asian culture

In this episode of The Level Asian podcast, we're joined by Zhoe Low, Global Manager of ‘July’, a renowned Australian travel brand specialising in luggage and accessories.

Zhoe shares her unconventional path as an early digital nomad, her transition from tech startups to travel products, and how she absorbed ten years of business knowledge into three years while working for July.

Zhoe also opens up about the profound impact of therapy, the mindset that helped overcome her self-limiting beliefs, and advice to Asian women who aspire to hold leadership positions.

Enjoy the episode!

Show Notes Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhoelow/
https://july.com/ 

Sarah and Grace are joined by Youjeong Ssaem, one of Grace's Korean teachers, for a chat about the South Korean educational system. We go into technical details before discussing broader issues currently impacting students and teachers, like school violence and pressure to academically excel. In the language section, we talk about Konglish.

Find Youjeong ssaem on iTalki at: https://www.italki.com/i/reft/ABDHece/FeBBCe/korean?hl=en&utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=share_teacher

Correction: 

During Grace's comments about early college admissions in the US, she misremembered the relevant terms - "early decision" generally describes early admissions applications that are binding, while non-binding early admissions applications are usually called "early action." 

This Valentine’s Day, the feeling of sticking to the single log bridge with us until it’s dark is not too bad! Finally, we’re covering the Untamed, starring Wang Yibo (王一博) and Xiao Zhan (肖战). Yes, one of the most watched series in Asian television history with 10 billion views domestically as of 2022 in China on one service alone, never mind the huge international success and acclaim it garnered. This all with a cleverly crafted and nuanced production that captured the spirit of the original novel, while being able to stay within the framework of China’s strict onscreen morality laws. 

Franziska (@wanderingfranzi) and J (@theflowerthatbloomsalone) are joined by enthusiastic fandom guests and fanfic writers Jie (@JieJie_AiNi), Kaey (@Firebrd86) and PaidSubscription (@PaidSubAO3) for a deep dive into autistic-coded Lan Wangji. 

In this part one of two, we discuss which of Wangji’s traits resonated the most for us, what we loved about his character development as an autistic-coded character (is it one of the best arcs ever?), and how and why his relationship with ADHD-coded Wei Wuxian just works so well. 

Join us as four fandom nerds and one very enthusiastic cohost (who wants to binge watch it all again) theorise a possible reason why the Lan clan has those 3000 rules and if in a modern alternate universe, Lan Wangji would make his own phone calls.

Note: this pod contains spoilers

Plus be sure to listen to part two (to be released shortly) where we will discuss the Cloud Recessess as a haven but also a constraint on an autistic Wangji, as well as how Wei Wuxian was the first one to really perceive Wangji and hear “the melody of his heart.” Add in queer symbolism, how an autistic Wangji articulates the drama’s themes, and a chat about the fics our authors have written. Don’t miss it! 

Link: 
The link to the translated portion of the interview with the author MXTX mentioned in the pod: https://asksythe.tumblr.com/post/716755273102082048/mxtx-interview-with-risa-wataya-for-subaru/amp

#kdramapodcast #kdramapodcasts #Idrama #cdramas #cdrama #chinesedrama #xianxia #koreandramapodcasts #asiandramas #asiandramapodcast #autisticcoded #autisticpodcast #theuntamed #mdzs #chenqingling #lanwangji #weiwuxian #lanzhan #weiying

In this episode of the Level Asian podcast, we're joined by Natalie Yan-Chatonsky, Founder and CEO of Full Time Lives, a women’s midlife specialist and author of 'The Art of Full Time Living'.

Natalie emphasises the significance of women, particularly those in midlife to prioritise self-care, nurture social connections, and design meaningful next chapters. Her approach aims to generate positive social change to prompt proactive steps towards fostering positive personal growth.

She also talks about supporting her own mother through midlife transitions, her recent ADHD diagnosis, and the strengths that come with neurodiversity.

