale of an odd expat in Korea from the old days?  Email us at [info@darksideofseoul.c...

Send us Fan Mail Cabbage kimchi isn’t that old. Han-woo beef grades don’t indicate quality. Why do Koreans use metal chopsticks? Listen for more surprising finds about Korean food. Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Listener Mail! Send us a message (Instagram, Facebook, email) and we...

Send us Fan Mail We have some history and trivia about Korea’s “other” New Year holiday. Listen now. Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Listener Mail! Send us a message (Instagram, Facebook, email) and we might read it on air. Credits Produced by Joe McPherson and Shawn Morrissey Mus...

Send us Fan Mail Korean winters are harsh! Take tips from folklore traditions on how to survive it, along with omens to watch out for. Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Listener Mail! Send us a message (Instagram, Facebook, email) and we might read it on air. Credits Produced by Joe...

Send us Fan Mail It’s still unusual for theft to happen in Korean society. There is one item that Koreans steal without prejudice: bicycles. What’s up with that?  Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a tour of The Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk at https://darksideofseoul.com Listener Mail! Send us a message (Instagram, Facebook, email) and we might read it on...

Send us Fan Mail From creepy folklore to gory boat-rides, K-horror cinema had a few stellar highlights in 2022. But what lies ahead for Korean genre cinema and the Korean movie industry itself? We discuss all this with K-drama and film critic Pierce Conran. Guest: Pierce Conran, Drama Critic for South China Morning Post Join our Patreon to get more stuff https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul Book a...