Hear Me Out: Evaluating a Podcast
The podcast I chose to evaluate is called “Bulgogi Pod,” hosted by a girl named Hana. It is described as “a lifestyle, comedy podcast for anyone trying to navigate their 20s, Hana talks with her guests on all things popular culture, dating, and personal revelations.”
Throughout the summer, I've made it a habit to listen to "Bulgogi Pod" during my daily walks. Hana releases episodes every Tuesday, and they are usually about 20 to 50 minutes long. I enjoy her episodes as she discusses growing up Asian and being in your 20s— two things I can relate to. Hana often invites guests who bring fresh perspectives and experiences, keeping her podcast interesting while staying relevant to the episode’s topic. Moreover, She chats about other self-help subjects and trends I love that keep me coming back every week.
Starting off with the strengths of Bulgogi Pod. First and foremost, Hana's unwavering commitment to her audience show in her consistent Tuesday releases. In the time I've been following her podcast, she has only missed one upload, demonstrating reliability. In terms of marketing and outreach, Hana leverages Instagram to notify her followers when a new episode drops. Furthermore, one of the standout features of the podcast is its captivating cover art. Vibrant, lively, and effortlessly trendy, the cover art perfectly mirrors the essence of the podcast. She also posts video clips highlighting past episodes, which serves as a perfect introduction for newcomers.
Onto the production of the podcast, Hana uses a professional mic for audio recording and films using a high-quality camera. Her audio is what I like to describe as “crispy.” and her mic eliminates background noise and static.
Despite the podcast's casual nature, Hana maintains focus by adhering to key themes, and she conveniently includes timestamps in the episode description to guide listeners through major discussion points.
However, "Bulgogi Pod" does have some areas where it could improve. While it offers both audio and video content, the absence of captions or transcripts makes it less accessible to individuals with hearing impairments or those who prefer to read the content. Additionally, the podcast's informal style means that it isn't heavily edited. While this lends authenticity, it occasionally leads to lengthy tangents that could benefit from some trimming or structure.
In conclusion, "Bulgogi Pod" is an enjoyable and relatable podcast that has resonated with me through Hana's unique blend of humor and vulnerability. Its strengths, including consistent releases, engaging marketing efforts, and high-quality audio, have kept me hooked. However, the podcast could enhance its accessibility and maintain listener engagement by addressing its weaknesses, such as the lack of captions and occasional unedited tangents. Overall, "Bulgogi Pod" offers a delightful listening experience for anyone navigating the complexities of their 20s.
