ZenKimchi Korean Food & Travel
The ZenKimchi Korea Food & Travel Podcast goes beyond the usual travel lists to explore the food, neighborhoods, history, people, and peculiarities that make Korea worth knowing.
Host Joe McPherson, founder of ZenKimchi, has lived in Korea for more than twenty years, writing about its food and culture and creating travel experiences for visitors. Each episode offers practical advice, deeper context, and occasionally inconvenient opinions about Korean food and travel.
Whether you’re planning a trip or simply curious about life beyond the postcards, this is Korea from someone who has watched it change.
ZenKimchi Korean Food & Travel
Peter Bint | Broadcaster
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Guest
Peter Bint
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/peter_b83/?hl=en
TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@seoul2london
Peter Bint has been a mainstay of Korean broadcasting since starting on TBS eFM in 2009. Now he’s a powerhouse on many TV and radio networks (KBS World, Arirang, EBS, and more) with his multitalents and his passions for sports and language.
He also has one of the smoothest dulcet voices you’ve heard. (This is how I embarrass him.)
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This is the Soul Podcast. Soon to be a major motion picture. I'm King Seejo, reminding you that Parasite is not an authentic Korean film because there's no karaoke scene. And here is your host, Joe McPherson.
SPEAKER_03And welcome to the Soul Podcast. This is Joe. Emma is not with us this week. She has class, but in Emma's place is our wonderful guest. Um how would I say? Uh legendary Korean broadcaster Peter Bent.
SPEAKER_02Hello, Peter! Hello, Joe. Thanks to that introduction. I'll do anything you want on this podcast.
SPEAKER_03Well, you're you are all over the place these days. I mean, you've you've you're on okay, our obviously you're on Adi Dang.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's my main gig to our morning radio show.
SPEAKER_03That's the name of Morning radio show. What's the name of that? So everyone knows.
SPEAKER_02Uh Hashtag Daily K. Doesn't sound like a radio show, but we were trying to be cool and trendy with the youngsters with a hashtag.
SPEAKER_03Hashtag daily K.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, which you've been on, Joe, a few times.
SPEAKER_03Yes, I have. Yes, I have. Actually, yes, I have. You forgot those best shows of your life. Don't don't don't don't get old. Don't get old. The memory's not memory doesn't work that well.
SPEAKER_02It has been a minute since since you're on there.
SPEAKER_03I have not been to the Ariang stations in a while. I would say definitely since before the virus.
SPEAKER_02It must have been a good year and a half at least ago.
SPEAKER_03I think a year and a half. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so but but you know, that's how it goes. Sometimes it's like I've learned that with with the bang song with uh with the broadcasting, it's like suddenly you're you're it's like doing everything and you're so busy on all these shows, and then crickets for two years and then suddenly back on. Um also I mean you're you've also you got your start on TBS. It was EFM.
SPEAKER_02That's right. Yeah, on EFM. I'm impressed you knew that show.
SPEAKER_03Some of the sometimes that people do research before well done, yeah.
SPEAKER_02So I got my start in uh I think it was 2009, so it's been a while since I started. Uh but just as a week weekly guest on Erica's show, she doesn't do broadcasting anymore. I don't know if you know her.
SPEAKER_03Uh but she I might have met Erica, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Because she was involved with Linus Barbecue for a while. So you're a you're a foodie, so you know Linus.
SPEAKER_03I know Linus very well. We're both from LOR, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so she was involved in that. But yeah, I was just a weekly sports guest back in 2009, and then kind of wormed my way into Adidung and EBS. And uh these are doing a lot of uh KBS world, a bit of KBS like just straight up Korean radio, too. Uh-huh. And uh I think the reason I am here there and everywhere at the moment is I've just like lurked for the longest. I've just hung around the corners waiting while everyone else got on with being an adult and getting real jobs.
SPEAKER_03Uh-huh. So you've just been doing that. Yeah, I've been you know, I've sort of been doing that because our our our office we've had for a few months now is just two buildings down from the TBS studios.
SPEAKER_02Oh wow. Nice. Over in Sungham.
SPEAKER_03Yes. Which I'm on the I'm on TBS. I'm on I have a segment once every two weeks on there.
SPEAKER_02Oh, which show is that?
SPEAKER_03Oh, Nude has that. It's the It's it's the nine o'clock in the morning show. Oh, with nothing. Oh, oh, abroad. Abroad, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Life abroad. Life abroad. Yes. Oh nice. What day are you on? I'll tune in.
SPEAKER_03I'm usually I'm on Mondays. I'm I'm not I I was just on this week, so that means the week after next.
SPEAKER_02I say I'll tune in. I forgot I have my show at Monday.
SPEAKER_03You have your show, you're not gonna be able to do it.
SPEAKER_02Sorry. I'll have one ear in.
SPEAKER_03No, no, that's fine. That's fine. That's fine. Uh it was it was not this week, but the the time I wasn't before. For some reason, every time I have to get up for this show, I have the hardest time sleeping, and this one show I didn't get to sleep the entire night.
SPEAKER_02I just Oh no.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so I came in having had zero sleep. I've been up for uh you know 36 hours. Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_02Goodness.
SPEAKER_03And I don't even remember doing it. I was such in a daze.
SPEAKER_02It is like being drunk when you're sleep deprived.
SPEAKER_03Oh my goodness. That was nuts. That was nuts.
SPEAKER_02Wow.
SPEAKER_03So tell me about this new gig. You got you got a new one on KBS World now.
