Host, writer, reporter of Mission K-pop
Mission K-pop is an 8-part audio documentary podcast.
23-year-old Caty Szeto travels from her home in Los Angeles to Seoul, South Korea to attend a K-Pop academy. First inspired by K-Pop as a teen, Caty struggled to see Asian-American representation in the larger entertainment industry. Now, in Seoul, she trains in singing, dancing, and styling in order to prepare for make-or-break auditions with K-Pop entertainment agencies. If she makes it, Caty could be like the chart-topping idols who travel the world and perform to legions of fans. But she comes face to face with realities of the industry.
At once a celebration of a robust musical genre and culture, a search for identity, and a portrait of indelible challenges embedded in the ever-growing global industry, Mission K-Pop represents a collaboration among Pulitzer and Peabody Award-winning organizations USG Audio and PRX, as well as the acclaimed audio studio Novel.
The podcast is available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Overcast, and Pocket Casts.
OTHER Radio Work
I started my journalism career at NPR as a radio reporter, working with correspondent Elise Hu in Seoul. Telling stories aurally is one of my many first loves in journalism. Here are some of my favorite experiences over the years:
K-Pop's Digital 'Army' Musters To Meet The Moment, Baggage In Tow | NPR “Editor’s Picks”
Reporter and translator for K-poparazzi, Lose Lose | Radiolab
Creator and co-producer of ké cast | Korea Exposé
Writer and presenter for News in Retrospect | TBS eFM
Radio reporter for the Seoul bureau with correspondent Elise Hu | NPR