Best Phil Yu Podcasts (2025)

Bestselling novelist R. O. Kwon joins us to explore Big Korean Energy in literature and how she writes her desire (and freedom) onto the page. She shares what it was like growing up in a mostly Korean town in L.A., why Squid Game still feels astonishing, and the relationship between Koreanness, Christianity, and sexuality. Also: An extremely high s…

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They Call Us Water Mirror Echo 1:05:43

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9d ago1:05:43

1:05:43

Jeff and Phil celebrate the 300th episode of They Call Us Bruce and welcome writer/scholar Jeff Chang, author of Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America, recorded live at Skylight Books in Los Angeles. He talks about writing a biography of Bruce Lee that authentically centers the man behind the legend, while doubling as a steal…

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"Labels are for jars mate!" Glyn Butcher and the life saving power of true peer support 1:14:56

9d ago1:14:56

1:14:56

Welcome to episode 229 with Glyn Butcher, who is a member of the People Focused Group in Doncaster and an Ambassador for the Citizen Network. Growing up Glyn experienced racism, abuse, poverty and discrimination on a daily basis. When he was 11 his Mum was sectioned under the mental health act and not long after that he left to school to care for h…

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Dr Eugene Lipov is upending everything you think you know about trauma and PTSD 42:06

13d ago42:06

42:06

Welcome to episode 228 with Dr Eugene Lipov, who is an anaesthesiologist and pain physician and a leading expert in treating post-traumatic stress. When advanced brain scans revealed trauma’s invisible scars on the brain, Dr Lipov realised that if trauma could be seen, then it could be treated and he became the pioneer of using a stellate ganglion …

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They Call Us Korea & Hollywood's Future 1:21:08

15d ago1:21:08

1:21:08

Jeff and Phil welcome pop culture pals and cultural critics Dino-Ray Ramos and Rebecca Sun to discuss two new similarly-flavored TV series, Butterfly and Tempest. They explore the cultural significance of these Korean and Korean-adjacent shows, their unique storytelling approaches, and the evolving landscape of Asian American representation in glob…

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Coming Soon - Big Korean Energy 2:02

19d ago2:02

2:02

We’re living in Big Korean Energy. From Kdramas to ramen hacks, skincare routines to fandom rituals, Korean influence is everywhere, shaping how we connect, celebrate, and imagine the world. This season, we unpack what makes something feel Korean (whether or not it actually is), why that feeling resonates globally, and what it all means for Mash-Up…

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Redefining failure and men's mental health with Angus Collins 1:11:57

20d ago1:11:57

1:11:57

Welcome to episode 227 with Angus Collins, an endurance athlete and adventurer who has rowed across the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans, setting multiple records in the process. He is the youngest man to row three oceans and is thought of as one of the world’s most successful rowers and he achieved all of this while battling his own mental hea…

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They Call Us Butterfly 56:14

23d ago56:14

56:14

Jeff and Phil welcome actors Daniel Dae Kim and Reina Hardesty, stars of the Prime Video thriller series Butterfly. Daniel talks about adapting the original graphic novel to create an action/espionage series around Korean American characters; Reina talks about auditioning for "Untitled Daniel Dae Kim Project" and finding her way in the role of estr…

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Embracing Nature's healing touch. Nick Ray on dealing with depression through a lifetime of adventure. 1:09:37

27d ago1:09:37

1:09:37

Welcome to episode 226 with Nick Ray, who is a sea kayaker, wild walker and adventurer who also lives with treatment resistant depression and is a suicide attempt survivor. Nick has undertaken many adventures by sea and over land. Throughout 2022 and into 2023 he undertook a 12-month solo sea kayak journey around Scotland, paddling over 3000 miles.…

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They Call Us Cruising J-Town 1:03:09

1M ago1:03:09

1:03:09

Jeff and Phil welcome their old friend Oliver Wang, professor of sociology, curator for the Japanese American National Museum exhibition Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community, and author/editor of the exhibition's companion book. They talk about the rich history of Japanese American car culture in Los Angeles, its significance i…

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Healers, Shaman and rites of passage. How tribal and indigenous cultures approach mental illness with Phil Borges 1:16:07

1M ago1:16:07

1:16:07

Welcome to episode 225 with Phil Borges, a documentary photographer and filmmaker, recognised for his documentation of indigenous peoples and tribal cultures, with a particular focus on Tibet, human rights, and women's empowerment issues. His work is exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide. While Phil was documenting the various human rights a…

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Wong Fei Hung v Adonis Creed | ft. Emily Bateman 1:23:58

1M ago1:23:58

1:23:58

Check out Game of Groans! Send us a text Support the showBy Jay Davis & Eliah Stokes Nelson