SPEAKER_02Uh yeah, we did like this pilot. One of my guests on hashtag Daily K is Korean only, who's got like a million subscribers plus on YouTube. She teaches Korean there. Sweet. She's been doing it for a long time, so just persistence is key with with her. Uh maybe four or five years. And um she is yeah, one of the more trendy people teaching Korean online, I suppose. And so, because we work together uh Adi Dung, and I have a guest spot over at KBS World on a K-pop show. The producer there, like one of her producer friends, was looking for Korean Only's contact details. This is the backstory, uh-huh. And this is this is how broadcasting works, isn't it? Isn't that funny? And yeah, one time I took Korean Only because that K-pop show needed guests, so she filled in for someone else, and a producer remembered, Oh, Peter knows Korean Only. I'll ask Peter, and then I gave her contact details, and they were like, Hey, we're looking for a male co-host. You work with her already, why don't you do it? And I was like, Well, that sounds lovely.
SPEAKER_03That sounds great. Yes, turn me up.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so we're teaching uh Korean in a very basic way. My role is kind of uh a foreigner who's just starting to learn Korean. So I have to know it's not true at all. I gotta tone down my knowledge of Korean quite a bit.
SPEAKER_03How do you do that? By the way, I did want to say hi to Yana in the chat room.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yes. Hello, Yana.
SPEAKER_03Is it Jegs or Yegs? Uh sir. Ah, what's happening? Hey, hey over there. Thank you for joining our chat room.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, well, we're doing we're doing a podcast. Well, I think I'm doing a podcast.
SPEAKER_03We are doing a podcast. Soul podcast.
SPEAKER_02Do you so does this go out on podcast platforms as well after the podcast?
SPEAKER_03All those all the podcast videos, all the podcast platforms. So you can get us on Apple, you can get us on Stitcher, uh, Spotify, Amazon.
SPEAKER_02Five star ratings, please.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, five star ratings.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so that's uh that's something I'm doing, but I d I don't know. I'm sure you've done a bit of TV as well, Joe. It's a bit different to radio, so we just like record a load of episodes. So I think we're done for the first half of this year. Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you do it back to back. How but but my experience, I have such a mixed experience with TV, is uh it can be real it can be efficient and the opposite of efficient.
SPEAKER_02Oh, absolutely.
SPEAKER_03I I have done stuff where I've I've spent maybe like I would say 16 hours on a 10-minute segment.
SPEAKER_02Wow, yes, it definitely can be like that. Luckily on this show, it's like just me and Korean on me. Her name's uh Mun Sohyang, and uh there's no like other guests, so the filming we do is when we're needed, so there's too much wasting of time.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that's good, that's good, and everything's tight and you got all your shots together. Is it is it done in a studio or is it done on location?
SPEAKER_02That's I guess the trickiest part is on location. So yeah, every time we film, they do it somewhere different. I don't know if they're just trying to keep themselves on their toes, but it seems like a bit of a challenge to get used to a new place for the crew and everything.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_02We did it in the recent one, it was in Umpyong Hanok Village. Have you been up there?
SPEAKER_03Umpiong. Umpion. Yes, no, I don't think so.
SPEAKER_02It's like it goes around like Pukansan Mountain. Yeah. Like the northern parts of it don't feel like Seoul, it's like almost towards Paju and whatnot.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's like Guamdong or something. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And they've built a brand new Hannock village there. So the Hanoks are all are all spanking new and really expensive. Like the guys were selling. Yeah, it's like 20 to 30 ock. So like maybe two to three million dollars for a Hannock. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03That's as that's as high as my Korean numbers go, is that?
SPEAKER_02Yes, yeah. I don't like anything past ox, yeah. That was good fun though. It was nice, it was a really nice location.
SPEAKER_03Oh, that's sweet. Sweet. Wow, that's that's really cool. Going up all the way up there. And so you're having to fake uh not knowing Korean uh you because you've been, I mean, you were you weren't raised in Korea. No, I'm saying stuff that we already know, but I want to make sure. I want to make sure.
SPEAKER_02Sure, sure.
SPEAKER_03You sound like you were uh I I'm catching a little bit of a London accent on you.
SPEAKER_02Oh, you must be a language aficionado.
SPEAKER_03Actually, my one of my my best friend is from London, so oh nice, yeah.
SPEAKER_02I grew up in North London. Uh hence I'm also a big Arsenal fan and soccer fan. Um and my mum is Korean. Like people who are watching this and seeing me for the first time, I'm sure there are not many people guessing I'm at all Korean. But yes, my mother is Korean and my father was a white uh Englishman. And that's why I speak good Korean, thanks to my mum, but for the show, for the sake of that, I I tone it down.
SPEAKER_03Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_02Okay, so so you're gonna just what what is uh yes, that is my role there. Um and yeah, it's one I'm happy to play because I don't know, there are some people out there who do broadcasting and you know they're very picky or they might get offended if they're asked to do this or that. My point of view is I'm getting paid. I'm gonna do pretty much what they asked me to do. Yeah, I I'm not I I'm not fussy like that, to be honest.
SPEAKER_03Okay, okay. For me, I think they just wear me down so much, and I just to say, okay, I'll do what you want me to do if you let me go home.
SPEAKER_02And and I guess maybe maybe it's different with you, Joe, because you are often called upon, you know, for cooking stuff and being a booty, and so you're an expert, right? Whereas I'm not an expert at anything. So I don't mind playing the pool. I don't mind, and I've had to do this a lot recently. I don't know why. Maybe you can tell me, Joe. Uh dress up as a woman for many skits and character roles.
SPEAKER_03You saw that I think on your it was on your on your Instagram?
SPEAKER_02On the stories, and you'll see it more because I keep being asked to do it, and I'm like, not been asked to do that.
SPEAKER_03I've not I mean I'll do it. I mean that drag is fun. I look great as a woman.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it is fun, Joe, and maybe that's why I think I look better now that I'm getting old as a female. Yeah, it's very interesting.
SPEAKER_03Oh man. Any funny stories from that? I mean, you've got you've done you've done a few stories, you've done a few shows in the can.
