The 12 Best Korean History Podcasts (2026)

Allen Lee takes on one of the most ambitious projects in the Korean podcast space: a chronological walkthrough of Korean history from prehistoric times all the way through the medieval period. The show currently spans 22 episodes, starting with the very earliest archaeological evidence of human settlement on the peninsula and working forward through the founding myths of Gojoseon, the rise and fall of the Samhan confederacies, and the complex politics of the Three Kingdoms era.

Lee clearly does his homework. Each episode runs about 40 minutes and is packed with specific dates, place names, and political figures that most Western history podcasts would skip entirely. He covers things like the Han commanderies and their relationship to early Korean states, the cultural exchanges with China and Japan, and the ways Korean identity formed in the gaps between larger empires. The solo narrative format means you get a focused, lecture-style delivery without tangents or banter.

The pace can feel deliberate at times -- Lee takes his time setting up context before getting to the main events, which some listeners love and others find a bit slow. But that thoroughness is exactly what makes this show stand out. You will not find another English-language podcast that covers Gojoseon or the Samhan period in this kind of detail. With a 4.6 rating on Apple Podcasts, it has built a small but devoted audience of Korean history enthusiasts. The show has been on hiatus since 2021, but the existing episodes remain an excellent resource for anyone wanting to understand Korea's ancient foundations.

Jed Lea-Henry has built something unusual here -- a long-form academic interview show that manages to be genuinely engaging rather than stuffy. Over 123 episodes, he has sat down with scholars, journalists, and professionals who specialize in both North and South Korea, and the conversations consistently go places you would not expect. One episode covers North Korean literature and what fiction reveals about the regime’s internal contradictions. Another digs into the Cold War history of the Korean peninsula through recently declassified documents. A third explores what Chinese-North Korean trade networks actually look like at the ground level.

The format is a straight interview, usually lasting 45 minutes to an hour, and Jed does his homework. He reads his guests’ books, references their published papers, and asks follow-up questions that show genuine preparation. The show earned a 4.3-star rating from listeners who tend to be Korea studies students, expats living in Seoul, and policy researchers. It ran actively from 2018 to 2022, so the back catalog is the real treasure here -- those episodes on inter-Korean relations, the North Korean economy, and regional security dynamics remain relevant because the underlying dynamics have not changed much. Think of it as a graduate seminar you can listen to on a jog, hosted by someone who genuinely loves the subject and knows how to draw out his guests.

Paul Kendrick's Korean War Podcast is probably the most thorough English-language audio resource on the conflict that shaped modern Korea. With 100 episodes spanning six seasons, Kendrick has methodically covered the war from its roots in the post-WWII division of the peninsula through the armistice and its aftermath. The show later expanded its scope under the subtitle "When the Cold War Went Hot," adding seasons on the First Indochina War and the Malayan Emergency.

The format is solo narrative, with episodes running about 20 minutes each. Kendrick writes carefully and delivers with a clear, measured voice that listeners consistently praise. The writing quality here is a cut above most history podcasts -- he structures each episode around a specific theme or turning point rather than just marching through a timeline. You get episodes on Truman's defense policies, MacArthur's gamble at Inchon, the Chinese intervention, and the brutal winter at Chosin, all with enough context to understand the strategic picture.

With a 4.7 rating from 76 reviews on Apple Podcasts, the show has earned a loyal following among military history enthusiasts and Korean War families. Kendrick treats the subject with the seriousness it deserves without being dry or overly academic. His most recent episode dropped in September 2023, covering Truman's complicated legacy with the war. If you want to understand why the Korean War is called "The Forgotten War" and why that label does a disservice to everyone involved, start here.

Folklorist Shawn Morrissey and history buff Joe McPherson make an unexpectedly great duo on The Dark Side of Seoul. With over 300 episodes and counting (the most recent dropped in January 2026), this is one of the most prolific and consistently active Korean history shows in English. The premise is Korean history told through its darkest chapters: massacres, palace betrayals, folklore, ghost stories, serial killers, and the kinds of events that K-drama writers would reject as too dramatic.

The conversational format between the two hosts gives the show real personality. Shawn brings the folklorist perspective, connecting old stories and superstitions to broader cultural patterns. Joe brings the historical grounding, pulling from archives and academic sources. They disagree sometimes, crack jokes at the right moments, and genuinely seem to enjoy each other's company. The result feels like eavesdropping on two knowledgeable friends who happen to be obsessed with Korea's grimmest stories.

Topics range from ancient Joseon-era court intrigues to modern true crime cases, with detours into Korean funeral customs, burial practices, and supernatural beliefs. The hosts also run ghost walking tours in Seoul, which gives them a ground-level connection to the places they discuss. At 4.5 stars from 43 reviews, listeners appreciate the blend of genuine scholarship with accessible, sometimes irreverent delivery. If standard Korean history podcasts feel too polished or academic, this is the antidote.

