About the Podcast

What is Canaries in the Motherland?

Canaries in the Motherland is a podcast dedicated to exploring expressions of Koreanness through the eyes of ethnic Koreans who have grown up outside of Korea and now live here. People sought for this podcast include those members of the Korean diaspora who consider themselves to have grown up outside of Korea and have now been in residence for at least one year.

Who is the intended audience?

First and foremost, Canaries in the Motherland is intended to be a resource for those overseas Koreans — be they gyopo, adoptee or mixed-race Koreans — considering making a long-term move to Korea. Also, this podcast can be a means of networking and support for like-minded listeners and interviewees, no matter where they live.

Tertiary audiences include friends and family of those who do or may one day live in Korea, such as adoptive families, as well as researches of Korean cultural diversity or Korean Studies interested in first-hand testimonials from those “outsiders” who now live here.

What’s with the title?

The metaphor of canaries in multi-faceted. First off, it’s about yellow power, right? Hehe. In addition, Canaries is in the Motherland is based on the premise that having grown up an overseas Korean, “Korean-but-not,” is an experience inherently different from that of Koreans in Korea. Much as overseas Koreans have been acculturated outside of Korea and face numerous barriers living in Korea — language, culture, legal status — domesticated birds face perilous challenges if suddenly confronted by freedom.

In addition to this, mining canaries were used as recently as the late 20th century as a means of early detection of noxious gases in new mine shafts. In much the same way, Canaries in the Motherland is an outlet in which those overseas Koreans contemplating a move to Korea may get a feel for Korean life through listening to the experiences of those overseas Koreans paving the way for others’ returns.

Knowing our shortcomings …

Currently Canaries in the Motherland has a list of potential interviewees that includes ethnic Koreans from the USA, France, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Venezuela, Paraguay, New Zealand, Australia and Japan, but our list is currently limited to those who are relatively fluent in English.

Although English is the language of international communication, Canaries in the Motherland recognizes the problematic nature of a “diasporic” podcast which takes anglophone form. That’s why we’re looking to expand our listenership and interview pool with the help of volunteer translators. If you would like to help our podcast become more accessible, please e-mail us.

Also, please bear in mind, however, that all work done for Canaries in the Motherland is volunteer, and we all know how that goes …