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Depression, identity and creativity as an outlet with Karla Chubb (Sprints) 54:37

1M ago54:37

54:37

Welcome to episode 224 with Karla Chubb, who is a singer, guitarist and songwriter in Sprints. Sprints formed in Dublin in 2019 and quickly became known for their explosive, cathartic, and incredibly powerful live performances. After a series of EP’s, they released their debut album in 2024 to great critical acclaim. The follow up ‘All That is Over…

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Healing trauma and reclaiming joy with Dr MaryCatherine McDonald 54:56

2M ago54:56

54:56

Welcome to episode 223 with Dr MaryCatherine McDonald, who is a research professor and life coach who specialises in the psychology and philosophy of trauma. Her work focuses on thinking critically about how we understand, define, and heal from traumatic experiences. Her newest book, The Joy Reset is a ground breaking, accessible guide to identifyi…

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They Call Us Breaking Into New Hollywood 52:38

2M ago52:38

52:38

Jeff and Phil welcome back Ada Tseng, co-author of Breaking Into New Hollywood: A Career Guide to a Changing Industry, and actor/comedian Amy Anderson and her daughter Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (Modern Family). Ada talks about writing a practical guide to getting started in today's entertainment industry; Amy and Aubrey trade stories with Jeff -- who'…

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Anthony Kavanagh on fame, addiction and the dark side of 90’s pop 1:12:27

2M ago1:12:27

1:12:27

Welcome to episode 222 with Anthony Kavanagh, a singer and author who exploded onto the pop music scene in the late 90’s when his song ‘I Can Make You Feel Good’ was a huge hit all over the world. At just 18 years old he was touring with the Spice Girls and Boyzone, on the front cover of Smash Hits and countless magazines and regularly appearing on…

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They Call Us Kaila Yu 44:50

2M ago44:50

44:50

Jeff and Phil welcome writer and former pinup model Kaila Yu, author of Fetished: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty, a memoir-in-essays exploring the roles pop culture and colonialism played in shaping pervasive and destructive stereotypes about Asian women and their bodies. She talks about her iconic status as a model on import t…

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Yu Shu Lien v Rhea Ripley | ft. MrEricAlmighty & Affable Joey 1:30:59

2M ago1:30:59

1:30:59

Check out The Wait For It Podcast! Check out Affable Chat! Send us a text Support the show

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Kaila Yu and the intersection of race, body image and mental health. 42:38

2M ago42:38

42:38

Welcome to episode 221 with Kaila Yu, a journalist, travel writer and the author of Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty. A former model, Kaila became closely associated with the import scene that took off in the late 90’s (think Fast & Furious 1) and also featured in many of the high-profile magazines of that time. In th…

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They Call Us Maybe Happy Ending's Casting Controversy 1:00:07

2M ago1:00:07

1:00:07

Jeff and Phil welcome Howard Ho, playwright/composer/YouTuber, and Diep Tran, Editor in Chief of Playbill, to discuss Asian Americans in theatre, Broadway, and controversy over the recent announcement that Andrew Barth Feldman, a white actor, would be taking over the lead role in Maybe Happy Ending, the hit Tony Award-winning musical about robots f…

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Changing the mental health system from the inside out with Miranda Arieh and the HEROES Programme 1:11:05

2M ago1:11:05

1:11:05

Welcome to episode 220 with Miranda Arieh, who is a mental health educator and founder of the pioneering HEROES Programme, a holistic, transformation-focused and trauma-informed approach to mental health recovery. Miranda was sectioned under the mental health act at the age of 14 and became a ‘revolving door service user’ in the NHS mental health s…

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Sifu v Knuckleduster | ft. Dave Jackson (Tales from the Backlog) 1:19:30

3M ago1:19:30

1:19:30

Check out Tales from the Backlog here! Join the Discord Send us a text Support the show

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Lobotomy, asylums, madness and lunacy. A History of Mental Illness with Andrew Scull 58:00

3M ago58:00

58:00

Welcome to episode 219 with Andrew Scull, who is a sociologist whose research has centred on the social history of medicine and particularly psychiatry for more than 50 years. He is a recipient of the Roy Porter Medal for lifetime contributions to the history of medicine and the author of more than a dozen books including Madness in Civilization: A…

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They Call Us Superheroes 49:15

3M ago49:15

49:15

Jeff and Phil welcome back pop cultural pals Rebecca Sun and Dino-Ray Ramos to discuss recent superhero movies like Superman and Fantastic Four: First Steps. (But really, a good excuse for friends to hang out and gab, because it's been a minute.) They talk about the so-called "woke" Superman, where the heck Shang-Chi has been, watching these movies…

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Vi v Sanji | ft. Matt AKA Stormageddon 1:21:43

