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Artwork for The Side Dish

The Side Dish

The Side Dish
Korea
Friendship
Social Media
Bay Area
Filmmaking
Parenting
Mental Health
Cultural Identity
DJ Culture
Korean American Identity
Christmas
Improv
Dating Culture
Korean-Americans
Food Culture
Gen Z
Korean Church
Pregnancy
Relationships
Drinking Culture

The main course is friendship ;) Recorded at Bestville Studios in South Korea. Instagram: @_thesidedish

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes135Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureComedy

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Artwork for The Side Dish

Latest Episodes

Carson Allen joins the podcast to talk about anything but acting! Main topics include: being white-passing-but-also-Asian, Itaewon's infamous bootleg DVD culture, her thoughts on "Hongdae Guy", and Settlers of Catan. Admittedly, not a lot of drama in... more

Between Southside Parlor, 448, and the now defunct High House, Bobby Kim has been slinging tacos and cocktails for more than a decade. Tune into the long-awaited interview that, for some reason, took five years to book. Topics include: getting drunk ... more

Our guest this week is Megan Peck Shub, an Emmy and Peabody Award winning producer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver! As a highly accomplished career woman, Megan shares her journey from the check-in desk at Newark International Airport to the ~... more

Joonho Baak is Michelin-starred sommelier and certified yogi. So obviously, he’s hella chill. Tune into our conversation about how this Ivy League educated frat bro landed his first kitchen job in San Francisco, climbed the ranks of the Bay Area fine... more

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.

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Recent Guests

Megan Peck
Emmy- and Peabody-winning writer/producer
John Oliver / Last Week Tonight
Episode: Career Day (Megan Peck Shub)
Joon Baak
Sommelier, wine educator, and startup founder
Independent/Sommelier
Episode: Namaste Sauvignon (Joon Baak)
Tazmeena Haque
CEO of N7 Entertainment, former chef
N7 Entertainment
Episode: The Idol and The Chef (Aaron & Taz)
Aaron Young
K-pop idol turned artist/performer
Self/Brand not specified
Episode: The Idol and The Chef (Aaron & Taz)
Hayleen Urbino
Special guest, model and public figure
Modeling industry
Episode: Seoul's Model Citizen
Delilah Wells
Returning guest, designer/interviewer described
Episode: Arranged AI Marriage
Mehtap Oezkan
Content creator focused on Korea and Turkish-Korean life
Independent creator
Episode: Chatting with Mehtap (Mehtapisme)
Kevin Carpenter
Owner/part owner of Spill Out pizza, architect
Spill Out
Episode: Seoul's Sexiest Pizza Bar (Spillout)
Ninj Ba Hiam
Special guest with a background in biomedical engineering and a personal story in Mongolia and Korea
Independent/Friend network
Episode: Miss Mongolia

Hosts

Aaron Shin
Host of The Side Dish with a focus on friendship, culture, and personal storytelling.
Jay Lee
Co‑host known for banter, cultural anecdotes, and supportive hosting style.
James Chung
Guest/host with eclectic interests and storytelling presence, appears across episodes.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 51 ratings
  • I wish I was in the room with them. (I’ll be quiet)

    It’s like being in a room with your pals and talk away time meaninglessly, which is very rewarding. Keep up the good work, my friends.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pat the Young
    United States4 months ago
  • As good as the main dish

    Glad this podcast came across my FYP on Instagram. Especially with some other Asian podcasts I listen to ending last year. It’s nice to hear from people who are around the same age as myself. I really enjoy the different perspectives and experiences each of the hosts and guests have!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kaku O’bannon
    United States6 months ago
  • What happens when third culture kids grow up?

    The Side Dish Podcast offers a fresh perspective into the lives of former and current third culture kids (TCKs) navigating adulthood in Korea. Far from the usual narratives of identity crises or cultural adaptation, this podcast features hosts and guests who are confidently settled in their bicultural identities, living in Korea with deep-rooted American influences.

    The hosts dive into a lifestyle steeped in the dynamic, multicultural atmosphere of Itaewon, Seoul. They bring listeners along for... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NewYork887
    South Korea2 years ago
  • Always a fun listen

    This is my favorite podcast about life in Korea. It’s great to hear about people and places I’m familiar with on the show!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SM236
    South Korea2 years ago
  • It’s just like having friends

    Listening to The Side Dish is just like having a cool group of friends who like to hang out and joke around. Highly recommend!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Da_maximus
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Good balance of humor and personal storytelling, with diverse guest perspectives.
Listeners enjoy the candidness about dating, culture, and life in Korea without pretension.
Conversations feel like hanging with friends, light and fun but with thoughtful takes.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#225
South Korea/Comedy

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Namaste Sauvignon (Joon Baak)
Q: Can you share a memorable, embarrassing in-service moment and what you learned from it?
A jacket catches fire due to synthetic material during a high-pressure service, and the quick pivot involved finding a replacement, maintaining calm, and continuing to deliver hospitality without disrupting guests.
Namaste Sauvignon (Joon Baak)
Q: What makes a great sommelier on the floor besides knowing wines?
The ability to read the table, to adapt recommendations to the moment, and to create happiness through service while still ensuring the business side—profitability and program quality—remains strong.
Namaste Sauvignon (Joon Baak)
Q: How did you end up in Korea after starting in the Bay Area fine-dining scene?
I followed mentors and opportunities, moving from Californios and Benu to Komi through a network of sommeliers who valued wine education and hospitality, then accepted a chance to train in Korea with a broader culinary vision.
Chatting with Mehtap (Mehtapisme)
Q: What's your experience at influencer events and how do you manage your image?
She says influencer events can be terrifying, with a tension between networking and staying authentic, and she prioritizes being friendly and genuine with attendees.
Chatting with Mehtap (Mehtapisme)
Q: What was it like balancing long-distance dating while building your presence in Korea?
She shares long-distance travels to meet in various countries, the excitement of reunions, and the difficulty of maintaining a relationship while pursuing growth as a creator.

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 Side Dish

What is The Side Dish about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A warm, conversational show centered on personal stories, culture, and life in Korea through the lens of two hosts and a rotating cast of guests. Episodes span dating, relationships, influencer culture, artistry, food, and cross-cultural experiences, often mixing humor with candid reflections. Notable strengths include a casual, banter‑driven vibe, eclectic guest mix (creators, performers, professionals, and locals) and a willingness to tackle sensitive topics with openness and humor. The format tends to blend intimate storytelling with pop culture references, making it easy to follow for listeners curious about third‑culture experiences, life in Seoul, and creative entrepreneurship.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Side Dish?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Side Dish. 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 Side Dish and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Side Dish get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Side Dish, 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 Side Dish?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Side Dish, 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 Side Dish have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Side Dish 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 Side Dish?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Side Dish:

1. Korean. American. Podcast
2. Culips Everyday English Podcast
3. Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend
4. Good Hang with Amy Poehler
5. GET REAL

How many episodes of The Side Dish are there?

The Side Dish launched 5 years ago and published 135 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 Side Dish?

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 Side Dish?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Side Dish 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 Side Dish?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Side Dish. 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 Side Dish?

Recent guests on The Side Dish include:

1. Megan Peck
2. Joon Baak
3. Tazmeena Haque
4. Aaron Young
5. Hayleen Urbino
6. Delilah Wells
7. Mehtap Oezkan
8. Kevin Carpenter

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.

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