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The Dark Side of Seoul PodcastAuthor: ZenKimchi
Korean dark history, ghost tales, folklore, serial killers, true crime, and more. You are about to discover why Korea has the spookiest stories and darkest history.Folklorist Shawn and history buff Joe delve into Korea's gruesome stories of massacres, betrayals, and blood. It's like "Game of Thrones" in Asia. We share our passion for Korea and its struggles throughout time. If you enjoy shows like "Kingdom," this is the podcast for you. Even if you know nothing about Korea, its history will become your new addiction.Subscribe, sit back, and enjoy. Language: en-us Genres: History, True Crime Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The Ulsan Family Tragedy
Episode 317
Friday, 10 July, 2026
Episode Summary A father and his four children were found dead in their home in Ulsan after months of severe financial hardship. While the case was ruled a murder-suicide, the discussion quickly expands beyond the crime itself into the failures of Korea's welfare system, the stigma surrounding mental health, and the bureaucratic obstacles that can leave vulnerable families without meaningful support. Joe and Shawn examine how the family had already been identified as a high-risk household and had been visited by schools, welfare officials, police, and child protection workers. Despite multiple warning signs, no agency ever developed a complete picture of the family's crisis. The episode explores whether this tragedy represents an isolated incident or a broader failure of institutions designed to protect children and families. Topics Discussed The Ulsan family murder-suicide Carbon monoxide deaths using charcoal briquettes Poverty and financial collapse Single fathers in Korea Mental health stigma Child welfare investigations Bureaucratic barriers to assistance In-kind support versus direct cash assistance Coordination failures between government agencies Korea's suicide rate Proposed welfare reforms Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 02:00 The Ulsan case 06:00 Financial hardship and the family's circumstances 12:00 Welfare assistance and why it wasn't enough 19:00 Single fathers and asking for help 24:00 Child protection and looking for the wrong warning signs 31:00 Mental health, stigma, and caregiver burnout 37:00 Bureaucracy and agency coordination failures 43:00 Possible reforms and remaining concerns Mentioned During the Episode Korea's Basic Livelihood Security Program Korea's child protection system Previous Dark Side of Seoul episodes on K-Poverty, child abuse, Yoo Young-chul, and the WaWo Apartment collapse Shawn's book on ghost encounters in Korea Dark Side of Seoul Ghost Walk Listen & Follow Website: https://darksideofseoul.com Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dark-side-of-seoul-podcast/id1504623984 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1lZBXNX79kwH2NXcJWNcb8 Patreon: https://patreon.com/darksideofseoul YouTube: https://youtube.com/@darksideofseoul Instagram: https://instagram.com/darksideofseoul Facebook: https://facebook.com/darksideofseoul Contact: info@darksideofseoul.com About The Dark Side of Seoul The Dark Side of Seoul explores Korea's darker history, folklore, true crime, urban legends, supernatural traditions, forgotten places, and the cultural stories that don't usually appear in guidebooks. New episodes include deep historical dives alongside our "Fun Sized" discussions of current events, controversies, and unusual aspects of life in Korea. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