Show Notes Links:
https://fulltimelives.com
https://fulltimelives.com/art-of-full-time-living
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nat-yc/
https://www.instagram.com/fulltimelives

We're back with a very special guest, Lia from our sister pod, Afternoona Delight! Lia made a trip to Seoul, her first to South Korea and she's on our podcast to chat to us about how she found it, what KDrama locations she saw and how being in Seoul made her feel.

Tune in to listen to how she found her trip and pick up some travel tips for your own future trip to Seoul!

Notes from Show mentioned in episode:

1. Sinchon Graffiti Tunnel 
2. Hakdong Park, Gangnam
3. Goblin walk - Doeksugung Stone Wall
4. BTS Rookie restaurant - Yoojung Sikdang 
5. Leeum museum
6. Singer mentioned - Mesani and his EP, Jungle
7. Skincare place in Gangnam - Lienjang Plastic Surgery
8. The 2 palaces - Changdeokgung and Changyeounggung 
9. Korean Dramaland - for Drama locations
10. Papago - also available as iOS/Android apps

Fellow podcaster William Han joins Grace and Sarah to discuss the history of wuxia, as well as its cultural context and significance. He discusses how men--and women--with a "particular set of skills" and an unshakable code have played a notable role in Chinese history and literature, why Jin Yong's wuxia novels are a lingua franca of the Chinese speaking/reading world, and how wuxia concepts have been embraced by Western creators. Join us for a deep dive into the origins of some of the most familiar C-drama themes and character archetypes!

For more from William, find The Master of Demon Gorge on your favorite podcast platform. Or @w_t_han on Twitter/X. His book, From the Wall to the Water, is available via your favorite bookseller. 

In this episode of the Level Asian podcast, we're joined by Neel Kolhatkar, a comedian, filmmaker, and Youtube sensation, well known for his viral comedy sketches and stand up routines.

Neel talks about his childhood in Sydney, what captivated him into pursuing comedy at a young age, and how he turned his online success into a full-time career.

He also shares his thoughts on navigating PC and cancel culture, emphasising the importance of diversifying his skills and attracting dedicated audiences, and shares encouraging advice for aspiring comedians looking to break into the industry.

Show Notes Links:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClBzWLRnI_Itn2W5c7J9sYQ
https://www.instagram.com/neelkolhatkar/?hl=en
https://www.tiktok.com/@neelkolhatkar?lang=en
https://www.facebook.com/Neel.Kolhatkar94/

In another episode examining autistic coded characters in KDrama, we discuss the popular Korean BL's Semantic Error and Light On Me. Sarah, J and Fran discuss what autistic traits we saw and how the dramas handled their characters autistic traits. We talk about what worked and didn't work for us about these two dramas.

Show Note:
Light on Me BL Express blog mentioned in the show by J.

In this episode of the Level Asian Podcast, we’re joined by the WHOLE L:A team, as we take a moment to appreciate our incredible journey and share some of the remarkable accomplishments and milestones we’ve achieved throughout 2023. 

Some of our key achievements include:
🧧 Cabramatta Lunar New Year Merch Stall
🎤 Vinh Giang x Level: Asian Event at the Carter
🦐 A Nostalgic Night with L:A ft. Jason from Canton Kitchen and Junda from Hojiak
🎙️ Panel Appearances at SWEH, HCC, WSU, AAF and SXSW
🎂 Celebrating Level:Asian’s FIRST Birthday
🎥 Releasing 34 Podcast Episodes + 15 Vlogs
🎊 Hitting 70k on Instagram & 50k on TikTok
✈️ Travelling as a team to Adelaide, Melbourne, Singapore and Bali

Kan takes us through his many major chapters of this year of buying a new house, adopting a new pup, and Hudson’s first birthday. Davie celebrates his marriage and the success of BOXAS - evident in multiple award winnings.Viv and Noel also unpack their travel journeys and MILESTONES in their career development.