David Tizzard holds a PhD in Korean Studies, teaches at two Seoul universities, and writes a weekly column for the Korea Times. That academic firepower shows up in every episode of Korea Deconstructed, but Tizzard wears his expertise lightly. The show runs as a series of open conversations with historians, artists, professors, musicians, and cultural commentators, published about twice a week.

With 121 episodes and still actively producing as of early 2026, the scope is impressively wide. One episode might feature a historian discussing the Itaewon tragedy and questions of Korean identity. Another could be a filmmaker talking about how Korean cinema processes historical trauma, or a Buddhist monk explaining the religion's centuries-long relationship with Korean governance. Tizzard also covers contemporary subjects like K-pop's global machinery, generational tensions between Korean boomers and millennials, and the evolution of feminism in Korean society.

What sets this apart from other Korea-focused interview shows is Tizzard's willingness to ask uncomfortable questions. He does not treat Korean culture as something to merely celebrate -- he pushes guests to examine contradictions, power dynamics, and uncomfortable truths. Episodes run about an hour, and the 4.5-star rating from 19 reviews reflects a listener base that values intellectual depth. This is the show for people who want to understand Korea's cultural DNA, not just its surface-level talking points.

Victor Cha literally wrote the book called The Impossible State about North Korea, and he now hosts the CSIS podcast of the same name. Cha served on the National Security Council under George W. Bush and was once the U.S. pick for ambassador to South Korea, so his Rolodex is stacked with people who have sat across the table from North Korean negotiators. Episodes run about 35 to 48 minutes and bring in former intelligence officials, State Department veterans, South Korean policy experts, and academics who have spent decades tracking the Kim regime.

The format is straightforward -- Cha frames the topic, introduces his guest, and then has a focused conversation. There is no dramatic music or storytelling gimmicks. This is a policy discussion, and it wears that identity proudly. The show works best when it tackles specific questions: what does North Korea’s latest missile technology actually mean for deterrence, how does the China-DPRK relationship shift when Beijing has its own economic pressures, or what leverage does Washington actually have left after decades of failed negotiations. With 150 episodes and a 4.5-star rating across 89 reviews, it has been running consistently since 2018. Some listeners flag an occasional Washington-centric tilt in perspective, which is fair -- this is a Beltway think tank production. But if you want the perspective of people who have actually shaped North Korea policy rather than just commented on it, this is hard to beat.

The Korea Society has been operating since 1957 as the premier US institution dedicated to US-Korea relations, and their podcast reflects that pedigree. Running since 2006 with 100 episodes, this is one of the longest-running Korea-focused podcasts in existence. The format captures panel discussions, keynote addresses, and expert conversations from the Society's events in New York.

The content spans an enormous range. You will find episodes on Joseon Dynasty palace intrigues, K-pop fandom culture, Korean shipbuilding strategy, nuclear submarine cooperation, denuclearization negotiations, and Korean art history. A recent episode from February 2026 explored K-pop fandom from the 1990s to today with scholar Areum Jeong. The quality of speakers is consistently high because the Korea Society attracts serious scholars and practitioners -- ambassadors, professors, CEOs, and cultural figures.

The tradeoff is that some episodes feel more like recorded lectures than produced podcast content. The audio quality varies because these are often live event recordings rather than studio sessions. But the substance is excellent. At 4.6 stars from 44 ratings, the audience clearly values the depth and authority. This is the kind of podcast where you might stumble into a talk by a former Secretary of State or a leading Korean historian that you would otherwise need a New York event ticket to attend. Updated biweekly, it remains an active and relevant resource for serious Korea watchers.

NK News runs one of the most respected English-language outlets covering the DPRK, and their weekly podcast is the audio extension of that reporting muscle. Host Jacco Zwetsloot brings on a rotating cast of analysts, former diplomats, journalists with Pyongyang datelines, and researchers who spend their careers parsing satellite imagery and state media broadcasts. Episodes typically run 45 to 55 minutes and split between two formats: roundtable discussions where NK News staffers break down the week’s developments, and longer one-on-one interviews that go deep on a single topic like cryptocurrency laundering operations, diplomatic back-channels, or the latest missile test implications.

With over 300 episodes and a 4.8-star rating from 215 reviewers, the show has built a loyal following among Korea watchers, policy students, and anyone who wants reporting that goes beyond the sensational headlines. Jacco keeps conversations grounded and specific. He pushes back when guests generalize, and he is not afraid to flag when information is uncertain or sourced from defector testimony that may be unreliable. The show does sit behind a partial paywall -- you get clips for free, but full episodes require an NK News subscription. That model frustrates some listeners, but it also means the journalism stays funded and the guest quality stays high. If you want to actually understand what is happening inside the most opaque country on Earth rather than just skim headlines about it, this is the podcast that working analysts listen to on their Monday commute.