SPEAKER_02Um well, this is yeah, a sneak preview to an episode coming, I think it won't be out for at least a month, so off the press. I yeah, I've had to dress up as a woman quite a lot for also another show I do at EBS called um what's it called? Um forgetting your own shows. No, I'm not a host. I do a little tiny skit, so I've got an excuse for that. But in that little skit, I have to play, you know, the role of the foreigner, and the co-host of the show practices what they've learned with me. And I just pretend to be like a waiter or their son or whatever. But I also have to sometimes be their mum or their sister or some female character, and they put a wig on me and I look ridiculous. Uh, but I've never had to show my legs and wear a short skirt, you know. I think most broadcasters know that's probably not that attractive, right?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. Um but but I bet you get a chance to do uh your Monty Python, like your Terry Jones one.
SPEAKER_02I try to put on a voice and it just comes out ridiculous. Um, and there are some Addy Dung listeners on the chat now, Siska and Yana.
SPEAKER_03Siska! I know Siska. We've hung out before.
SPEAKER_02She loves you, Joe, as well, and I'm sure Yana does as well. And the the the the thing they'll say is that I've got an alter ego, Audrey.
SPEAKER_00I will talk like, hello everybody, my name's Petra, or Audrey, or whatever you want to call me. I'll do anything for money.
SPEAKER_02But that works! That works the story from the latest filming was that in one upcoming episode they thought it would be an okay idea to put me in a mini skirt and show my legs.
SPEAKER_03Like Sisko says you have shown your legs.
SPEAKER_02Oh wow, on Adidung, yeah, I'm sure with shorts on, but never a mini skirt. Like you know, in the studio in Addidang, Joe, we don't show our legs, the table is there. So we we could be wearing skirts underneath. Could be. That would be our own preference, right? Yeah, don't I I will admit I'm not into that just yet. But yeah, for this show, it's gonna be on like international TV, my hairy legs dressed up as a schoolgirl.
SPEAKER_03Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_02I would be arrested if I did that. If I did that really on the streets, someone would take me to prison, I think.
SPEAKER_03Oh, I would love that. I would love that.
SPEAKER_02You'll be able to see.
SPEAKER_03And Jan is asking, will Peter accept a role as a gag man in the future? I think he got a future there.
SPEAKER_02Do you know it's interesting? I was on my neighbor Charles, you know, uh program last year in February, just before like Corona really exploded.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And the concept, you know, they need a kind of story, and it's kind of true because I do a lot of broadcasting, but I want to have my social media platforms so if they fire me from all the shows, like you said, two years of cricket would not be good because my two kids need to be fed. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03And uh, even though, since you're from London, two years of cricket would be nice, but yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yes, that would be nice with sandwiches and tea. Um proper. Yes, it's a weird game, cricket. Yeah, you just stand around for half of it. Um but uh so the story on my neighbor Charles was you know me trying to start my YouTube channel, and I'm still kind of doing it with my mum. Um, and I was also trying to get into broadcasting more the Korean side because I do a lot of like English-related broadcasting, but not too much Korean TV or radio stuff. And so one of my friends' hubbies is a gag man, you know, he's a legendary comedian from like the first generation, second generation. Oh my! And he got me a meeting with the writing team and producer of a program that was airing on KBS, I don't think it's on anymore, actually, stand-up. They were trying to do like Western style stand-up in Korea, because it's not that common, right?
SPEAKER_03No, no, and there's only been one like stand-up comedian on Netflix from Korean.
SPEAKER_02Pang Pang Nade, maybe the male.
SPEAKER_03And then the male, there's a male, it was a male, there's the male, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, he's got like a little bit of facial hair, I forget his name.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he's got a few more pounds on him.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and so they they were doing that show, and they'd already had this Turkish guy who's quite famous, speaks good Korean, and he was quite a hit. Uh, it's but it's really adult, like the themes there. They push the envelope.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, how does that work with your brand?
SPEAKER_02Exactly. Exactly, Joe. You should have been my manager. So I wasn't thinking that, so I went into the meeting and they were like, Yeah, you could do some edgy stuff, you know, like adult things, sexual things. And I was like, Yeah, yeah, I was I was really into it.
SPEAKER_03I know you want to break out of it, but oh no, hold on. And then I came-I'm cringing, I'm cringing, I'm squeezing my water bottle cap right now.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. This could be the end of my career. But I guess it was a twist of fate because I was due to hand in my script before you know potentially filming the next week. And my mum, unfortunately, broke her what do we call it, her femur, you know, the big bone in your leg.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, the the chin.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Well, then it might not be the femur, the one from the knee to the hip.
SPEAKER_03The thigh. Oh, I don't know.
SPEAKER_02I'm not a doctor, but thigh bone sounds good too.
SPEAKER_03Thigh bone. Broke her thigh bone.
SPEAKER_02That's like the biggest bone in your body, and she'd already broken the other one like a couple of years back. But on the day I was due to hand in my script, that happened, and you know, I don't prepare in advance. I was gonna do it all that night, and so I had to make an excuse. You know, it was real because I had to go to the hospital and be with her. I was like, I can't send it to you today. I'm really sorry, you know. My mum broke her leg. I'll try and do it as soon as possible, but it's gonna be a bit hectic. And I think they thought I was just saying my dog ate my homework and lying, and they uh they never got in touch with me again. But I think he dodged a bullet there.
SPEAKER_03I think you did dodge a bullet there.
SPEAKER_02I might have lost a lot more than I could have gained, maybe.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, because that show's no longer on, and uh yeah. That's true. Yeah, there's something about there's something about you gotta a lot of people don't talk about this, but you do have to be conscious of what your brand is, even though you know, I mean, when you're off camera, I mean I've met people who are one way on camera and very different off camera, not in a bad way, they're just different. Um, there's a famous uh chef who's like this really happy go-lucky guy on on camera, and then as soon as the camera's off, he he curses like a sailor.
