Live from South Korea — Interview with Steve Jang on The Tim Ferriss Show podcast The post Live from South Korea — Steve Jang on Korea’s Exploding “Soft Power,” The Poverty-to-Power Playbook, K-Pop, “Han” Energy, Must-See Movies, Export Economies,...
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“For Koreans, ‘han’ can be a drive to do great things, to bond together, to understand each other, to empathize. But it can also just be anger and K-rage which, channeled correctly, allows you to build an entire industry and succeed on the global level to create pop-culture phenomena that win Grammys and movies that win Oscars and light up the world to what’s happening in this little country that used to be poor, that was broken after colonization and a war.”
— Steve JangScroll down to the show notes section to see Steve’s must-see Korean movies and must-do things in Seoul.
Steve Jang (@stevejang) is the founder and managing partner at Kindred Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund based in San Francisco. He is also a longtime friend and one of the founder-now-investor generation of VCs that arose out of the last technology cycle. Steve is one of the top 100 venture capital investors in the world, according to Forbes Midas List of top venture capital investors, and was ranked #45 in 2023. He is also a Korean-American, a gyopo, who is deeply invested and involved in both the technological and cultural worlds in the US and Asia.
Previously, Steve was an early advisor to, and angel investor in, Uber, and then an early-stage investor in Coinbase, Postmates, Poshmark, Tonal, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Humane, the AI device platform. He helped Uber, Coinbase, and Blue Bottle Coffee, among others, to expand into Korea and Japan. As an entrepreneur, Steve co-founded companies in the consumer internet, mobile, and crypto space.
In the film and music world, he is an executive producer, and his most recent film is Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV, which tells the story of the greatest Korean artist, and father of digital video art, and which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023. His next film is a documentary about Vitalik Buterin, the creator of Ethereum.
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Want to hear another episode featuring a gyopo? Listen to my conversation with streetwear artist Bobby Hundreds in which we discussed his double life as a parent-pleasing law student and clandestine artist, collaboration over competition, rolling with the tides of fickle fashion, necessary disconnections, subcultural security, hermit north stars, and much more.
What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.
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SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
Connect with Steve Jang:Kindred Ventures | Twitter | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn
Steve’s Top “Must-See” Korean Movies:
Oldboy The Wailing The Handmaiden Memories of Murder Parasite Burning Minari Broker (2022) Joint Security AreaSteve’s “Must-Do” Things in Seoul:
Walk and explore the old town areas of Samcheong, Insa, and Hongdae. Meander around these hills and small streets and alleys full of small shops, cafes, and tea houses. Headbob or dance with local folks at small DJ bars in Hongdae or Itaewon. Favorites are Cakeshop, Hills and Europa, and Gopchang Jeongol. Eat at a Hanwoo beef specialty restaurant. Hanwoo is the Korean version of Wagyu. Check out small art galleries, craft boutiques, and large museums including the Leeum. The artist community in Korea is a core element of Korean society, in historical, counterculture, and fine art spheres. Eat lunch in the food court of a major department store like Hyundai, Galleria, or Shinsegae. Completely different quality than what you’d expect in the US. Exercise at the outdoor park by the Han River. The colder the weather, the better. Get Tongdak (Korean fried chicken) and beer. If you aren’t eating next to taxi drivers and ajummas, then it’s not OG. Explore Dongdaemun Market, the largest independent fashion designer marketplace in the world. Go out for cocktails, makkoli (fermented soybean liquor), and karaoke (which is called “noraebang” in Korean) in Apgujeong, the cool kid area of Gangnam. Sign up for a K-pop boot camp for three months and pay to learn how to sing, dance, and dress to be in the next BLACKPINK or BTS. Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV | Prime Video Past Lives | Prime Video Hallyu (Korean Wave) | Korea.net K-Everything: The Rise and Rise of Korean Culture | The Guardian Full History of Korea in Five Minutes | History on Maps Korean Diaspora | Wikipedia South Korea’s Complicated Embrace of Gyopo | Los Angeles Times Blade Runner | Prime Video Korea First to Protect Robot Rights | Wired Seoul Hopes to Start Flying Taxis in 2025 | Chosunilbo AMP Korea: From Hermit Kingdom to Colony | Association for Asian Studies Van Nuys Senior High Your All-in-One Hangul Guide | 90-Day Korean What’s Behind Japan and South Korea’s Latest Attempt to Mend Ties? | United States Institute of Peace Nine Things You Should Know About Christianity in Korea | TGC Confucianism | National Geographic Introduction to the Cultural Revolution | FSI Thriving on Anxiety: Korea’s Multibillion-Dollar Hagwon Industry | Korea Herald Pachinko by Min Jin Lee | Amazon A Uniquely Japanese Take On Nostalgia | BBC Saudade: An Untranslatable, Undeniably Potent Word | alt.latino Bizarro World | Wikipedia Stranger Things | Netflix The Upside Down | Stranger Things Wiki How to Say “No” In Japanese? It’s Harder Than You Think | Japan Dev Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s Punch Perm Is a Tough-Guy Look with a Wild History | Inverse Families Divided by War in North and South Korea Reunite | CBS Mornings This News Broadcast Reunited 10,189 Families Separated by War | The Ethnographer The Korean War | AP US History Study Guide from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History An Unpromising Recovery: South Korea’s Post-Korean War Economic Development: 1953-1961 | Association for Asian Studies The Host (English Subtitled) | Prime Video What Are Chaebol Structures in South Korea? | Investopedia South Koreans Push for Promised Chaebol Reforms | Financial Times Squid Game | Netflix Physical: 100 | Netflix American Gladiators (1989 TV Series) | Wikipedia The Hunger Games | Prime Video BLACKPINK at Coachella: Group Thanks Fans for Supporting Historic Set | Rolling Stone Venture Capital | Investopedia Paving the Path to Soft Power: Crucial Moments in South Korea’s Cultural Policies | Wilson Center Manga Answerman: How Do Censorship Rules Work for Hentai? | Anime News Network How the Beanie Baby Craze Came to a Crashing End | History Naruto | Prime Video Wu-Tang Clan Backstreet Boys This Is Spinal Tap | Prime Video “These Go to 11.” | Spinal Tap K-Pop Trainee Program | ACOPIA There’s a Uniquely Korean Word for Rage and Regret. So Why Had I Never Heard of It? | CBC Radio “Chips on Shoulders Put Chips In Pockets” | Josh Wolfe, Twitter The Uniquely Korean Concept of Jeong (?/?) | Knowing Korea What Is ‘Nunchi’, the Korean Secret to Happiness? | The Guardian Omotenashi : The Philosophy of Japanese Hospitality | TOKI South Korea Has the Lowest Fertility Rate in the World – And That Doesn’t Bode Well for Its Economy | The Conversation 1997 Asian Financial Crisis | Federal Reserve History How Gold Rode to the Rescue of South Korea | Forbes Is Korea’s College Entrance Exam Too Difficult? | Korea Herald Gwageo: Gateway to Success in Joseon | Korea Herald Esports in Korea: Guide to Korean Gaming Culture | Seoulz League of Legends The Korean PC Bang: Everything to Know Before You Go! | The Soul of Seoul 10 Popular Korean Cosplayers | KPOP Webmagazine LVKM+Wold How Ugg Boots Became Fashion’s Hottest New Shoe — Again | Vogue ‘Squid Game’ Has Transformed What It Means to Go Viral | Protocol Hollywood Relies on China to Stay Afloat. What Does That Mean for Movies? | NPR I Only Work 4 Hours by Timothy Ferriss (Korean Edition) | Amazon Ryanair: The Full Story of the Controversial Low-Cost Airline by Siobhan Creaton | Amazon Making Commerce Better for Everyone | Shopify The Story of Uber | Investopedia Talk To Me In Korean Level 1 | Amazon Real-Life Korean Conversations For Beginners | Amazon Why Do Some French People Dislike It When You Try to Speak Their Language? | Quora The Free, Fun, and Effective Way to Learn a Language | Duolingo The Natural Way to Learn a New Language | The Michel Thomas Method Learn to Read Korean in 15 Minutes | Ryan Estrada Powerful, Intelligent Flash Cards | Anki Learn Fast and Remember Forever | SuperMemo The Language Master: A Film about Michel Thomas | Michel Thomas Method One Piece Wiki | Fandom Dragon Ball Z Game of Thrones | HBO Game of Thrones Tour in Dubrovnik, Croatia | King’s Landing Dubrovnik Four Apps You Need in Korea: Naver Map, Kakao Map, Google Maps, Subway | Your Korea Friend Naver Map Kakao Map WeChat What Is K-Beauty and Why Is It So Advanced? | Coveteur History | Suntory Gangnam Style | Psy Teheran-ro : The Venture Capital Mecca of Korea | InvestKOREA South Korean LLM War Intensifies to Fend Off ChatGPT | KED Global Nuclear Tensions Escalate Dangerously on Korean Peninsula | ICAN Don’t Hold Your Breath for Korean Reunification: Five Problems | Time Who First Said ‘Long Time, No See’ and in Which Language? | Code Switch How to Order and Eat Korean BBQ | Thrillist Kimchi | Wikipedia Hammer Stahl Kitchen Scissors | Amazon Battle of the Sauces at the Get Sauced SXSW Pool Party | Eater Austin Benu Restaurants, Products, Nationwide Shipping | Momofuku South Korea’s Archery Invincibility Explained | Land of Legends Sundance Film Festival TV Buddha by Nam June Paik | National Gallery Singapore Electronic Superhighway: Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii by Nam June Paik | Smithsonian American Art Museum Five Times Artist Nam June Paik Predicted the Future | Tate Nam June Paik Videos | YouTube He5 and He6 | Psychedelic Rock ‘n’ Roll Jingle Bells / In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1969) by He5 | YouTube Little House on the Prairie: The 10 Darkest Episodes, Ranked | Screen Rant Rammstein R-16 Korea National Championships | Wikipedia Homemade Mandu (Korean Dumplings) | Beyond KimcheeSHOW NOTES