We would like to take this moment to thank each and every one of you for being a part of our journey. Your engagement, support, and enthusiasm fuels our passion and we’re excited to continue growing, learning and achieving together in 2024.

Here's to an even more exciting and successful 2024! Thank you for being a part of the Level: Asian community and Happy New Year! 

We invited along fellow members of the Patreon to discuss our 2023 year in dramas - this is a bumper three episode edition, which we are releasing on the last three days of 2023. This is Part 3, and here Tania and Heather are here to chat to us about their favourite dramas, performances and underrated dramas of the year. Be sure to check out the other 2 episodes in this mini-series!

We invited along fellow members of the Patreon to discuss our 2023 year in dramas - this is a bumper three episode edition, which we are releasing on the last three days of 2023. This is part 2 and here we have Erin, who is here to chat to us about her favourite dramas, performances and underrated dramas of the year. Then Grace goes through what 2023 in drama land has been like for her. Be sure to check out the other 2 episodes in this mini-series!

We invited along fellow members of the Patreon to discuss our 2023 year in dramas - this is a bumper three episode edition, which we are releasing on the last three days of 2023. First up is Katie, who is here to chat to us about her favourite dramas, performances and underrated dramas of the year. Then Sarah goes through what 2023 has been like for her. Be sure to check out the other 2 episodes in this mini-series!

Welcome to another fun-filled Christmas episode of The Level: Asian Podcast!

We're thrilled to be joined once again (Round 2!) by OUR FAVOURITE POWER COUPLE behind Ultrafade - Rich and Jenny! 

In this episode, Rich and Jenny share their journey expanding Ultrafade to Bankstown, Jenny's transition from pharmacy to joining the biz full-time, and Rich's heartwarming experience giving a talk to disengaged students in his former high school.

We also talk about Rich's aspiration to become a keynote speaker, his advice for the younger generation who wants to join the hairdressing industry, and their exciting plans, including an online academy and the latest tech in scalp treatment!

Enjoy the episode!

Show Note Links: 

Ultrafade (Rich):
https://www.instagram.com/ultrafadebyrich/
https://www.ultrafadebyrich.com/ 

Jenny:
https://www.instagram.com/jenvyvo/ 

Sarah is flying solo for this episode and was delighted to welcome Liliana from Tea and Soju Podcast for a chat about Chinese Dramas, what 2023 has been like for CDramas and get a shedload of recommendations for you all on your next CDrama. We hope you enjoy!

Show Notes mentioned in the pod

KDramas vs CDramas Podcast with Tea and Soju Podcast - guest host spot with Sarah and Lia from Afternoona Delight:

Follow Liliana on her social links which are all here:

Five Dramas to get to know Liliana
•Till The End of the Moon 
•Go Ahead
•Hidden Love
•Maiden Holmes
•Under the Skin

Recommendations/Comps:

Xianxia:
•The Starry Love
•Back From The Brink
•Feeling Brave- Ashes of Love

Romcom:
•Once We Get Married
•The Day of Becoming You 
•The Romance of Tiger and Rose 

Slice of Life:
•Meet Yourself
•Go Ahead
•Memory of Encaustic Tile 

Thriller
•Reset
•Under The Skin
•The Bad Kids
•The Long Night

Classics - Nirvana in Fire, Joy of Life, Story of Ming Lan

Hosts Sarah and Grace tackle the first in a multi-episode series on Confucianism, a topic that has been on our minds, and planning spreadsheet, since the beginning of the pod. We give a brief primer on what Confucianism is and how it impacts numerous aspects of life in Korea. We also discuss how it has influenced our lives and where we see it pop up in the Asian dramas we watch. In the language section, we talk about pesky romanizations and how to pronounce Yoo Teo's name, plus a refresher on how to say Lee Minho's name.

Sign Up for Our Newsletter! Want our thoughts on why everyone should watch I'm Not a Robot in a 500-word essay? More thinky and/or thirsty writer takes on your favorite shows? This is the place to get it. Sign up HERE!

Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click here for your free Audible trial: http://www.audibletrial.com/afternoona*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*

A KDrama fan? Listen to our sister podcast, Afternoona Delight - three best selling American novelists explore the wonderfully wacky world of K-Romance through a writer’s lens. Join them as they fangirl over the best characters, debate favorite tropes, and nerd out through K-drama deep dives. 

Or are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. 

Love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life.

And don't forget about the newest member of our network, It's Bananas, because life doesn't make a lick of sense, but licking fruit does.

In this episode of the Level Asian podcast, we're joined by Dai Le, a Vietnamese-born Australian politician currently serving as the federal member for Fowler and councillor for Fairfield/Cabravale Ward.

Dai shares her harrowing experience of escaping on a boat at age seven during the fall of Saigon, getting stranded at sea multiple times, and ending up in refugee camps for months before being resettled in Australia.

She also talks about the intergenerational trauma of the refugee experience, the challenges Dai's mother faced adjusting to life in Australia, and the painful realisation that gambling had become an unhealthy coping mechanism for many Vietnamese refugees.

Show Notes Links:
https://daile.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/DaiLeMP/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dailemp/
https://www.instagram.com/dai_le/
https://www.youtube.com/@DaiLeTheOfficial

Our latest episode of Afternoona Asks ND is covering Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which just like Autism, is a neurotype with a lot of prejudice and stigma attached to it. In this podcast episode Sarah and Fran sit down to chat about ADHD traits and Fran shares her own personal experiences with them. They talk about the struggles of living with time blindness and executive dysfunction, the magic of hyperfocus and feelings of shame and frustration at the inability to regulate attention effectively. We also mention a few ADHD coded characters in preparation to future episodes on ADHD characters in asian dramas.

Below some links for further reading/referred to in the show:

Dirty Laundry: Why adults with ADHD are so ashamed and what we can do to help" by Richard Pink and Roxanne Emery 
Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ADHD_love 

18 Signs you might have ADHD
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/adhd-symptoms-in-adults/

A Different name for ADHD
https://www.additudemag.com/attention-deficit-disorder-vast/ 

In this episode of the Level Asian podcast, we're joined by Asami Koike, Founder and Director of Shapes and Sounds, a social enterprise that destigmatises and promotes mental health in Asian communities.

Asami opens up about her challenges adapting to Western culture as a Japanese immigrant,  the notable gap she discovered in Asian-Australian mental health research and how dropping out of university to pursue yoga helped catalyse the growth of her identity.

She also shares the origins of "Shapes & Sounds", its role in addressing Asian-Australian generational trauma, the community she was able to build and her advice on mental health to the younger generation.

Show Notes Links:
https://www.justshapesandsounds.com/ https://www.instagram.com/justshapesandsounds https://www.facebook.com/justshapesandsounds https://www.tiktok.com/@justshapesandsounds http://www.linkedin.com/company/justshapesandsounds

We are delighted to welcome Jess, host of the fabulous Daebak K-Rambles Podcast for a fun chat about KDramas, some OG dramas, which actors are her faves and a slew of underrated KDrama recommendations! We had a blast talking to her and we hope you enjoy this one too!

To listen to Daebak K-Rambles Podcast and check out some of the episodes we discuss on the pod please check out Daebak K Rambles podcast.

For her socials and fun posts, check out @daebakpod on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok. The Patreon feed is www.patreon.com/alwayscriticpod.

Here's a list of shows mentioned during this episode:

Jess's Five to Get to Know Me:

Goblin (Guardian the Lonely & Great God)

Happiness

Save Me

The Princess's Man

Our Beloved Summer

Underrated Dramas:

Temperature of Love

It's Okay That's Love

Master's Sun

Love All Play

Because This Is My First Life

Cruel City

Fight for My Way

Queen Inhyun's Man/Queen and I

The King2Hearts

9 End 2 Outs/9 In 2 Out

Cain and Abel

The Crowned Clown

The Forbidden Marriage