The world of K-Pop is a global phenomenon, but some of its brightest stars aren't from Korea. In powerhouse groups like Twice, Le Sserafim, and NCT, you'll find a growing number of Japanese idols who have become fan favorites around the world.

But their journey is more than just a success story. It's a fascinating look at the complex and often fraught relationship between Japan and South Korea. In this video, we explore the strategic brilliance of including Japanese members in K-Pop groups, the unique pressures these "crossover" stars face, and how they have become unlikely but powerful cultural diplomats, bridging the gap between two nations with a shared and complicated history.

GROUPS & IDOLS MENTIONED:

• Twice (Momo, Sana, Mina)

• Le Sserafim (Sakura, Kazuha)

• NCT (Yuta, Shotaro)

• IZ*ONE

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

► Who is your favorite non-Korean K-Pop idol? Let us know in our Discord

#KPop #JPop #Twice #LeSserafim #VideoEssay #CulturalAnalysis #BoyMeetsEast

Thanks for joining East of Everywhere! If this episode made you think, the best way to support us is by sharing it with a friend and leaving a 5-star rating on your podcast app.

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🔄 Your Boy's other adventures:

• Required Watching – deep dives into must-see films for filmmakers.

• Emerging – real-time screenwriting insights from rising writers.

Until next time, keep exploring—and keep learning!

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Podcast Show Notes:

Jump scares are easy. A quiet, creeping dread that follows you home is art. In this episode of The East of Everywhere, we're dissecting the unique and deeply unsettling world of J-Horror, using the 2002 masterpiece Ju-On: The Grudge as our scalpel.

Why are Japanese ghost stories so profoundly different and, for many, so much scarier than their Western counterparts? We explore the terrifying cultural concepts that define the genre: the inescapable curse of the Onryō (vengeful spirit), the psychological horror of violating mundane and "safe" spaces, and the disorienting power of non-linear storytelling. This is a look at the quiet, atmospheric terror that J-Horror perfected.

WATCH THE ORIGINAL FILM:

► Ju-On: The Grudge (2002)

MEDIA REFERENCED:

• Ringu (1998)

• The concept of Yūrei (Japanese ghosts)

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

► What's the scariest movie you've ever seen—from any country? Defend your choice in the #film-club on Discord:

Listener discretion is advised. If this episode made you sleep with the lights on, please consider leaving a 5-star rating on your podcast app.

Thanks for joining East of Everywhere! If this episode made you think, the best way to support us is by sharing it with a friend and leaving a 5-star rating on your podcast app.

✉️ Join Boy Meets Inbox

🐦 Follow us: @BoyMeetsEast on X • Instagram • TikTok

📺 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BoyMeetsEast

🔄 Your Boy's other adventures:

• Required Watching – deep dives into must-see films for filmmakers.

• Emerging – real-time screenwriting insights from rising writers.

Until next time, keep exploring—and keep learning!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to a meeting of the East of Everywhere film club. Today, we're stepping into the enchanting, heartbreaking, and deeply philosophical world of Studio Ghibli and its master director, Hayao Miyazaki. Why do films like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke resonate so powerfully, even decades after their release?

This isn't just a film review; it's a deep dive into a worldview. In this solo session, I'm exploring the three core themes that I believe make up the "Gospel of Ghibli": his complex reverence for nature, his unwavering faith in the resilience of youth, and his profound belief in the spiritual dignity of work. This is my attempt to understand the magic behind one of the greatest storytellers of our time.

FILMS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Spirited Away (2001)

• Princess Mononoke (1997)

• My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

• Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

► What's your favorite Ghibli film and why?

Thanks for joining East of Everywhere! If this episode made you think, the best way to support us is by sharing it with a friend and leaving a 5-star rating on your podcast app.

✉️ Join Boy Meets Inbox

🐦 Follow us: @BoyMeetsEast on X • Instagram • TikTok

📺 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BoyMeetsEast

🔄 Your Boy's other adventures:

• Required Watching – deep dives into must-see films for filmmakers.

• Emerging – real-time screenwriting insights from rising writers.