[09:37] Why has Korean culture been globally overlooked until recently? [13:36] In Seoul, the future is now. [17:23] Gyopo and the Korean diaspora. [19:15] Modern relations between South Korea and Japan. [21:07] Christianity and Confucianism in South Korea. [23:17] The intensity of Korean (including gyopo) hagwons. [25:46] Why Steve finds Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko particularly moving. [28:07] Japanese nostalgia. [29:25] Seoul: the Bizarro Tokyo? [39:49] Generations of Korean families traumatized by North/South separation. [44:32] Class struggle and cultural dichotomy in Korean cinema and literature. [50:22] Activism in a chaebol-dominated landscape. [54:25] How Korean culture resonates on a universal level. [56:50] How big money finances the artistic class struggle against big money. [59:57] Is the K-wave a fad, or is it here to stay? [1:05:24] Getting a handle on the untranslatable han. [1:08:13] Jeong and nunchi. [1:14:38] What will it take to remedy South Korea’s disastrously low birth rate? [1:25:05] Why I’ve been so fascinated by the K-wave. [1:36:02] How I’ve been learning the Korean language. [1:47:04] Why so many Japanese women visit Korea. [1:47:57] The lucrative power of Korea’s export economy. [1:52:07] Why the main road in Gangnam is named after the capital of Iran. [1:54:19] The real reason Steve believes South Korea is so industrious on multiple fronts. [1:58:02] How learning just 10 sentences in another language can fundamentally change your experience. [2:00:28] Korean food! [2:09:35] The unforgivable insult of leaving food uneaten. [2:11:25] Why you owe it to yourself to see Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV. [2:17:46] Why you owe it to yourself to listen to “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Korean psych rock band He5. [2:18:15] How gyopo influence on the arts bypassed home censorship policies. [2:24:20] Why you owe it to yourself to visit Seoul sooner rather than later. [2:26:30] Parting thoughts.MORE STEVE JANG QUOTES FROM THE INTERVIEW
“The North and South Korean governments at certain times, when they get along, they’ll try to do some great olive branch moves to reunite families. And they had the TV station film it, and they set up a whole area and they brought buses down. And it turned out to be not cathartic at all, but reopening pain.”
— Steve Jang
“Class struggle is the theme of so many [Korean] movies, books, TV series. It’s the suffering and the struggle to move out of their condition, and that society and the upper crust of society won’t allow it. This tension is in music, it’s in movies, it’s in literature, it’s in TV shows, it’s all around. And you might say, ‘Oh, no, it’s around every country.’ Sure it is. But it’s really strong and consistent in Korean movies and literature.”
— Steve Jang
“Han is probably the most talked-about collective trait of Koreans. What it essentially boils down to is this idea of collective suffering that the Korean people have through history, and manifests in this very complicated feeling of we are suffering and we share that pain with each other, but it’s somehow not always a negative. It can sometimes drive us to express ourselves in strong ways. It can drive us to suffer together collectively.”
— Steve Jang
“For Koreans, han can be a drive to do great things, to bond together, to understand each other, to empathize. But it can also just be anger and K-rage which, channeled correctly, allows you to build an entire industry and succeed on the global level to create pop culture phenomenons that win Grammys, and movies that win Oscars, and light up the world to what’s happening in this little country that used to be poor, that was broken after colonization and a war.”
— Steve Jang
“There is this accelerated sense of ‘We must achieve something tomorrow because we’re already behind.’ That is a very Korean mentality.”
— Steve Jang
“Tomorrow is not guaranteed for South Koreans. There’s a well-understood tension with North Korea that at any moment this could all be over.”
— Steve Jang
“Of all the cultural exports, Korean food is the most important one.”
— Steve Jang
“You get a thousand points of credit from any Korean if you try to speak the language. They love it. It’ll smooth all rough edges on anything that you’re talking about with them if you at least try.”
— Steve Jang
PEOPLE MENTIONED
Vitalik Buterin Teo Yoo Min Jin Lee Superman/Clark Kent Bizarro Margaret Des Gaines Bong Joon-ho W. Edwards Deming David Chang Travis Kalanick Bobby Hundreds Hulk/Bruce Banner Michel Thomas Barbra Streisand Michael Jordan Elon Musk Michael Galpert Corey Lee Nam June Paik Steven Yeun Amanda KimThe post Live from South Korea — Steve Jang on Korea’s Exploding “Soft Power,” The Poverty-to-Power Playbook, K-Pop, “Han” Energy, Must-See Movies, Export Economies, and Much More (#707) appeared first on The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss.