Rephonic
Artwork for The Impossible State
North Korea
South Korea
China
Russia
United States
Ukraine
Japan
U.s.-Rok Alliance
Trump Administration
NATO
Economic Security
U.S. National Security
Nuclear Weapons
Biden Administration
Indo-Pacific
Donald Trump
DPRK Policy
Sanctions
National Defense
Public Opinion

North Korea is the Impossible State. Each episode, join the people who know the most about North Korea for an insiders’ discussion with host Victor Cha about one of the United States’ top national security priorities.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes156Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessNon-ProfitGovernment

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Impossible State

Latest Episodes

In this episode, Mr. Sydney Seiler moderated a discussion with Ambassador Joseph Yun and Mr. Adam Farrar to examine the new frameworks proposed in Dr. Victor Cha’s recent Foreign Affairs article, “North Korea as It Is: The Case for a Cold Peace,” and... more

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha and Dr. Jieun Baek discussed her new book, Privileged but Powerless: How North Korean Elite Grievances Reveal the Regime’s Greatest Weakness, and examined how grievances among North Korea’s elites may shape the regime’... more

YouTube

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha moderated a discussion with Jonathan Cheng on how the surprising ties between the Kim dynasty and American Christianity shaped North Korea’s leadership, and how power, belief, and narrative intersect in the hermit king... more

YouTube

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha moderated a discussion with Dr. Zack Cooper and Dr. Kristi Govella on examining Washington’s failed pivot to Asia, expectations for Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi’s visit to Washington, and its potential impact on th... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Asia Chessboard
The Asia ChessboardCenter for Strategic and International Studies
ChinaPower
ChinaPowerCSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies
Pekingology
PekingologyCenter for Strategic and International Studies
Russian Roulette
Russian RouletteCenter for Strategic and International Studies
The Trade Guys
The Trade GuysCSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies

Recent Guests

Jieun Baek
Author of Privileged but Powerless; non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council
Atlantic Council
Episode: Privileged But Powerless
Jonathan Cheng
China Bureau Chief for The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
Episode: Korean Messiah
Zach Cooper
Senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute; CSIS alum
American Enterprise Institute (AEI); CSIS
Episode: Is the Pivot to Asia Dead?
Kristi Govella
Senior Advisor in Japan Chair at CSIS; Professor of Japanese Studies
CSIS
Episode: Is the Pivot to Asia Dead?
Timothy Martin
Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal in Seoul
Wall Street Journal
Episode: The BTS Homecoming: Does Korea's Soft Power Work?
Jinaeng Choi
Assistant Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures
Georgetown University
Episode: The BTS Homecoming: Does Korea's Soft Power Work?
Ki-Wook Shin
Professor and author of The Four Talent Giants
Stanford University
Episode: The Four Talent Giants
Adam Farrar
Senior geo-economics analyst for the Asia Pacific at Bloomberg Economics
Bloomberg Economics
Episode: Korea Update: NDS, Coupang and Congress
Igor Khrestin
Senior advisor of global policy at the George W. Bush Institute
George W. Bush Institute
Episode: Korea Update: NDS, Coupang and Congress

Host

Victor Cha
Host of The Impossible State; President of Geopolitics and Foreign Policy at CSIS.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 201 ratings
  • Excellent

    Excellent and very topical podcast, which analyzes policy and current events from a variety of different perspectives. While on the whole very good, there are a few guests, like Zenobia Chan from Georgetown, who will actively parrot CCP propaganda without irony.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Joshua Xi
    United States6 months ago
  • Very, Very Good

    This show excels at covering the Korean Peninsula and the sphere relevant to it. Indispensable information and analysis; just top notch.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RJG179
    United States2 years ago
  • Very, Very Good

    This show excels at covering the Korean Peninsula and the sphere relevant to it. Indispensable information and analysis; just top notch. I do miss Sue.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RJG179
    United States3 years ago
  • Awesome

    Podcast Addict
    5
    DaniDani
    4 years ago
  • Awesome

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Dani
    4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the balance of academics and practitioners in guests.
Insightful deep-dives into North Korea and regional dynamics.
Strong, expert-led policy analysis with credibility.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#116
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#136
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#148
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#2
Italy/Government
Apple Podcasts
#41
France/Government
Apple Podcasts
#75
Australia/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Privileged But Powerless
Q: Why are elite defections increasing under Kim Jong Un, and what factors contribute to this trend?
Purges, unprecedented information access, the lure of money, and family dynamics are driving elites to defect, as they reassess risk and seek better futures for themselves and their children.
Privileged But Powerless
Q: How does the book describe the daily life and motivations of the elite?
The elites live a lifestyle of visible luxury and loyalty rituals, but performative loyalty and fear of punishment drive most actions; money, information access, and family concerns shape their choices beyond ideology.
Privileged But Powerless
Q: What is the core vulnerability of the North Korean regime according to your research?
The core vulnerability lies in the elites' fear and grievances, particularly the fear of unexpected execution for themselves and their families, which undermines the stability supposedly provided by their loyalty and privilege.
Is the Pivot to Asia Dead?
Q: With Japan and Korea facing strategic tradeoffs, what kind of support or signaling do they need from the United States as their region grows more contested?
Japan and Korea seek assurances about U.S. commitment, while they want to contribute to regional stability; conversations suggest they may participate in specific measures (e.g., missile production support, economic security initiatives) but will weigh domestic political costs heavily.
Is the Pivot to Asia Dead?
Q: What has been the role of TPP and the move to CPTPP in shaping US economic engagement in Asia, and why did the strong political will wane?
TPP was central to linking economic strategy with security commitments; shifting public opinion toward economic nationalism derailed it, and even after Trump withdrew from TPP, the Biden administration had difficulty reigniting a broad, economically focused Asia strategy.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Impossible State

What is The Impossible State about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on high-level policy analysis and geopolitical dynamics in Northeast Asia, with a steady stream of policy researchers, former officials, and think-tank experts discussing North Korea, U.S.-Korea relations, China, and regional security. Episodes frequently dissect defense strategies, sanctions, diplomacy, and alliance management, often tying long-running geopolitical trends to current events. Noteworthy is the blend of scholarly rigor with practical policy implications, plus a recognizable emphasis on credible sources from CSIS and related institutions. This makes it valuable for listeners who want in-depth, expert-led takes on security strategy, diplomacy, and regional geopolitics, with a focus on North Korea and the broade... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Impossible State?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Impossible State. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Impossible State and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Impossible State get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Impossible State, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Impossible State?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Impossible State, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Impossible State have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Impossible State has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Impossible State?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Impossible State:

1. The Asia Chessboard
2. ChinaPower
3. Pekingology
4. Russian Roulette
5. The Trade Guys

How many episodes of The Impossible State are there?

The Impossible State launched 8 years ago and published 156 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Impossible State?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Impossible State?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Impossible State from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Impossible State?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Impossible State. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Impossible State?

Recent guests on The Impossible State include:

1. Jieun Baek
2. Jonathan Cheng
3. Zach Cooper
4. Kristi Govella
5. Timothy Martin
6. Jinaeng Choi
7. Ki-Wook Shin
8. Adam Farrar

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days