Until next time, keep exploring—and keep learning!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boy Meets East is built on a foundation of curiosity. For our second-ever episode, we wanted to prove that by turning the microphone over to you. We asked a simple question to our friends, family, and early supporters: "What is your single biggest question about Japan, Korea, or China?"

The response was incredible. In this special "Mailbag" episode, we dive into these foundational questions, offering thoughtful, well-researched, and beginner-friendly answers. From the practical ("What's the real difference between their languages?") to the cultural ("Why is bowing so important?") to the philosophical ("Is 'honor' the same as it is in the West?"), this episode is a rapid-fire deep dive into the topics you're most curious about.

This is what Boy Meets East is all about: starting a conversation and learning together.

In This Episode, We Answer:

• Question 1: "What are the real differences between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages? Can they understand each other?"
• Question 2: "Why is bowing such a big deal, and are there different kinds of bows?"
• Question 3: "I see so many people wearing masks in shows and photos, even before 2020. What's the reason?"
• Question 4: "Is the concept of 'honor' in samurai films anything like real life today?"
• A call for future "Mailbag" questions from you, the listener.

Resources & Links:

• Want to submit a question for our next Mailbag episode? Get in toch

Follow Boy Meets East:

• YouTube: [Link]
• Instagram: [Link]
• Twitter/X: [Link]
• Goodreads: [Link]
• Support our deep dives and get exclusive access on Patreon: [Link]

Thanks for joining East of Everywhere! If this episode made you think, the best way to support us is by sharing it with a friend and leaving a 5-star rating on your podcast app.

✉️ Join Boy Meets Inbox

🐦 Follow us: @BoyMeetsEast on X • Instagram • TikTok

📺 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BoyMeetsEast

🔄 Your Boy's other adventures:

• Required Watching – deep dives into must-see films for filmmakers.

• Emerging – real-time screenwriting insights from rising writers.

Until next time, keep exploring—and keep learning!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a month of "firsts"—my first bowl of real ramen, my first K-Drama while studying Korean, my first attempt at Hangul—one word keeps coming up: "authentic." We're all chasing it. The "authentic" experience, the "real" deal. But what if that chase is a trap?

In this solo "Field Notes" episode of East of Everywhere, I'm grappling with this powerful and complicated idea. We'll explore why the search for cultural "purity" is a flawed mission and propose a different, more honest way to approach our journey of discovery. This is a look at the core philosophy that will guide everything we do here at Boy Meets East.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

► What does "authenticity" mean to you? This is a big topic in our Discord community. Join the conversation: [Link]

If this episode made you think, the best way to support us is by sharing it with a friend and leaving a 5-star rating on your podcast app.

Thanks for joining East of Everywhere! If this episode made you think, the best way to support us is by sharing it with a friend and leaving a 5-star rating on your podcast app.

✉️ Join Boy Meets Inbox

🐦 Follow us: @BoyMeetsEast on X • Instagram • TikTok

📺 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BoyMeetsEast

🔄 Your Boy's other adventures:

• Required Watching – deep dives into must-see films for filmmakers.

• Emerging – real-time screenwriting insights from rising writers.

Until next time, keep exploring—and keep learning!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the very first episode of East of Everywhere. In this foundational episode, I'm pulling back the curtain and sharing the personal story behind Boy Meets East. It’s a journey that starts with a chance encounter with a groundbreaking anime, winds through a deep appreciation for film, and confronts the walls of intimidation that many of us feel when looking at a culture that isn't our own.

This is the "why" behind the entire project. This is my origin story.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Anime: Samurai Champloo

• Film: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

• Director: Bong Joon-ho (Parasite)

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It’s the single best way to help a new show like ours find its audience.

Thanks for joining East of Everywhere! If this episode made you think, the best way to support us is by sharing it with a friend and leaving a 5-star rating on your podcast app.

✉️ Join Boy Meets Inbox

🐦 Follow us: @BoyMeetsEast on X • Instagram • TikTok

📺 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@BoyMeetsEast

🔄 Your Boy's other adventures:

• Required Watching – deep dives into must-see films for filmmakers.

• Emerging – real-time screenwriting insights from rising writers.

Until next time, keep exploring—and keep learning!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.