SPEAKER_02Well, that's every Brit who works in broadcasting as well, because we just curse full stop, but we're not allowed to in broadcasting.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and some of some are quite wild. Oh, yeah, there's one there's one leg very, very legendary uh broadcaster. He's no longer in Korea, but but he was all over EBS, all over every English English program. And uh I I finally got I spent one night drinking with him after a thing. Oh, we were together. I think we were together for that. And just to just to see him, just to see him like when he's not on TV, when he's not doing his act, and it's like as a real person, yeah, that was really interesting. And and it's like, oh my gosh, you have three dimensions. This is great.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Yeah, it is it is odd, isn't it? If you just see people on the TV or on the radio, yeah, it's not like people are cheating you or anything, or trying to be a completely person that they're not, but everyone's got multiple sides, and everyone acts differently depending on what they're doing in their company. Right. And so, yeah, it it it it's interesting. And you're you're right, you do have to be careful of your brand, so to speak. I wouldn't be so so arrogant to say I have a brand, but my my your persona it is it's what it's your brand.
SPEAKER_03I mean, that's that's I mean, come on, everyone on your everyone on Instagram has their brand. That's they all talk about it. What is your brand, your personal brand?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, for want of a better word. And so I do a lot of educational stuff, and if I was effing and blinding and swearing on a comedy show, might have been an issue for a while, but I'm sure I would have lost a lot of stuff.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, I think that would have that would have hurt. So good thing that you dodged a bullet there. Uh Unita has joined us. Hi, Unita.
SPEAKER_02Oh, hello Unita.
SPEAKER_03Uh oh, and Jason, Jason shows up. Jason. Uh Jason, I think, is in London right now, in fact.
SPEAKER_02Oh, nice. Hello, Jason. Koreer Town UK, so maybe New Malden. Have you ever been to the career town there?
SPEAKER_03I have been to New Balden.
SPEAKER_02Oh, nice. Wow. It's not very touristy.
SPEAKER_03No, no, I was there, I was there on a job, and that's that's where my friend lives. Uh, he runs he runs a uh uh Korean company there. Oh wow. And and so I I was there on business and spent uh spent a week there, and it was really nice. I really liked it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I used to play football down there. My university had their pitches, and 'cause there was Koreatown as well, it was like a double win win. You get off at the station and then you can see all the Korean restaurants and supermarkets.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Yeah. And oh I love New Malden. I want to go back. I I just it's such a good time. Such, such a good time.
SPEAKER_02I keep complimenting my country, which has been badmouthed so much recently.
SPEAKER_03I'm American.
SPEAKER_02At least you got rid of Mr. Trump.
SPEAKER_03Eventually. Yeah, but other I I love and so I have I'm such a sucker. I'm one of those odd, rare defenders of British cuisine.
SPEAKER_02Oh wow. What kind of cuisine are we talking?
SPEAKER_03Because three things that I think knock it out of the part. One, uh the English make the best breakfast.
SPEAKER_02Yes. Thank you. A full English.
SPEAKER_03Yes, full English.
SPEAKER_02Yes. English sausages are the best, right?
SPEAKER_03I do like English sausages and I'm a big fan of marmite.
SPEAKER_02Oh wow. Baked beans as well for breakfast.
SPEAKER_03Actually, that's I have baked beans in my house just so I could have them for breakfast now.
SPEAKER_02Oh, thank you. I've been converted.
SPEAKER_03I've been converted.
SPEAKER_02That's one of my top three as well.
SPEAKER_03Okay. But I do a I do sometimes I do a hybrid Southern thing, so I do baked beans and I do grits.
SPEAKER_02Oh well, I've heard grits are good. I've never had grits.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you've got to have them right. You gotta have them right, or you're not gonna like them. They're very hard to get them.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_03Uh the other thing, pub grub.
SPEAKER_02Oh, a good pub grub. Yeah, the gastro pubs are good as well.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, just a good, good like meat pies or you know, any you can get some good fish and chips from good pubs as well.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Beer batter.
SPEAKER_03Uh Welsh rabbit. Oh wow. Yeah. Oh, okay. Now I'll say four things. Four things. Sunday roast.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yes, that's in my top three as well. Wow. We're gonna have to go to Britain for a for a gastronomy tour.
SPEAKER_03I know I would say desserts, specifically sticky toffee pudding.
SPEAKER_02Oh, is that a British thing? Is that not available in the States usually?
SPEAKER_03Not not that no, that's only in British restaurants.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, sticky toffee pudding's so good. Oh, it's it's so sweet, but I have a sweet tooth, yeah. I have a crazy sweet tooth, yeah. They sell it like even the ready-made ones in the supermarket in the microwaveable plastic tubs, they are brilliant. You just eat them up, then you turn them upside down, and then the top is like soaked in sticky toffee sauce. Oh, you've made me miss that so much.
SPEAKER_03I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I miss it too. I miss it too.
SPEAKER_02Wait, what was my top three? It was that, that, roast dinner, English breakfast. Yeah, I to be honest, you know, because my mum was Korean, we didn't have too much curry. Like, we had a lot of Chinese, British Chinese food, which I I like as well.
SPEAKER_03I like British Chinese.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's a nice guilty pleasure. But with Indian food, my mum was not too into it, so we didn't have it that often at my house. But when I was older, I lived in Harrow, which has a huge Indian population, like maybe 60%, 70% Indian, and they had some amazing, like authentic Indian cuisine, which is very different to like British Indian, and uh some of it was from areas close to China and Mongolia, and it was really interesting, it was kind of like Chinese Indian. You'd have uh tofu dishes like mapadu, similar to that, yeah, and also uh uh like sweet and sour dishes, it wasn't like the the standard curry, and and they were amazing, really, really good. Whoa, I didn't know about that. If we if we go yeah to the UK we're in there there at the same time. There's one place in in Northwood, it's the first place that Elton John ever performed in when he was like in a band uh before he debuted, and they've changed it into this really fancy Indian restaurant slash bar. It's amazing, yeah.
