California Love

WILD is a podcast about growing up… kind of. About those big and small moments that transform us forever. About how sometimes we come out on the other side of chaos or adversity with scars, but we come out stronger. WILD is back for season two. This season, it's all about love with co-hosts Erick Galindo and Megan Tan. You heard Megan's pandemic love story in season one. This time, Erick tells Megan a fictional love story, inspired by the wildest thing he once did for love... It starts with an invite on a cross-country road trip with the woman who stole his heart. Join him and Melinna Bobadilla, Gabrielle Ruiz, and Atsuko Okatsuka. Does Erick find his one true love? Listen to WILD Season 2: I Think I’m Falling in Love now. Support WILD and other LAist Studios podcasts by donating now at LAist.com/join Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at https://www.stamps.com/WILD Thanks to Stamps.com for sponsoring the show! This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

This week, the K-Pop Dreaming team is bringing you a special episode from our friends at, “Shoes Off: A Sexy Asian Podcast” from the public radio station, WBEZ. It's a podcast that celebrates badass Asians who are making a mark on pop culture and entertainment. In this episode stand-up comic, Atsuko Okatsuka, is taking the world by storm with her first HBO special, The Intruder, and her viral Drop Challenge on TikTok. She talks about how she learned English by watching Scooby-Doo, what it means to be named Margaret Cho’s comedy heir, and how she took her mom and grandma everywhere — including to her honeymoon.

In a special live event in partnership between LAist Studios and GYOPO, Vivian delves into the origins of K-Pop with Michello Cho, a professor at University of Toronto, and Jheanelle Brown, a California Institute of the Arts faculty member. The conversation goes deep on the influence of hip hop on K-Pop's sound and dance, the impact of American imperialism on the music, and more. (originally published April 27, 2023) This episode features clips from these videos: Korean Kittens - What'd I Say: The Korean Kittens What'd I Say Girls’ Generation - Genie: Girls' Generation 소녀시대 '소원을 말해봐 (Genie)' MV (Start at 00:35) BTS - Intro Performance Trailer: BTS (방탄소년단) 가요대제전 Intro performance Trailer Seo Taiji & Boys - Anyhow Song: 서태지와 아이들(Seotaiji and Boys) - 하여가(Anyhow Song) M/V Yoon Mirae - Black Happiness: [MV] Yoonmirae(윤미래) _ Black Happiness(검은 행복) - Support K-pop Dreaming and other LAist Studios podcasts by donating now at LAist.com/join This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

"Psycho" was an instant K-Pop hit when it came out in 2019. The Red Velvet song debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart, and the music video now has over 300 million views on Youtube. In this bonus episode, we look at the creation of "Psycho". Vivian speaks to two of the songwriters behind the song -- and learns about a little-known incident that erupted just days before the song's release. (Originally published April 20, 2023) Support K-pop Dreaming and other LAist Studios podcasts by donating now at LAist.com/join This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

1TYM is one of the most iconic first-generation K-pop groups from the 90’s. The group is also one of Vivian’s all-time favorites. This special bonus episode features an extended interview with Danny Im, the lead vocalist of 1TYM. Danny talks to Vivian about meeting legendary K-pop producer YG in Koreatown for an impromptu audition, 1TYM’s rise to fame during K-pop’s infancy in the ‘90s and early 2000s, and Danny’s first impressions of Jennie and Lisa -- when the two auditioned for YG Entertainment before becoming members of BLACKPINK. (originally published April 13, 2023) Support K-pop Dreaming and other LAist Studios podcasts by donating now at LAist.com/join This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

K-Pop has put Koreatown on the map for a lot of people who might not have known about the neighborhood otherwise. Fans from around the country visit the area for concerts, special K-Pop events, and to find rare or one-of-a-kind merch. Vivian hits up some of these establishments in K-town to see what they reveal about the history of the neighborhood and the music, and how those connections have shaped Korean Americans who have grown up in Los Angeles. Features Ryan Lee Wong, author of the novel, “Which Side Are You On”. (originally published April 6, 2023) Support K-pop Dreaming and other LAist Studios podcasts by donating now at LAist.com/join This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

There’s no better place to experience K-Pop fandom in all of its passion and glory than KCON. In the span of a decade, the annual fan convention has grown to a nationwide event drawing hundreds of thousands of fans. And just like many things K-Pop-related in the US – the extravaganza started right here in Southern California. Vivian and her childhood friends visit KCON held in downtown Los Angeles to witness the impact of the music firsthand. (Originally published March 30, 2023) Support K-pop Dreaming and other LAist Studios podcasts by donating now at LAist.com/join This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

The LA Uprising exploded racial and economic injustices simmering under the surface of Los Angeles into the open. Vivian looks at the events leading up to the Uprising, and the efforts following the protests to promote racial harmony in Los Angeles, including the staging of an African music festival in South Los Angeles that featured a performance by an up-and-coming Korean American rapper named Tiger JK. Years after the festival, he would go on to make a name for himself in South Korea as the “Godfather of Korean Hip-Hop”. (Originally published March 23, 2023) Support K-pop Dreaming and other LAist Studios podcasts by donating now at LAist.com/join This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

