Episode 28: Why K-Pop Matters More Than You Think with Dr. Grace Kao
- Author
- Lisa Sun
- Published
- Fri 08 Aug 2025
- Episode Link
- https://inconfidence.podbean.com/e/episode-28-why-k-pop-matters-more-than-you-think-with-dr-grace-kao/
This week on In Confidence, Lisa sits down with Dr. Grace Kao, IBM Professor of Sociology at Yale University and K-pop expert, to explore why Korean idol groups have taken the world by storm and what their global rise reveals about identity, belonging, and the forces that shape confidence.
This episode unpacks:
Stay with us because this isn’t just about K-pop. It’s about the power of being seen.
*This episode contains discussion of mental health, suicide, and body image. If those topics are sensitive for you, please take care in choosing how and when to listen.
Listen to Dr. Grace Kao's YouTube Playlists:
10-Song Intro to K-Pop
40 Song Intro to K-Pop
00:00 Intro
02:01 Meet Professor Dr. Grace Kao
10:48 How Grace Got Into K-pop
13:07 Lisa’s Story: Reclaiming Identity Through K-pop
16:41 What Makes K-pop Fandom Different
21:50 How Fandom Shapes Identity and Belonging
27:14 How East Asian Men Are Viewed in Media and Dating
31:49 Why K-pop Crossed Over While Other Asian Music Hasn’t
37:33 Biases, Archetypes, and the “Someone for Everyone” Formula
40:52 Idol Romance Rules, Western Collabs, and K-pop’s Film Takeover
45:16 Unrealistic Beauty Standards in K-pop
48:31 Confidence Through Preparation: The Idol Training System
50:08 Mental Health Pressures in the Industry
53:13 The Global Rise of Asian Desirability
56:08 Quick-Fire Round: Music Videos, Bias Picks, and Billboard Highlights
01:01:44 Outro
01:03:32 Disclaimer
This episode unpacks:
The rigorous training system that gives idols unshakable confidence
How fandom creates deep belonging and challenges stereotypes
Why K-pop may be shifting how the world sees Asian identity
Stay with us because this isn’t just about K-pop. It’s about the power of being seen.
*This episode contains discussion of mental health, suicide, and body image. If those topics are sensitive for you, please take care in choosing how and when to listen.
Listen to Dr. Grace Kao's YouTube Playlists:
10-Song Intro to K-Pop
40 Song Intro to K-Pop
00:00 Intro
02:01 Meet Professor Dr. Grace Kao
10:48 How Grace Got Into K-pop
13:07 Lisa’s Story: Reclaiming Identity Through K-pop
16:41 What Makes K-pop Fandom Different
21:50 How Fandom Shapes Identity and Belonging
27:14 How East Asian Men Are Viewed in Media and Dating
31:49 Why K-pop Crossed Over While Other Asian Music Hasn’t
37:33 Biases, Archetypes, and the “Someone for Everyone” Formula
40:52 Idol Romance Rules, Western Collabs, and K-pop’s Film Takeover
45:16 Unrealistic Beauty Standards in K-pop
48:31 Confidence Through Preparation: The Idol Training System
50:08 Mental Health Pressures in the Industry
53:13 The Global Rise of Asian Desirability
56:08 Quick-Fire Round: Music Videos, Bias Picks, and Billboard Highlights
01:01:44 Outro
01:03:32 Disclaimer
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