What's Han Your Mind?

It's the FINALE of season 3!! We made it, and we're so glad you joined us until now, too.

Learn about some of our Korea food and travel favourites in this wrap-up episode.

Meet your hosts!

Allison Needels: PinPointKorea.com | IG: @pinpoint.korea

Hannah Roberts: IG: @hannah_intl (travel and tours) @byhannahlou (art)

Legs, legs, and more legs...this week we're talking all things BUGS. Learn about some of the most common bugs you can find in South Korea, and what you should watch out for if you're here...

Meet your hosts!

Allison Needels: PinPointKorea.com | IG: @pinpoint.korea

Hannah Roberts: IG: @hannah_intl (travel and tours) @byhannahlou (art)

Word of the week: LOSER | King Danjeong only reigned for a couple of years until his eventual murder at the age of 16. What did he accomplish during that time? Who struck the final blow? Why was a twelve-year-old King so threatening? Join us as we dive into more Korean history and even give you a chance to go on a tour with us! 

Meet your hosts! 

Allison Needels: PinPointKorea.com | IG: @pinpoint.korea

Hannah Roberts: IG: @byhannahlou @hannah_intl 

Word of the week: NIPPY | This week we're talking all things winter and some of the traditional events and holidays are celebrated and participated in during the coldest season in Korea. 

Meet Your Hosts:

Hannah Roberts | Instagram @hannah_intl @byhannahlou

Allison Needels | Instagram @pinpoint.korea | www.pinpointkorea.com

Word of the week: STRAWBERRY | For this week's episode, we dive into recent attacks on and setbacks for the LGBTQIA+ community in South Korea. We also briefly discuss the status of the pending anti-discrimination law and Korea and the general public's opinions. While it's not always cheery, we hope you'll join us for this important discussion.

Meet Your Hosts:

Hannah Roberts | Instagram @hannah_intl @byhannahlou

Allison Needels | Instagram @pinpoint.korea | www.pinpointkorea.com 

Word of the Week: BEYOND | Beyond expectations. Beyond your comfort zone. Beyond your wildest dreams. Our special guest and co-host for this week is none other than... Allie's mum! Suzanne McClure is here to introduce her thoughts and experiences having just visited Korea for the very first time. What shocked her the most? What has she thought about since returning to England? What does she look forward to next? We'll discuss all of this and much, much more! This week's episode is perfect for those who have yet to visit the Land of the Morning Calm, and offers hilarious insight for those who already call Korea "home". 

About this week's guest: 

Suzanne McClure (PhD, University of Liverpool) is the founder of Literary Style. Literary Style aims to contemporize classic literature for a modern audience by removing racist, homophobic, and outdated language. You can follow her work on Instagram at @LiteraryStyleClassics. 

Word of the Week: ODOR. Many foreigners living in Korea during the late 19th and early 20th centuries admired the white teeth of commoners. The royals, however, were not offered the same compliment. Tune in to learn the fascinating history of dentistry in Korea, and the somewhat disturbing operations it might have entailed. 

Word of the Week: CATS - Witchcraft is both a traditional and growing practice in many cultures. But does it exist in Korea? Tune in to learn about Witchcraft and its connection to Shamanism, the Korean tale that inspires witches worldwide, and the English-speaking shamans you can meet today! 

About our hosts:

Allison Needels: Find her writing about Korean history and travel at PinPointKorea.com and on Instagram @pinpoint.korea

Hannah Roberts: Find her sharing her tales of Korean culture and travel on Instagram @hannah_intl 

WORD OF THE WEEK: Thrust. 

Come fly with us through a brief history of Korea's aviation industry and some of its biggest players.

Culture corner mentions:

Kwon Ha-youn "Model Village" (2014)
Moon Kyung-won and Jeon Joon-ho "MYOHYANGSANGWAN" (2014-7)
Sun Mu "Happiness" (2016)

Follow the podcast on Instagram @whatshanyourmind for more updates!
- Hannah Roberts on Instagram @hannah_intl and @byhannahlou
- Allison Needels on Instagram @pinpoint.korea and www.PinPointKorea.com

WORD OF THE WEEK: Magic! In 2016, the term 'insole girls' went viral on Korean social media. The reason? The price of menstrual pads was raised by a whopping 20% under the cruel hand of Yuhan Kimberley, forcing many lower-income women to use shoe insoles as a replacement. Tune in as we discuss the history of menstrual health in modern Korea through social, economic, and political perspectives.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @whatshanyourmind for more updates! - Hannah Roberts on Instagram @hannah_intl and @byhannahlou - Allison Needels on Instagram @pinpoint.korea and www.PinPointKorea.com

WORD OF THE WEEK: Belonging

*'Waegukin' is the Korean word for 'foreigner'

In this week's episode, Allie is joined by Ashley Groves of the travel website Culture Snapshots to discuss the ever-changing social positions of foreigners in Korea. We speak on our own experiences of inclusiveness and marginalization, whether or not it's okay to be outspoken on the subway, and how to form a sense of belonging in a culture so different from your own.

This episode title is inspired by Ashley Grove's MSc thesis* from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Ashley received her MSc in Social and Cultural Psychology in 2020 from the Department of Psychological and Behavioral Science. She writes about worldwide travel at www.CultureSnapshots.com and on her Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok of the same name.

*“But at the End of the Day, I’m Always Gonna Be a Waegukin, Right?” Social Position, Status, Belonging, and Power in Changing Cultural Contexts

Word of the Week: TIGHT

Ever watched a historical Korean drama and wondered why eunuchs are in green and why only the king wears red? Sing a song of royal court clothing colors with us (starting as far back as Goguryeo) and learn why the colour WHITE is so important to the Korean people throughout history.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @whatshanyourmind for more updates!

Meet your hosts!

Hannah Roberts - Instagram @hannah_intl @byhannahlou

Allison Needels - www.PinPointKorea.com | Instagram @pinpoint.korea

Word of the week: ICE

You probably know the Ice Queen Kim Yuna and other modern Korean athletes taking the world by storm. But did you know that Koreans used to push people off of logs for fun? Or wrestle each other during their lunch breaks? Tune in to learn about the fascinating history of some of ancient Korea's most popular sports.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @whatshanyourmind for more updates!

Meet your hosts!

Hannah Roberts - Instagram @hannah_intl @byhannahlou

Allison Needels - www.PinPointKorea.com | Instagram @pinpoint.korea

Word of the week: THIRSTY

Just how much do you actually love your dog? $100,000 much? What if I told you you could have three of them for $100,000? Learn all about the business of pet cloning in South Korea, with a side serving of faking it 'til you make it, and a sprinkling of info on Korean pet funerals.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @whatshanyourmind for more updates!

Meet your hosts!

Hannah Roberts - Instagram @hannah_intl @byhannahlou

Allison Needels - www.pinpointkorea.com | Instagram @pinpoint.korea

Word of the week: YOGURT

Starting with a recent Korean scandal involving yogurt (yes, yogurt), we dive into some of the biggest lies, corruption scandals, and just plain ol' phony baloney of the 21st century. If you haven't been reading much Korean news since 2016, get ready to strap in - you're in for a wild ride.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @whatshanyourmind for more updates!

Meet your hosts!

Hannah Roberts - Instagram @hannah_intl @byhannahlou

Allison Needels - www.pinpointkorea.com | Instagram @pinpoint.korea

Word of the week: Emerald

Listen to us discuss the incredible dominance that Korea has over the Black hair market, from wigs to hair care products. Learn with us why it may have started, and how the situation echoes ongoing social and racial issues here in Korea.

Find us everywhere at @moonbeartravel, and on our website MoonBearTravel.com.

*Note: We are two white women discussing a topic that we can never fully understand. We are trying to learn and educate ourselves all the time on issues affecting other races, but we might not always get it right. Please reach out with a voice message here on Anchor, on our social media, or via email (moonbeartravel@gmail.com) if we've made a mistake, you think we could have said something better, or if you have anything to add to what we have said.

Word of the Week: SOCK

Ignore those lists on the internet: we've got the full scoop on which Korean etiquette rules are real and which are not, as well as some surprising customs about the country you may have never realized.

Word of the Week: POEM

If you've visited Korea in the last several years, you've likely seen poetry by Yoon Dong Joo popping up in national exhibitions. Yoon is a patriotic symbol of Korean independence and is best understood through his poetry. What does his poetry mean to us? Does it really feel 'nationalistic'? What are the controversies surrounding his early death? Get your poetry snaps ready and let's dive in.