Ciao, my name is Paola Laforgia


📍 currently in Seoul, South Korea
Writing
(Also writing here).
(BOOK) (ITA)
Fattore K. L’ascesa della cultura pop coreana (2024)
(ESSAY) (ENG) The Sound of a Place: What is Korean in K-pop? in ‘Home is Where the Heart Strives’ (2025) 
(ESSAY) (ENG) Centre or outskirt: for who though? in Wave Zine. The Out of Office. Issue 01 (2024)
(ESSAY) (ENG) Pizza, Pasta, and K-pop in ‘Sonic Traces From Italy’ (2021)
(ARTICLE) (ITA) Capire il K-pop, NOT (2018)
(PAPER) (ENG) Amber Liu, K-Pop Tomboy. Reshaping Femininity in Mainstream K-Pop, in Kritika Kultura (2017)
Radio
 ASHIDASHIPI is my current regular monthly show on VISLA.FM. I hosted a regular show on Radio Alhara called Practice. I did some guest appareances and made some thematic mixes for NTS Radio. On Radio Raheem I hosted the breakfast show Yours Truly for a total of 78 episodes, and also made a 4-part radio doc called Neo Seoul.
All the other guest shows and mixes made for other platforms and people can be found on my Soundcloud and Mixcloud. Click on the icons to be redirected.
Playlists
 
DJ Sets
(More on instagram).
Wona ‘Ashes and Arms’ Release Party @Cakeshop, Seoul, South Korea (2025)
SCA2 LIVE @MOTHER Offline, Seoul, South Korea (2024)
WEEKDAY TANGLE @Tangle Bar, Tokyo, Japan (2024)
VIVA Festival, Locorotondo, Italy (2020)
Sound Engineering
From 2016 to 2022 I worked as a radio producer and sound engineer at internationally renowned music platform NTS Radio. I recorded, edited, and mixed a variety of radio shows, interviews, and live performances. Here is just a very small selection.
Outside of NTS, I also did sound engineering and sound design for a few of commercials and short films.
Below are some examples.
Features 📃

🔹 Cosy Whiskey Bars to K-Pop Havens: Paola Laf’s Guide to Seoul, Trippin (ENG) (2025)
🔹 Cittadine K, Vanity Fair Italia (ITA) (2025)
🔹 Echi e consonanze, Moksori Magazine (ITA) (2025)
🔹 L’universo del K-pop, Luce Magazine (ITA) (2025)
🔹 How to be a DJ?, VISLA PAPER ISSUE 21 (KOR) (2024)
🔹 Perché il K-pop è così odiato?, Rolling Stone Italia (ITA) (2024)
🔹 Linked-in Seoul : 이방인이 바라보는 서울, 그들이 사랑하는 음악, Visla Magazine (KOR) (2024)
🎧

🔸 Il Mondo Cultura - 11 gennaio, Internazionale (ITA) (2025)
🔸 Il Mondo Cultura - 30 novembre, Internazionale (ITA) (2024)
🔸 Electronic music in the light of digitalization: local sounds facing the challenge of global trends, FLEE + Mundi Festival: Extra Muros, Dublab (ENG) (2020)
🔸 Militanza K-Pop, Asia: Una rubrica di messaggi vocali (ITA) (2020)
🔸 Come parliamo di musica, Decamerette (ITA) (2020)
ABOUT

Born in Bari, Italy and based in Seoul, South Korea since 2021. Previously lived and worked in London, UK, with stints in Tokyo, Japan; Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; and Milan, Italy. From 2016 to 2022 I worked behind the scenes at NTS Radio. Between 2015 and 2018 I also dipped my feet into the fashion world, freelancing for publications including Vogue Japan.

I currently do promotion and A&R for South Korean independent record label SoundSupply_Service; host a regular radio show; occasionally DJ; organise events and parties; and write books, essays, and articles, both independently and on commission. One of my current main research interests is K-pop. 

I hold a BA in Philosophy and a MA in Global Creative and Cultural Industries with a focus on the contemporary music scenes of South Korea and Japan. 

I speak Italian, English, Korean, Spanish, German, and some Japanese. 

I do not have Linkedin.

E-6 비자를 보유하고 있습니다.

~~~

I’m available for:

• radio hosting and producing
• live DJ sets - I’d love to do more experimental / ambient / BGM DJ sets to listen to rather than to dance to
• thematic music mixes and playlists
• music consultancy, direction, and programming for events, fashion shows, films, festivals, spaces such as restaurants, hotels; etc.
• writing articles, essays, cultural and music commentary, press releases, free-form texts, etc.
• interviewing and hosting talks and panels
• curating interdisciplinary events
• projects bridging music and fashion
• sound engineering and sound design work
• translation work


Open to ideas and collaborations.
Get in touch at paolalfrg@gmail.com 💌