3M ago1:21:43

1:21:43

Check out Matt here! Join the Discord Send us a text Support the show

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Addiction, sobriety and brutal recovery with Lauren McQuistin 1:13:01

3M ago1:13:01

1:13:01

Welcome to episode 218 with Lauren McQuistin, who is a musician, opera singer and author of No Lost Causes Club, a memoir that explores what navigating sobriety looks like in our modern world. She is also the creator behind one of my all-time favourite mental health related meme accounts @brutalrecovery. While in her early twenties, Lauren was told…

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They Call Us Kpop Demon Hunters 55:53

3M ago55:53

55:53

Jeff and Phil welcome Maggie Kang, creator and co-director of the hit Netflix animated feature Kpop Demon Hunters. She talks about the seven-year journey of bringing the film to life; behind-the-scenes insights on crafting an epic animated action musical that incorporates both supernatural demon lore and kpop idol culture; assembling the voice and …

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Squid Game Season 3 Finale Explained by Creator and Stars 10:19

3M ago10:19

10:19

For our final bonus episode, hosts Phil Yu and Kiera Please head to New York City for an exclusive sit-down with the minds and hearts behind Squid Game. Joining them are series creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the unforgettable Player 456 himself, Lee Jung-jae, and the enigmatic Front Man, Lee Byung-hun. It’s the deep-dive fans have been waiti…

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Humans Are... - S3 Ep 6 29:50

3M ago29:50

29:50

The Game ends here. In the gripping series finale of Squid Game, Player 456, Gi-hun, finds himself right back where he started—one of the final two players. Hosts Phil Yu and Kiera Please sit with the full emotional weight of the series’ conclusion—unpacking Player 456’s remarkable final act of defiance, the Front Man’s quiet reckoning, and the que…

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Understanding anger and rethinking rage with Sam Parker 59:47

3M ago59:47

59:47

Welcome to episode 217 with Sam Parker, who is British GQ’s Site Director and someone who has worked in culture and lifestyle journalism for over 15 years. He is also the author of Good Anger: How Rethinking Rage Can Change Our Lives and for this episode he joins me to chat about the good bits and the bad bits of getting angry. We chat about his ex…

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Circle, Triangle, Square - S3 Ep 5 30:07

4M ago30:07

30:07

It’s the second-to-last episode of Squid Game — and the final challenge is here: Sky Squid Game. With only a few players remaining, a brutal “democratic” vote determines who lives, who dies, and who becomes a sacrifice. Hosts Phil Yu and Kiera Please unpack the twisted politics of fairness, the final betrayal of the Os, and Player 456’s decision to…

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They Call Us Dylan Park-Pettiford 48:07

4M ago48:07

48:07

Jeff and Phil welcome Dylan Park-Pettiford -- TV writer, combat veteran and author of the memoir Roadside: My Journey to Iraq and the Long Road Home. He talks about growing up as a Black/Korean American kid in Campbell, California; getting swept up in the post-9/11 patriotism that sent him to Iraq, where his days alternated between boredom and terr…

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222 - S3 Ep 4 31:58

4M ago31:58

31:58

Phil and Kiera unpack how innocence gets weaponized when the baby is named the Game’s newest player—and explore what South Korea’s plummeting birth rate says about why this baby holds so much weight. Then, activist and content creator Amber Whittington (aka “AmbersCloset”) joins to break down the heartbreaking end to the Jump Rope game, the Front M…

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It’s Not Your Fault - S3 Ep 3 27:11

4M ago27:11

27:11

What does it mean to protect a child in a world designed to crush the innocent? In this episode, hosts Phil Yu and Kiera Please react to one of the season’s most devastating twists, the newborn baby’s forced induction into the Game and Player 456’s newfound purpose. Plus, we break down the backstory of our favorite creepy dolls: Young-hee and Chul-…

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Chun-Li v Kenny Omega | ft. Kaiju vs. History & Phil Barrera 1:55:57

4M ago1:55:57

1:55:57

Check out Kaiju vs. History! Check out Cosmic Crit! Check out The More You Nerd! Check out The Wait For It Podcast! Join the Discord Send us a text Support the show

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The Starry Night - S3 Ep 2 26:44

4M ago26:44

26:44

The body count rises—and a Squid baby is born—during a brutal game of hide-and-seek. Player 120 steps up as an unlikely protector, MG Coin forms a deadly new alliance, and Player 456 crosses a line he may never come back from. Phil and Kiera unpack the players’ breaking points, the emotional fallout of a beloved character’s exit, and what a baby co…

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Masculinity and other male failures with Adam Farrer 59:49

4M ago59:49

59:49

Welcome to episode 216 with Adam Farrer, who is a writer, lecturer, mentor and editor. Adam’s recent book Broken Biscuits and Other Male Failures is all about his struggles to live up to masculine expectations and in this episode, we chat about what it means to be a man and what it’s like to fall short of those ideals. We chat about Adam’s route to…

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They Call Us The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of the World Right Now 43:13

4M ago43:13

43:13

Jeff and Phil connect across travels and time zones to catch up and reflect on some of The Good, The Bad, and The WTF of recent weeks, including K-Pop Demon Hunters, New York City mayoral candidates, "rooftop Koreans," ICE raids, Squid Game, and space sushi.