SPEAKER_03Wow, I gotta check that out. Yes, um, more have joined us. Leon has joined us, Lilith has joined us. Thank you for joining our chat. Hello. Welcome to the soul podcast with Peter Bent. Um you know what? I actually prepare like notes and questions, and I totally forgot them all.
SPEAKER_02You can use them or ignore them. I've seen Lilith's comment here though, Joe. Lilith's I find sticky toffee pudding too sweet. Lilith, we can't be friends. Or if you let me your portion, we could be friends, then we could be best friends.
SPEAKER_03Um okay, so okay, we'll go more. So you grew up in London, your your mother, your mother really made sure that you you were hanging on to um your Korean culture. Yep. Uh like I'm trying to do with my daughter, with her American culture.
SPEAKER_02It's it's hard though, Joe. You know, with my mum, the reason it worked is we came to Korea so often, right? And like my kids, we haven't been back for like four years now. And you know, they're little, that's like half their life. If you don't go back often, it's so tough.
SPEAKER_03That's my plan. We started doing it, and and they did it for two months last year. Wow. Well, and then they got here right before they stopped doing flights before they were. That was lucky. Yeah, yeah, they got like one of the last flights back before they started slowing them down. Yeah, but um, yeah, she had a good time that past two months. And so we made it so I'm trying to make it more often now. Yeah, but she really liked it. She grew in that part, and she's starting to realize that she's part American, but she's very much Korean, and I love that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, if you live in Korea, you go to Korean school like our kids do, then it's so difficult to realize and grasp onto that kind of other side, the British or American side.
SPEAKER_03It is, and there's a there's an issue I've noticed with a lot of expat parents, is you go there's a stage where your child tends to maybe reject the foreign parents' culture, does not want to speak their language, doesn't really, really doesn't want to do that. And it's a stage, but it still hurts nonetheless.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely. You know, the weird thing is I spend a lot of time in the playground with my kids or our apartment complex. Uh I like playing with the kids and like running around. That's my exercise because I'm lazy actually exercising. So uh when I'm playing in the playground, like all the kids obviously look at me as foreign and think of me as an English speaker, so they'll speak English to me a lot of them. My kids know in the playground, they're the only ones speaking Korean to me. And I'm like, can you not see everyone else is speaking English? Come on, guys! Like, shut up, shut up. And I'm like, what is going on?
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Yeah. And you know and I have my daughter hang out with other kids with international parentage, and uh they'll they'll speak Korean, only speak Korean with each other, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely. It's only if they go to international school, I've found that they'll speak English a lot. Yeah, and it's different. But they're breathing the rarefied air.
SPEAKER_03The rarefied air. Or I've tried to I've tried to introduce her to kids who don't know Korean.
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's a good trick, yeah. Put them in a room, lock the door.
SPEAKER_03It's like, oh, okay, okay, okay, okay. That's one way to do it. Um Lilith Lilith wanted you to notice her. Uh thing.
SPEAKER_02Okay, Lilith. I notice you because you said you'd happily give uh your portion of sticky pot toppy pudding to me. I'll notice you all day long for that. Thank you.
SPEAKER_03Uh anyway, um thank you. Thank you, Lilith. I'm the worst host. I'm the worst host. Lovely. I'm having fun. I'm having fun. Um these days, though, okay. This is one thing I do want to ask because um I'm one of those people who who came to the Korean language fairly late in life. And before then, languages weren't too hard for me. And then I hit Korean. I've been studying this for like over 17 years now, and I'm still talking like a toddler.
SPEAKER_02What languages did you learn before, Joe, then? Any like similar to Korean, or were they all like kind of European based?
SPEAKER_03Uh German, Latin, and survival Klingon.
SPEAKER_02Oh wow. Is Klingon even easier than Korean?
SPEAKER_03It's around the same.
SPEAKER_02Okay. So, what did you want to ask about it?
SPEAKER_03I don't know. Just any tips. I mean, I think I think a lot of people are really working on studying Korean or improving their Korean. Is there any advice you would have for people struggling?
SPEAKER_02You know, I'm sorry that I cheated, and my advice is have a Korean mum. Like find yourself a Korean mum and you're sorted. Yeah, she'll shout at you in Korean, she'll moan at you in Korean.
SPEAKER_03Oh well, that's what my wife does, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but it's not the same.
SPEAKER_03No.
SPEAKER_02If your wife does it, it's just not teaching you anything, really. Yeah, but uh jokes aside, the way that I because I did speak Korean, but when I came here, I tried to learn some more, and the most effective ways, one anyone can do, and the other one, you don't want to force it, but if it happens, that's great. Uh so the one that anyone could do, I would say, is like Arcdunk, you know, the language institutes at the universities. Like I went to Yonsev for just three months.
SPEAKER_03That's a famous program.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, their program is so systematic, and I thought I know quite a lot of Korean, you know. I I just want to skip ahead. But they put me in the level three because my writing was pretty bad. But uh, the textbooks and stuff they use, they don't speak any English, and so you just get immersed in it all, and it was a bit daunting, I think, for people at first, but within a few weeks, everyone's just into it, even from basic zero level. And uh, in three months, as long as you put your mind to it, and there is a kind of atmosphere of all learning together, so it's not too difficult, then you really do learn a lot in a short period of time. Yeah, yeah. I really thought that was useful. I think I'm gonna do that. Yeah, Ark Dong, I would rec just give it a try for one semester. And if it's not your thing, you can drop out. If it's your thing, you just graduate from at least one level, which is great. Maybe for foreign listeners who aren't in Korea, you'll think, oh well, that's not possible for me. But there are lots of like we resources out there now where you can buy Korean textbooks and uh study online together and things like this. Um and then the other thing that uh I found was really effective, but don't force this, is you know, my wife before we got married, dating and loving a Korean girl, it really encouraged me and pushed me uh to speak as much Korean as possible. That's good. With English.