The underground hip-hop scene in Los Angeles was thriving in the late 1980s. And there, soaking in the vibe, was a Korean American college student by the name of Jae Chong. He was also making music on the side, but didn’t think much was going to come of it. That is, until an out-of-the-blue invitation brought him and his friends to Korea when K-pop was taking off. Their group, Solid, would become the Kings of R&B and the first Korean American act to make a splash in the Korean music industry. Vivian reflects on the importance of Solid and sees the group's Korean-Americanness as the cornerstone of their success. (Originally published March 16, 2023) Support K-pop Dreaming by donating now at LAist.com/join This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

In this episode, we head to an American military neighborhood in Seoul in the late 1980s. Tucked in an alleyway was a little grimy club that blasted American hip-hop, the place was for African American GIs to cut loose, but it pulled in an unexpected crowd – young Koreans who would become the pioneers of modern K-pop. Itaewon was also the setting for the beginning of another story – it was the place where Vivian’s parents met and fell in love. Features Kang Won Rae, one of K-pop's legends that came out of the Moon Night scene. (Originally published March 9, 2023) This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Vivian begins her exploration of K-Pop's history with a genre of Korean music called trot that emerged during the Japanese colonization of Korea. Trot holds up a mirror to Korea’s history and gives rise to an enigmatic quality that, some say, informs K-pop. Vivian’s guide for this episode: her grandmother. Also features 2023 Korean Music Awards nominee and K-pop artist, 250. (Originally published March 2, 2023) This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Vivian puts together a mixed CD with some of her favorite K-Pop songs from the 90’s and 2000’s. Each song is connected to a different moment in her life and they all happen to be some of K-pop’s greatest hits. And together, these songs tell the early history of the genre’s evolution and growth, as well as their migration to the Korean diaspora in Los Angeles. (Original published February 23, 2023) This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Growing up in Koreatown during the 90s and 2000s, host Vivian Yoon was an emo-listening teenager who embraced American pop culture. At least that’s what it seemed from the outside. But at home, by herself, what she listened to was K-Pop. How Vivian's hidden love for the music is propelling her to explore the connections between K-Pop and her hometown. (Originally published February 23, 2023) This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/Dreaming This episode is brought to you by your local Kia dealers. Visit kia.com to discover movement that inspires. This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

K-pop disrupted pop culture in South Korea in the early 1990s and quickly the new and electrifying sound found fans across the world. One of those fans was a kid growing up thousands of miles away in Koreatown, Los Angeles. In K-Pop Dreaming, the second season of the acclaimed California Love podcast, host and writer Vivian Yoon takes listeners on a journey to learn about the history behind the music that had defined her childhood. From an occupied Korea in the 1930s and a small hip-hop club in 1980s Seoul to the 1992 LA Uprising and the music’s booming popularity today, the surprising story of K-pop is juxtaposed against Vivian’s own coming of age as a second-generation immigrant, struggling to fit in and come to terms with her own identity. The series premieres on February 23, 2023.

Introducing "Snooze," a new show from LAist Studios about things people put off, how they conquer them, but most importantly, how they conquer themselves. In each episode, host Megan Tan, the Snooze Squad and guest celebrities will strategize an action plan for people like you and me to face our fears. Take a listen and subscribe to Snooze wherever you get your podcasts! Snooze fans: go to HelloFresh.com/snooze16 and use code snooze16 for up to 16 free meals AND 3 free gifts! Feals: become...

When it comes to invasive plants, tree of heaven is public enemy number one. This week on the show, we get to the bottom of its bad reputation. We’ll discover which parts are science, and which parts are straight up racism. Human Nature is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/nature Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place...

Nature is everywhere. And for LouAnne Brickhouse, it’s literally just steps away from her living room. Brickhouse is the founder of the popular Instagram account, “The Daily James.” She gives us a tour of the natural world that’s thriving in her Los Angeles backyard. Human Nature is sponsored by BetterHelp and our listeners get 10% off their first month of online therapy at BetterHelp.com/nature Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality...

In the early 1990’s, hateful anti-immigrant political rhetoric roused California’s Chicano student rights movement, and college student and radio host Oscar Gomez was one of its most prominent voices. Some thought he was going to be the next Cesar Chavez. But on November 17, 1994, Oscar was mysteriously found dead on the Santa Barbara shore. Imperfect Paradise: The Forgotten Revolutionary follows host and reporter Adolfo Guzman-Lopez as he investigates Oscar’s death and revisits his own...

Snooze is a show about things people put off, how they conquer them, but most importantly, how they conquer themselves. In this podcast host Megan Tan, the creator of “Millennial," the Snooze Squad and guest celebrities will help people like you and me strategize an action plan to face their fears. Snooze fans - go to HelloFresh.com/snooze16 and use code snooze16 for up to 16 free meals AND 3 free gifts! Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe...

Introducing Human/Nature, from LAist Studios, a podcast with a wild yet inspiring thesis: if you step outside and reconnect with nature in your own city, you’ll feel better, reconnect with yourself, and find your place in the world. This podcast will empower you to reclaim your attention. In Episode 1, host and nature activist Marcos Trinidad talks with Jenny Odell, an artist and author of the book, “How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy.” O’Dell talks about birdwatching, the...