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Keys and Knives - S3 Ep 1 26:28

4M ago26:28

26:28

Squid Game is back—and this time, the knives are out. In the thrilling Season 3 premiere, Player 456 is spiraling and a brutal round of hide-and-seek forces players to kill or be killed. Hosts Phil Yu and Kiera Please break down Gi-hun’s descent into vengeance, Guard 011’s daring betrayal of the Game, and the shocking moment players are forced to c…

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They Call Us The Menswear Guy 44:42

4M ago44:42

44:42

Jeff and Phil welcome fashion industry commentator and writer Derek Guy, also known as "the menswear guy." He talks about how his interest in clothing and fashion led to his wildly popular blog and social media persona; how his writing weaves together humor, history, cultural criticism, and political commentary to make fashion feel relevant to anyo…

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Lee v Danny LaRusso | ft. Caleb Van Nice & Jon Haig (Video Game Lounge) 1:19:27

4M ago1:19:27

1:19:27

Check out Jon on the Video Game Lounge! Join the Discord Send us a text Support the show

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Class inequality and working class culture with Dr Lisa McKenzie 1:28:30

4M ago1:28:30

1:28:30

Welcome to episode 215 with Dr Lisa McKenzie, who is a working class academic and anarchistic author. She is a researcher and educator whose work relates to class inequality, social justice and British working class culture and a founding member of The Working Class Collective CIC. Lisa grew up in Nottingham, in a mining community. After she left s…

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Coming Soon…Squid Game: The Official Podcast Season 3 1:29

4M ago1:29

1:29

The final season is here—and Squid Game: The Official Podcast is your ultimate companion to the end of the Game. Hosts Phil Yu and Kiera Please return once more to break down every shocking twist and betrayal, and the choices that will determine who, if anyone, makes it out alive. Will Player 456 and the cast of characters we’ve grown to love final…

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They Call Us Murder at the Patel Motel 44:47

4M ago44:47

44:47

Jeff and Phil welcome back actor, activist and author Maulik Pancholy, co-writer and star of the scripted comedy podcast Murder at the Patel Motel. He talks about the real-life "Patel motel cartel" that inspired the audio drama's small town murder mystery milieu; blending the tried-and-true tropes of an Agatha Christie-style whodunnit with a gay, I…

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Why we don't have a health problem, we have a village problem with Cormac Russell 1:08:23

4M ago1:08:23

1:08:23

Welcome to episode 214 with Cormac Russell, who is an author and social explorer. He is the Founding Director of Nurture Development and a member of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute. Cormac has spent more than 20 years working all over the world training communities and professional organisations in Asset-Based Community Devel…

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They Call Us Andrew Ahn 58:14

4M ago58:14

58:14

Jeff and Phil welcome back their old friend Andrew Ahn, writer/director of The Wedding Banquet, a reimagining of Ang Lee's beloved classic. They discuss Andrew's journey as a filmmaker; assembling an all-star team -- including Youn Yuh-jung, Joan Chen, Kelly Marie Tran, Lily Gladstone and Bowen Yang -- for the project; navigating the complexities a…

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Kingpin v Hwoarang | ft. Aaron (SuperPod Saga) 1:01:02

5M ago1:01:02

1:01:02

Check out Aaron on SuperPod Saga! Join the Discord Send us a text Support the show

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Trauma Industrial Complex and the stories we tell ourselves about our wounds with Darren McGarvey 1:00:31

5M ago1:00:31

1:00:31

Welcome to episode 213 with Darren McGarvey, who is an author, musician, social commentator and journalist. Darren grew up in Pollok on the south side of Glasgow, and has lived through extreme poverty, addiction and homelessness. He wrote about his life and experiences in his first book ‘Poverty Safari’ which received critical acclaim for its insig…

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They Call Us Gold Star Trophy 1:09:51

5M ago1:09:51

1:09:51

Jeff and Phil welcome back Shin Yu Pai to talk about the latest season of her podcast Ten Thousand Things, along with fellow podcaster Yowei Shaw (Proxy, NPR's Invisibilia). They talk about the objects that help us move forward -- like a gold star trophy; how layoffs can be like breakups that unravel your sense of identity, purpose, and self-worth;…