SPEAKER_03No, if you want to learn Korean, don't date a Korean woman. Oh because they will only want to speak English with you and they'll speak all your Korean for you.
SPEAKER_02Ah, yes, yes. It it can go both ways. You're right, Joe. You're very true. I guess maybe for me, uh, it was different because I was half Korean.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02I don't know, you're right. You've got to, I suppose. And again, I don't want people to like date each other just for language, but if if you're dating and you really like one another, then I'm sure you can have that conversation about like, I want to learn a lot Korean too, you know, I think it will help us in the long term. And you know, try and at least split it 50-50, because you're right, it can go the other way completely.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and you're trying to put yourself uh I actually Lilith has a good ex uh example. It's like put yourself in a way where you you have to use it, as in um functional Korean. Uh because my Korean's always been bad, my food Korean is amazing because I'm always using it. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, but then that's a great idea. But my my taxi Korean is awful. Uh this is what I call taxi Korean. Is there's a set when if you're in a long ride in a taxi, back and back when I was going to EBS, I had to take a taxi every morning from Anyang to the studio. So I'd have these long rides every day. And um uh uh there's always this string of questions almost every taxi driver will ask you, and I'm able to answer them, and then there's that point where we hit that wall, and like, yeah, I didn't get that one. And then it's awkward silence for the rest of the ride.
SPEAKER_02I know what you mean, because the taxi drivers are always curious and they try and strike up a conversation. It's a great free resource, to be honest. I agree, I agree. Get in the cab and try and speak Korean. But Lilith's point and your point is is really true, and it's the same with kids. If they have to speak English, you know, then they'd start speaking English, like you said, with a friend who can't speak any Korean, and it's the same for adults, right? You may want to learn Korean, but until you have to speak it, your job or school or something like that, you're not gonna push yourself the hardest, like to the limit.
SPEAKER_03And that I think that's what my wife does to me. I mean, I'm I'm in a Korean-speaking household, I'm kind of isolated. My wife and daughter are always if they call it speaking, it's mostly yelling at each other in Korean. And so I'm always trying to sift, I'm always trying to put my radar on and try to figure out what's going on, and then when I try to jump in, they just stop and they say, Joe, don't don't try to assume what we're talking about. But um uh the way the way my wife does it is uh she she sends me out on errands and she gives me like the most minimalist thing to say, and I have to figure out the rest on my own. Okay.
SPEAKER_02She gives you the bare bones.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I have to do I have to go out on missions in Korean.
SPEAKER_02That's a good exercise. I like it.
SPEAKER_03It is, it is, it scares the heck out of me. But it it does that.
SPEAKER_02Does that yeah, and you get thrown in at the deep end, you know. I think you will learn and you'll push yourself and you'll try out some phrases and words, and you make mistakes. I I say to everyone, because I do a lot of you know English teaching here as well. So for English, Korean, any language, you just can't be afraid to make mistakes because no one's perfect when they're learning.
SPEAKER_03That is true.
SPEAKER_02That is true. Just make a load of mistakes, and I make loads of mistakes. I'm half Korean, so if I can do it and not be too embarrassed, like I'll use the wrong word completely or the wrong grammar structure. I'll sometimes forget about chundemu, respectful talk, and I'll use some pan modes, someone I shouldn't.
SPEAKER_03I did that today. Walked in, and my co-worker, well, my co-worker and I we're we're kind of the same age, but I think she's a little bit older than me, and I I I came in saying ban mal and I was like, oh no, no, no, no, no, sorry.
SPEAKER_02You suddenly catch yourself, yeah. But it's okay, you've got to practice, you've got to make mistakes.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. Okay. I mean, I make mistakes all the time, and always sensitive when I get it's like they're not laughing at you, they're laughing with you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, if they're laughing, it's not nice, but you know, I I think you you just gotta think to yourself, well, you know, in anyone's non-native language, there's very few people that are perfect or close to it, right? So it happens to everyone. At least you're trying. There are people who just live here and don't even try to learn.
SPEAKER_03And I agree with that. I agree with that. It's but it is something you gotta practice and you gotta work on all the time, and I'm really working hard on it, and I'm just uh I'm getting better. I'm getting better. I'm learning new words all the time. And on the subway, I have these um I have this flashcard app. Oh nice, and I have it in blocks of 20, and I'm always just playing, and just slowly, you know, unlike 20% sticks with me. That's more than zero.
SPEAKER_02Exactly. It's infinitely more than zero, Joe. Infinitely.
SPEAKER_03It is quite more. It is quite more. Um, before we wrap up, I now that I have you here, you know what? We talked about this. We I have another podcast called Dark Side of Sulk Podcast.
SPEAKER_02Oh, with the ghost things and yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_03And we did an episode about an event that you and I were both in. And that is the the landslide on um Umion San.
SPEAKER_02Umion-san. Yes, you know, I live on the other side of Umion-san.
SPEAKER_03You live on the north side?
SPEAKER_02Uh so you know, I live on the kind of Satchopangbe side. Yes. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Yes.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And uh just a few uh hundred meters up the road, in the apartments like at the top of the hill, those are the ones where a couple of people died when the landslides like flooded the kind of first levels and stuff.
SPEAKER_03Have you ever checked out the photos? I never I didn't until I did the episode check out the photos of the after effects of that landslide.
SPEAKER_02No, media.
SPEAKER_03No, just uh just look online if you didn't find aerial shots of just the swaths of that mountain that were just obliterated.
SPEAKER_02That was a crazy day, you know, because uh I used to take Nemo, your co-host, with me on the way. I used to give her a lift.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah, you know.
