Me, You & Jeju

What interest does the U.S. military have in Jeju’s haenyeo? | Episode #12

Following a short summer break, Darryl Coote and Alexis Joy are back to discuss the goings on of Jeju. 
And, of course, the pandemic takes center stage. But despite the surge, tourists continue to flock to the mainland. 
Teacher Ju Young Han also returns to school the non-Koreans in a new phrase in Jeju Dialect.
The main story of the episode is the U.S. Office of Naval Research has also awarded a three-year $500,000 grant to Prof. Moon Tae Seok of Washington University in St. Louis who may have found a solution to hypothermia in Jeju's iconic haenyeo.
And finally, the pair speak with former long-time island resident and photographer extraordinaire Brian Miller about his forthcoming photography book about the island called "The Village Across the Sea."
His work can be found at: www.baraka.zenfolio.com
The podcast this week is also closed out by the musical styles of Jeju-based rock band Banana Moon. The song is called "Mom Nags."
The music video of the song can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb1h57L1Q_8
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Haenyeo on the big screen, Yemenis on the island | Episode #11

In Episode #11, Darryl Coote and Alexis Joy have a surprisingly deep conversation about "Everglow," a Korean melodramatic love story about a 70-year-old haenyeo and a 30-year-old documentarian.
Then they introduce Teacher Han Ju-young, who will be taking over Jeju Dialect Corner for Lim Hyun Jeong.
During her inaugural lesson, Ju-young teaches Darryl and Alexis to say 제기제기합써, which means "hurry up" in Jeju dialect.
Jeju has also been in English-language news after the local government organized a trip to the island to cover its advancements apart of its Carbon Free by 2030 project, and the paid talk about what this project means for the island.
Adnan, a member of South Korea's Yemenis community, also comes on to discuss issues facing those who came to Jeju from the war-torn country three years ago in search of refugee as well as his burgeoning film career. 
And to end the episode is the song Soul (I believe) featuring Jeju-based musicians Jason Lisko, Maggie Crosset, Zach Bardon and Brad Wheeler. 
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Jeju, an island of world peace? | Episode #10

In this week's episode of Me, You and Jeju, Darryl Coote and Alexis Joy discuss the origins -- and the implications -- of Jeju being designated an island of world peace with a surprise appearance by Tommy Tran, a lecturer at the University of California Merced.
Teacher Lim Hyun Jeong schools them on apologizing in Jeju dialect.
And in continuing the podcast's effort to promote local musicians, the episode ends with "Very Distant Starlight," a single from Jeju-based musician Kamen Ross' Jeju-inspired piano instrumental album "I Dreamt We Fell in Love," which will be available Sept. 9 everywhere where digital music is found.
To follow him on YouTube, click at the link below:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgwM6JsKCBdAF6Kv8TJx75g/videos
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Jeju grooves and we bought a brewery ... sort of | Episode #9

In this episode of Me, You & Jeju, Darryl Coote and Alexis Joy talk getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and the low standard of medical professionalism in Jeju. 
They then get schooled in how to say “take care” in Jeju dialect by Teacher Lim Hyun Jeong before discussing with Save Jeju Bada founder Ju Young Han (Instagram) about Starbucks’ plan to kickoff a reusable cup project on the island. 
Darryl then drops a bomb on Alexis before they interview Omar Benassila, a local musician and front man of Omar and the Eastern Power, about his new EP available now, the music scene on Jeju and more. 
Ending this week’s podcast is the song “Sunshine” by Omar and the Eastern Power.
To download the new two-song EP, click the link below:
https://omarandtheeasternpower.bandcamp.com/album/sunshine-htalen-24bit
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Talking haenyeo & Jeju with author Brenda Paik Sunoo | Episode #8

On this very special episode of Me, You and Jeju, Darryl Coote and Alexis Joy record on location at the Jeju stone house of author and artist Brenda Paik Sunoo.
Brenda, with her husband, Jan, built the house over the course of more than a year, an endeavor that became the inspiration for one of her more well-known books, “Stone House on Jeju Island.”
The trio discuss recent controversy surrounding Jeju’s haenyeo, specifically a Blue House petition asking for a 1 million won fine for hobbyists who harvest shellfish and other delicious bounties from the sea at night to be revoked. They blame the haenyeo, who rely upon those catches for their livelihood, for having a monopoly over public lands. 
Then, Darryl and Alexis interview Brenda about her time on Jeju, her house (of course) and recent projects, including a beautiful, healing children's book about Sewol titled “In memory of Sewol” and a forthcoming webtoon based on her book “Stone House on Jeju Island.”
She also regaled the pair of the time when she met heartthrob actor Rock Hudson as an eight-year-old during a movie shoot in which she was acting as an orphan who was brought to Jeju during a real-life Korean War operation titled Operation Kiddy Car.     
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Saving Jeju’s beaches, one piece of trash at a time | Episode #7

In this episode of Me, You & Jeju, Darryl Coote retells his story of meeting the owner of Jeju's World Automobile & Piano Museum on a recent trip with his daughter to the museum, which tucked inside Seogwipo's Gotjawal forest.
Alexis and Darryl talk recent developments on the island with COVID-19 and inoculations.
And the pair discuss the growth of craft beer in Korea with Jeju Beer Company at the helm.
They also speak with Ju Young Han, founder and CEO of Save Jeju Bada, a non-profit grassroots organization that holds beach clean-ups around the island.
Her Instagram account can be found here: Save Jeju Bada.   
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The Women of Jeju 4.3 | Episode #6

In this episode of Me, You and Jeju, Alexis Joy retells her experience of finally seeing the island's elusive dolphins, Darryl Coote drops facts about how coffee shops have bloomed on Jeju amid the pandemic and the pair discuss Japan's decision to dump tons of treated wastewater from the decommissioned Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean and the effects it may or may not have on their island home.
The pair also interview Youjoung (Yuna) Kim about her article "Silent Wounds of Jeju 4.3" that was recently published by the Radical History Review.
A Ph.D. student in the Department of Anthropology at Johns Hopkins University, Youjoung studies how the violence of the Jeju Massacre has become ingrained in the every day life of not only survivors but their descendants.
The Jeju native tells Darryl and Alexis that the names given to the tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of upwards of 30,000 people between 1947-54, do not properly encapsulate the experiences of those who lived it.
She also discusses the overlooked role of women during and after the massacre and explains why she thinks the United States is responsible for the massacre.
Links used in the show:
Fukushima
"Japan decides to release Fukushima wastewater into ocean" by Darryl Coote/UPI
"Jeju Island under threat from planned Fukushima wastewater release" by Ko Un-tae/The Korea Herald
 
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Driving in Jeju is the worst! | Episode #5

Ahead of recording this episode, a horrific traffic accident occurred, resulting in at least three deaths. Dozens more were injured. 
Hosts Darryl and Alexis had already planned the episode around driving and the island, but their thoughts and sympathies go out to those affected by this tragedy.
Driving is a big problem on the island, and Darryl believes it comes down to poor city planning and a lack of rule enforcement.
In the year of 2019, there were between 300-400 car crashes a month, resulting in a handful of deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Deer have also recently become a problem for cars as their numbers deplete and their habitat shrinks. 
The pair also discuss a quick update on the Landing International Casino heist before diving into Jeju Dialect Corner where they learn even more words and expressions to use at the Five-Day Market.
Last week, President Moon Jae-in visited the island to speak to bereaved family members and victims of the Jeju Massacre, a visit that Darryl and Alexis becomes a yearly tradition, no matter who is president.  
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