Hello and welcome to K-Culture With Jae-Ha Kim! Please read the following to learn more about my newsletter, how to subscribe (and unsubscribe), and what you can expect from this K-Culture life!
1/ WHAT IS K-CULTURE WITH JAE-HA KIM ABOUT?
I started this publication in 2023 to share my enthusiasm for Korean entertainment (K-dramas, Korean films, K-pop + more). My reviews and essays often include cultural context about what is being presented — things that non-Korean speakers may have missed. (Here’s the link to an index of some of my K-drama reviews.)
2/ IS IT ONLY ABOUT K-DRAMAS & K-POP?
No! I include interviews with notable Koreans such as Academy Award-winner Youn Yuh-jung (Minari, The Wedding Banquet, “Pachinko”). I also write about the immigrant experience, which includes some of the lingering damage many of us went through in order to fit in; advocate for Korean diaspora (especially transnational Korean adoptees), and I also share a recipe or two every once in a while.
I’m happy to report that many of my 7,500+ subscribers engage regularly with me and provide introspective perspectives that I hadn’t thought about. This community is both large and small, and through it, I’ve learned so much about other cultures. For instance, Niko Batallones’ Nicksy Once Monthly is a wonderful forum to learn about music from the Philippines.
3/ HOW DO I SUBSCRIBE?
Just type in your email below. When I write something new, it will be delivered directly into your in-box.
I usually publish one newsletter per week. Most of my work is available for all to read. However, for some topics that are more personal and/or controversial, there may be small portions that are available only to paid subscribers.
4/ HOW DO I CANCEL MY PAID SUBSCRIPTION?
Please note that your paid subscription will be valid through the time period you’ve already paid for. For example, if your annual or monthly subscription is paid through April 30, please cancel by April 29 so that you are not billed for the next cycle. If you cancel on April 2, your subscription will be valid through April 30.
5/ WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF BEING A PAID SUBSCRIBER?
All paid subscribers are invited to the online ZOOM Meet-ups that I host regularly, where we chat about all things Korean (and Koreancentric).
6/ WHY DID YOU START THIS NEWSLETTER?
Back when I started in journalism, I was never assigned to cover any Korean acts, because no one in the U.S. was interested in them. I primarily wrote about western groups. And when I did get assigned to cover an Asian act, they were never Korean.
But now, it’s a completely different era. Even though no one wanted to know about anything Korean when I was a kid… Today, I get to interview some amazingly talented Korean acts like BTS, Youn Yuh-jung, Epik High, ATEEZ, Monsta X, Blackpink, Eric Nam, Xikers, and The Rose — and more.
So… what do you think? Here’s your chance to get free Korean-centric content delivered weekly to you and the opportunity to interact with other Korean culture fans. If you want to join us, hit the little button below.
A huge thank you to my fellow Korean Americans, Alexander Chee (for telling me I should start telling my stories here), and Maangchi (who was one of the first people to recommend my newsletter). 감사합니다! And I highly recommend that you follow their work as well.
To get a feel for what I write about, here are some of my posts that have resonated with readers:
In The Latest Edition of 'You’re Not Korean Enough,' the Internet Attacks a Transnational Adoptee
In another edition of You’re Not Korean Enough, we have a contingent of cruel and clueless people on the internet who are taking a Korean adoptee to task for not being a real Korean. Why? Because she i…
How "KPop Demon Hunters" Incorporates Korean Mythology Into Its Film
Based on the Koreans and Korean diaspora I have interviewed over the decades, as well as my own lived experience as an immigrant, I would say that most of us never dreamed of the day when Korean pop culture would be considered cool to anyone other than — well —
Rest in Peace, Lee Sun-kyun
On December 27, 2023, actor Lee Sun-kyun died by apparent suicide. Alarmed by finding what appeared to be a suicide note, his wife — the actress Jeon Hye-jin — called the police. By the time they reached him in central Seoul, he was dead. Though the autopsy report is yet to come, experts are speculating tha…
Do Koreans Swear?
First of all, thanks to everyone who has subscribed already! Several of you have asked if I’ve had any unusual questions asked. I don’t know if this counts as unusual, but I found this query to be amusing. Someone who recently started watching Korean shows asked, “Do Koreans swear?”
Was Korean culture to blame for the Sewol tragedy?
Nine years ago, I wrote the following essay after the Sewol Ferry capsized on April 16, 2014. I’m sharing it with you on the anniversary of this tragic day. More than 300 passengers — the majority of them students and faculty members of the Danwon High School in South Korea — are dead or missing after the Sewol ferry crashed and sank on April 16. Since t…
© 2026 JAE-HA KIM | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
K-DRAMA INDEX
These are some of my reviews and essays about K-Dramas (and also Korean films and other Korean-centric projects). You may also read more about my take on Korean pop culture in outlets such as Rolling Stone, Mashable, Victoria & Al…