SPEAKER_02She lived on the way. And we uh were driving to get to Umion San from this side, so we all lived around like Nambu Terminal, which is on the other side of the mountain, you'd have to go in this little road next to the expressway, and it was next to parts of uh the mountain, but very small parts, and even on that road, it was raining so much I had my wipers on full blast, and we had to drive around a mini landslide, like it was only a pile of mud about a meter tall, but it's still like, oh my goodness, what's happened here? So that was like a warning. Yeah, exactly. And then we got to the studio and it's still absolutely pelting it down with rain. And you know when it happened was just after I left. I'd got into my car, left because I did like the first half hour or so, and um I was leaving. I was in my car driving away when it happened.
SPEAKER_03You actually saw it happen?
SPEAKER_02No, no. Luckily, I was in my car and I was like going down the hill, and then all the debris started coming down and hitting my car. And I was like, oh my goodness, this is terrible. And it was only a bit later on that I found out how bad it was.
SPEAKER_03My memory is so messed up because I thought you were in the studio with us.
SPEAKER_02What happened when it when it happened in the studio?
SPEAKER_03Okay, well, this is my story. Is okay, well, someone was sitting in your chair. I thought it was you. Um must have been Isha.
SPEAKER_02Maybe I was well it well, it depends it depends what happened.
SPEAKER_03Um Okay, we're sitting there and and then we're in the middle of something, and then we hear this like thunder, a rumbling sound, and we all stopped and we went, did you hear that was some loud thunder. And then we finished our segment, and then as soon as we went to song, um uh the PD came in and said, We've just been hit by a landslide, we need to leave.
SPEAKER_02Oh, wow. Okay, yeah, I'm pretty sure I wasn't there at that point. Um, but you're right, yeah, but you know, with memories and stuff like that, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty certain I was in my car. If you were in your car, you're in a car.
SPEAKER_03Someone was in your chair, and I thought it was you. Uh I thought we were talking about news. I thought we were talking about the news at the time.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I'm not sure, but yeah, but that then I went to Adang, you know, I had the gig at Adidang.
SPEAKER_03Oh my god, you were still going because we were st- Okay, so you were definitely weren't with us because we were stranded for hours. We couldn't leave the whole area.
SPEAKER_02Well, that's the thing. I was in my car at the bottom of the hill, and there was all this water gushing down, all this debris, and it took me what usually took 15 minutes, four hours to get there that day. And uh you talking about the aerial photos is interesting because you know Adidung Radio is on the eighth floor of that tower.
SPEAKER_03It's on the other side of the mountain, it's on the north side of the mountain. EBS is on the south side of the mountain.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and that's why I got the brunt, because EBS was kind of in the mountain, wasn't it? Yeah, it's it's like wedged in there.
SPEAKER_03It's like thugged. Yeah, wedged in there.
SPEAKER_02But the Adidung side, even that I remember looking down, and they had like some military trucks there because there had been the landslide, and there were tree trunks, there was a load of mud and sticky. Giant boulders.
SPEAKER_03I mean, like, I'm glad I mean cars were smashed.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it was crazy that landslide.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I said the the the poompungy set, the children's TV show.
SPEAKER_02It looked far in character.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. It looked in there and it looked like the set it looked like the set from Lord of the Rings in there. It's its old That would have been a good episode. The forest moved into the studio there.
SPEAKER_02Wow.
SPEAKER_03Now I remember when we got out, when we got out of the the the the studio in the radio studio, it was it was a half a meter of mud right outside the door.
SPEAKER_02Uh yeah. It went in the building and everything.
SPEAKER_03It went all in the building. We and for like a month or so we had to walk through m mud to Not just a little bit of mud, like like up to your knee in mud to get in and out. And no air conditioning as a summer, too.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I remember that. I I because I lived close by at Nambu, they asked me, because so many people couldn't get there because of the chaos, to come back that evening to guest on one of the shows. And yeah, it was just water in the studios and stuff and on the floor, and they were just doing their emergency broadcasts and everything. It was it was yeah, the the closest up I've seen something like that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's like we've been in a natural disaster.
SPEAKER_02That's pretty interesting. I should put that on my resume.
SPEAKER_03You should, you should. I took my I took my fresh, I had my first smartphone, my Samsung Galaxy 1.
SPEAKER_02Oh, nice.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and I took a little bit of footage from that, and I think uh National Geographic bought that footage from me or something.
SPEAKER_02Oh wow, that's amazing. I should have taken some photos. I don't think I was on the smartphone bandwagon then.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Well, when when I got that gig at EBS, I got a smartphone. Yay! I was like present to myself. Did I tell you the story of how I got that show? How I got that? That was so weird. Was it weren't you a guest on like that's what happened? Because I was I was not I wasn't in the in the bang song, the broadcasting group. Click, I wouldn't say click, but I wasn't in the circulation. I wasn't in the circulation at all.
SPEAKER_02So you were food blogging and stuff, right?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, food blogging. I did this podcast. Occasionally I would do stuff on Ariang. And um yeah, I just I just came in to uh yeah, I was a guest, just one-time guest.
SPEAKER_02Like just to interview you, kind of.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, just to interview me. And then after the show, they asked me if I wanted to co-host.
SPEAKER_02That's amazing. What was that? Joe, do you know if that was Moon?
SPEAKER_03Moon Yes, that was her Moon PD. Uh yeah, she was great.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, she was uh Qui Tiong, because I was hosting Qui Tion until this past February. Yeah and she had you know, she got ill in the middle when I was at EBS, and then she retired, and then she came back. She came back because they re-hire retired p producers for like a year, it's like their kind of way of saying thank you, and they can freelance. And so we had her for a year in the past, I'd like to say 18 months, and she's still so lovely.
