SeoulPodcast

Infobox Podcast
title = SeoulPodcast


caption = Seoulpodcast's blog with parody sponsor King Sejong looking on with delight and favor
hosting = Joe McPherson
Jennifer Young
language = English
rss = [http://feeds.feedburner.com/Seoulpodcast?format=xml Feedburner]
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updates = Weekly
length = about 140 minutes
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audio format = MP3
began = March 28, 2008
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genre = Educational, Korean Culture
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url = [http://www.seoulpodcast.com SeoulPodcast]

SeoulPodcast is a podcast by two American ESL teachers living in the outskirts of Seoul, South Korea. This weekly show is sponsored by the Korea Herald. [ [http://www.seoulpodcast.com/archives/13 SeoulPodcast » Blog Archive » Episode 3: Is There Life Outside Seoul? — Kimberly Hogg, Mike Moriarty ] ] . 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 ex-patriot in South Korea. It is hosted by Joe McPherson (native of Alabama) and Jennifer Young (native of Louisiana). 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 [ [http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2008/07/09/200807090052.asp Untitled Document ] ] [ [http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LPOD&mid=etc&oid=044&aid=0000071829 Naver News ] ] and a judge for the Miele Guide [ [http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2892067 INSIDE JoongAng Daily ] ] . McPherson is also the publisher of the [http://www.zenkimchi.com/ Zenkimchi blog] which was featured in the "New York Times". [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/dining/07fried.html Koreans Share Their Secret for Chicken With a Crunch] McPherson lives in the Seoul satellite city of Anyang. [http://www.vidblogs.com/cgi-bin/main.pl?do=view&type=vidblogger&term=1292]

Jennifer Young is vice president of Korea Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (KOTESOL) Seoul Chapter. [ [http://www.kotesol.org/?q=node/106 Officers | KOTESOL ] ] 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. [ [http://www.gokorea.info/hosts.htm Seoul Survivors Archive ] ] She has been teaching in Korea since 1998 [ [http://www.kotesol.org/?q=node/400 Outline & Bio | KOTESOL ] ] and survived the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Asian_Financial_Crisis#South_Korea Korean IMF crisis] .

History

The show began March 28, 2008 and remains an active weekly podcast. The show is the progeny of the [http://www.gokorea.info 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.

Death of Michael White

The SeoulPodcast has been responsible for getting US media attention regarding the death of Michael White [http://www.mightiemike.com] , the son of an American ESL teacher in Korea named Stephanie White. White died under mysterious circumstances and White's mother has felt Korean authorities have not properly investigated the death. [http://www.starherald.net/local/local_story_170100428.html Suspicious circumstances surround White’s death] The SeoulPodcast's initial interview with White's mother has been released as a transcript [http://mikewhitesmom.blogspot.com/2008/05/mike-whites-mom-stephanie-white-podcast.html] and translated by the ESL community into Korean [http://mikewhitesmom.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post_9828.html] .

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 [ [http://www.seoulpodcast.com/archives/73 SeoulPodcast » Blog Archive » Fake Ad: The Korean Police Force ] ] that lampoons some aspect of the ESL experience in Korea (for example, the chaotic nature of Korean BBQ 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.

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: 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 [http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=280534104 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 Guest Bloggers

* [http://expatjane.blogspot.com/ Expat Jane]
* [http://www.feetmanseoul.com/ Feetman Seoul] - Street fashion blog by Michael Hurt
* [http://busanmike.blogspot.com/ Busan Mike]
* [http://seoulsteves.com/ Seoul Steve] Resources for Seoulites
* [http://www.amandatakesoff.com/b2evolution1/index.php Amanda Takes Off]
* [http://esl-planet.com/new/ Rowan Hall] - Teacher Recruiter
* [http://lao-ocean.com/ Lao Ocean Girl]
* [http://seoullife.net/ Cathy and David Harris]
* [http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/ Brian in Jeollanam-do]
* [http://joshinggnome.wordpress.com/ The Joshing Gnome]
* [http://www.stafford.net.nz/bimbo.html Chonsun Bimbo]
* [http://kissmykimchi.blogspot.com/ Kiss My Kimchi]

External links

* [http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2892067 This American Life in Korea] – SeoulPodcast covered in the International Herald Tribune's Joongang Ilbo.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH23Jppf9PU&eurl=http://www.zenkimchi.com/FoodJournal/?p=590 SeoulPodcast featured on Korea's Arirang TV]

ee also

* [http://www.kotesol.org/ KOTESOL]
* [http://travel.state.gov/travel/living/teaching/teaching_1240.html Teaching English In Korea, Opportunities And Pitfalls] - US State Department advisory on teaching ESL in Korea
* [http://eflgeek.com/ A blog and resource about ESL teaching in Korea]

References