Sep 24

Democratic Socialism. Hope or Hopeless?

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is having a big moment. Its candidates and its membership are both surging. Before Zohran Mamdani and AOC, there was its founder, Michael Harrington, a.k.a 'the man who discovered poverty.' In this episode, we dig into Harrington’s evolu ... Show More

50m 18s

Sep 17

How two swing states changed American voting

Today on the show, the balance of Congressional power is up for grabs in this midterm election. It could be determined by a small number of voters in a few battleground states. Blueprints from the past could be the guide for big wins. The GOP has embraced a block-the-vote strateg ... Show More

50m 11s

Sep 10

How baseball got its beat

Major League Baseball’s postseason is just a few weeks away, and here on Throughline we know the power of a good walk-up song. But how did baseball become such a musical sport? And where did the idea for walk up-music come from? Guests:John Thorn, author and Official Baseball His ... Show More

32m 3s

Nov 2022

Throughline: How Korean culture went global

From BTS to Squid Game to high-end beauty standards, South Korea reigns as a global exporter of pop culture and entertainment. How does a country go from a war-decimated state just 70 years ago, to a major driver of global soft power? Through war, occupation, economic crisis, and ... Show More

48m 3s

Jun 2021

K-pop, K-dramas, and K-fever: Why Korean Culture is Booming

In this episode, Dr. Anderson, a South Korean media studies and popular culture expert at George Mason University, tells us how Hallyu - or the Korean Wave - led to the globalization of Korean culture. We discuss how K-pop music and Korean dramas gained worldwide popularity, anal ... Show More

26m 43s

Jan 2023

Hallyu: How the Korean Wave Is Sweeping Global Culture

Background: The Korean cultural wave, also known as Hallyu, has become worldwide sensation a in recent years, with Korean art, music, drama, food and more sweeping the globe. Thanks to the fervour over the likes of K-pop and K-beaut ... Show More

22m 3s

Jan 2021

The K-Pop Wave

Since 2012, Korean pop culture has captured the imagination of people across the Middle East: from K-pop and K-dramas to Korean language classes and even to Korean fried chicken. It's everywhere!But how did we become so obsessed with a culture so different from our own? And how m ... Show More

36m 24s

Jan 2019

BTS: Who made Korea cool?

Korean culture is increasingly playing a bigger role in our lives: We eat Korean BBQ, watch Korean dramas, and buy Korean cosmetics. But the big drive behind the Korean wave is Korean Pop, better known as K-pop. The country’s music industry is taking the world by storm, penetrati ... Show More

21m 3s

Jan 2024

#440 | The Korean Wave: How K-Pop Conquered the World

It's the story of how artists from a small, somewhat unexpected country became global music sensations, amassing devoted fans and making billions in the process. In this episode, we'll be talking about the rise of K-Pop, the strategic role of the Korean government, and the global ... Show More

22m 59s

May 2023

K-Pop's Surprising B(l)ackstory

K-pop disrupted pop culture in South Korea in the early 1990s, and later found fans around the world. Vivian Yoon was one of those fans, growing up thousands of miles away in Koreatown, Los Angeles. This week, we're sharing an episode of In K-Pop Dreaming, the second season of LA ... Show More

45m 6s

Apr 2025

K-pop Stans (teaser)

Ever since Seo Taiji and Boys broke onto the scene in their baggy overalls back in 1992, Korea has been working to cast as wide a cultural net as possible on the world stage. And, by placing young talent through rigorous game show incubators and pumping out dozens of attractive, ... Show More

5m 49s

How Korean Culture Went Global