SPEAKER_03She's so sharp, she knows her stuff.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, she she's sharper than a lot of the younger producers as well. And uh, she's still really passionate, so it's a shame. But after that year, they have to let them go, and then the next retired PD like comes in, so so uh we say goodbye to her. But uh, I think she has fond memories of morning special with you guys as well.
SPEAKER_03That was a real good time. That was a good time. Well, I'm trying to think. Yeah, it was good talk. Good talk. I think we oh wow, hours already up.
SPEAKER_02It's been a pleasure, Joe. I've I've really enjoyed it, and uh I wish the podcast the best of luck. It's got a great name, Soul Podcast.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, SEO, all that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I I like it. And uh yeah, I'll come back to the next one.
SPEAKER_03Speaking of great speaking of great names, how can people find you outside? I mean, we know the broadcasting. We got we got KBS World, we have Aridong Radio, EBS uh here and there.
SPEAKER_02Um but but they're not the ones that matter because whether you watch those or not, I don't get anything.
SPEAKER_03But let's get the stuff that that helps you out.
SPEAKER_02Yes, on to my YouTube channel, which is Mama Boy M-A-M-M-A-Poy. Because Mama, as you might know, Joe, is kind of what you say to babies to eat food. It's like Mama, and because my mum is a Korean cooking teacher. Well, she was in the UK, so she likes to feed me to this day with lots of food. So we try and do Korean food and just a mother-son YouTube channel.
SPEAKER_03Oh, that sounds amazing.
SPEAKER_02I'd love to, and I'm sure she'd love to have you over so she can cook for you. She loves anyone who's interfood.
SPEAKER_03I would be honored. Definitely.
SPEAKER_02Let's do that for one one episode on the YouTube. And uh these days I'm way too old for it, but I'm on TikTok for some reason.
SPEAKER_03I'm on TikTok, I rarely use it, but it's fun when I do.
SPEAKER_02It's nice and short, right? It's not too much time that goes into the videos. So I'm teaching English on there, so for any Koreans who are on that. Or if you I from time to time do a bit of Korean teaching on there, it's Seoul 2, the number two, so Seoul 2 London is how you can find me there.
SPEAKER_03At Konbeni Seoul 2 London. I saw that you were teaching like how to about hangry, uh some portmanteaus.
SPEAKER_02Yes, indeed. That was the latest video. I don't I don't know how useful and how often Korean learners of English are gonna find them, but I just choose some phrases.
SPEAKER_03I think I think it's just interesting, just uh don't have to be useful, it just has to be like interesting. I like I love finding those words in Korean too. It's like, oh wow, that's so poetic.
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's yeah. And seeing those words which are combinations of other things, that's quite fun as well.
SPEAKER_03I find that so much fun. Yeah, I I I've been I was trying to use this angle, and I might continue it. It's my TikTok as I do my Korean dad jokes.
SPEAKER_02Oh, I love your dad jokes. I still remember the first one you ever told me was and it blew my mind because I didn't really know about Korean dad jokes, and especially like the jokes that circulate in either expat communities in Korea or like Koreans who speak good English. So it was what is the best time to build a snowman in Korean. I love that one. Noon!
SPEAKER_03Yes! Well, I say afternoon, afternoon, but yeah, that's that's fine.
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's good as well. Afternoon. It's even better, isn't it? I ruined it, but yeah, I remember that. And then I think you posted up did you post up a list of them one time?
SPEAKER_03There's one on zenkinchi.com, and it and now it's been sitting there for so long, it's one of my most popular pages on the entire website.
SPEAKER_02Well, I've clicked on it numerous times. When I need a dad joke, I will look on that page and I'll say Joe McPherson. I credit him with this one. Ah, thank you.
SPEAKER_03I recently added to it. I recently recently updated it with something. I forget what the joke was, but I recently updated it.
SPEAKER_02I'm so old that I'm not sure if this is mine or if this is from your page. If it's not from your page, no, show one, throw one. And if it isn't if it's not mine, I'm stealing it. Yeah, put it on your page for sure. Uh what is Tarzan's favorite Korean dish?
SPEAKER_03What is Tarzan's favorite Korean dish?
SPEAKER_02Chungo.
SPEAKER_04Oh my god.
SPEAKER_02That's gotta qualify.
SPEAKER_03I have not heard that one.
SPEAKER_02That is mine. Yeah, because my wife said I remember this now when I first told her, she's like, that's the worst joke I've ever heard in my life. Pushing it.
SPEAKER_03That's so pushing it. But that's so good. I would put that on. I will put that on.
SPEAKER_02Probably the worst one, but yeah, just put it at the bottom of the list.
SPEAKER_03Oh man.
SPEAKER_02It just about works.
SPEAKER_03Um, also, we can find you on Instagram. Um, I really just search just for Peter Bent. Really?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, just search out Peter Bent on the internet and some things come up. Luckily, until now, there are no more famous Peter Bints, but maybe in the future I'll be overtaken by a whippersnapper.
SPEAKER_03Well, thank you for joining us. Everyone, thank you in the chat room for joining us. Let me let me say thank you, Siska, uh, Aim Lita, Unita, Lilith, uh Yana. Jason, thank you all for joining us today. Um Leon, thank you for joining us. Uh, remember you can you can uh subscribe to the show uh on any podcast uh app you have. Or we do live shows on Thursdays or Fridays at 7:30 p.m. So Korea time on YouTube, uh youtube.com slash Zen Kimchi. Uh if you just subscribe to us on Zen Kimchi on YouTube and you just click on the bell, you'll be notified when we're going live, and we will have fun with you on the show.
SPEAKER_02You won't miss any gold like this in the future.
SPEAKER_03Well, thank you everyone for listening. Until next time, stay safe.
SPEAKER_01Remember to give us credit.com.com on Twitter at Talk and Fit at T.com slash Podcast. Listen to it again and wake down to here. See you next week. Until then, may your favorite Starbucks never be out of um relic when it rains.
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