Andre Goulet has been producing The Korea File since 2014, making it one of the more established independent Korea podcasts. With 112 episodes and a focus on "critical, independent voices you won't find anywhere else," the show takes a deliberately different approach from institutional or academic Korea coverage. Goulet interviews academics, journalists, activists, and musicians, with a clear preference for perspectives that challenge mainstream narratives.

The topic range is distinctive. You will find episodes on Korean anarchist history, migrant worker rights in South Korea, alternative education movements, the translation challenges of Korean literature, and the political economy of K-pop. The conversations tend to center voices that are doing interesting work on the margins of Korean studies rather than the usual roster of think tank analysts. An episode on South Korean feminism might feature an activist rather than an academic; a discussion of Korean literature might center the translator rather than the author.

Episodes are conversational, well-researched, and typically run about 40 minutes. The show's 4.0 rating from 26 reviews reflects a dedicated but somewhat niche audience -- listeners who want Korea coverage that goes beyond geopolitics and pop culture. The most recent episode, from March 2024, covered contemporary literature and translation in South Korea. Goulet also has assistant producer Gennie Kim Pimentel contributing to the show. If you have already listened to the bigger Korea podcasts and want something with a more independent editorial perspective, The Korea File fills that gap well.

This limited series from iHeartPodcasts tells the story of Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of Kim Jong-il who was passed over for succession in favor of his younger half-brother Kim Jong-un -- and who was ultimately assassinated with a nerve agent in a Malaysian airport in 2017. Host Eden Lee traces the arc from palace privilege to exile to murder across 10 tightly produced episodes, each running 29 to 49 minutes.

The storytelling leans into the thriller aspects of the story, and honestly, it does not need to embellish much. The real events read like a spy novel: a prince raised in luxury who fell from favor after getting caught trying to visit Disneyland Tokyo on a fake passport, years of wandering between Macau casinos and European cities, and a hit carried out by two women who claimed they thought they were participating in a prank show. Eden Lee keeps the narrative moving while weaving in the broader context of how succession politics work inside the Kim dynasty. The show has a 4.8-star rating from 175 reviewers, and multiple listeners flag the research quality as a standout. It works both as a true crime story and as a window into how the North Korean ruling family actually operates behind the propaganda. Once you start, you will probably finish the whole series in a weekend.

Kevin Hockmuth, a professor at Akita International University in Japan, created this podcast as a companion to his university course on modern Korean history. The result is a tight, focused 14-episode series that covers Korea from the late Joseon Dynasty through the reign of Kim Jong-il. Each episode runs about 12 minutes, making this easily the most digestible entry point into Korean history on this list.

The chronological structure works well. Hockmuth starts with the final decades of the Joseon Dynasty and the pressures of modernization, moves through Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, covers the March 1st Independence Movement, and then traces the post-liberation division, the Korean War, and the divergent paths of North and South Korea. He occasionally brings in guest speakers, like Professor Sean O'Reilly discussing the colonial period, but mostly delivers solo lectures in a clear and organized style.

The brevity is both a strength and a limitation. You get the essential narrative arc without getting lost in details, but certain topics -- the Korean War especially -- feel compressed. With a perfect 5.0 rating (albeit from only 3 reviews), the show appeals to students and curious listeners who want a structured introduction rather than an exhaustive treatment. The series wrapped in late 2022, and Hockmuth also publishes written essays on his Substack. Think of this as a semester of Korean history condensed into three hours of audio -- an excellent starting point before you move on to more specialized shows.

Battlezone takes a distinctive approach to Korean War history by building its episodes around archival documentary footage, primarily from the U.S. military's "The Big Picture" television series and a documentary by legendary filmmaker John Ford. Across 32 episodes, the show walks through the war from the initial North Korean invasion through the armistice, with a focus on the American military experience.

The documentary-style format gives this show a different texture than traditional history podcasts. Rather than a narrator summarizing events, you are essentially getting the audio from period films that were produced during or shortly after the war, supplemented with contextual narration. Episodes cover specific operations and themes: the Inchon landing, Chinese intervention, life on the front lines, chaplain activities, psychological warfare operations, and civilian assistance programs. There is also coverage of documented atrocities, which the show handles with appropriate gravity.

The 5.0 rating comes from only 2 reviews, so the audience is still small. But for Korean War enthusiasts, the archival material is the draw. You hear the actual voices and perspectives from the early 1950s, which carries a historical immediacy that modern narration cannot replicate. The series completed in November 2021, making it a finite binge-listen. It works best as a companion to other Korean War podcasts -- Paul Kendrick's show gives you the analysis and context, while Battlezone gives you the primary source atmosphere. Together, they create a remarkably complete audio picture of the conflict.