The Korea File

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.