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What Just Happened?
by David Chang
What Just Happened? is a podcast about recent history. In each episode, host David Chang tackles current and often controversial topics head on, making sense of a nonsensical world.
Episodes
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What we learned from our journaling exercise, Part 2 (Ep. 158)
In the second half of this conversation, David and Eugene dive deep into the epiphanies Eugene had from journaling specifically related to ADHD. As two non-medical, non-scientific laymen, we have an honest discussion about what it's been like for him to understand his condition, what help (if…
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What we learned from our journaling exercise (Ep. 157)
Recently Eugene and David tried a little exercise where we spent some time reflecting / journaling — in Eugene's case at a Starbucks following a men's retreat, and in David's case in the middle of the night. This was something Eugene especially had been wanting to do again since 2023. It's fair…
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Pop Culture Summer 2025 (Ep. 156)
Continuing on the theme of catching up on the podcast, David and Eugene discuss the summer of pop culture 2025. As the hype of Kpop Demon Hunter is finally (maybe?) dying down, we talk about how we experienced the movie and music while Eugene predicts what the future sequels will be about. We…
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Eras Part 2 (Ep. 155)
Prior to our hiatus, David and Eugene started a two part series talking about our "eras." Are you the same person you were decades ago? What's different and what's stayed the same? After having discussed our rocky teens and twenties, we've now moved on to our prime grown up years in our 30s and...
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Networking (from skratch) (Ep. 154)
After a looooong hiatus, we are so back! In this episode, David and Eugene discuss two recent networking events they separately attended. We've discussed the importance of networking in several past episodes but this is the first time we put it into practice, at least for the podcast. David...
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Eras (Ep. 153)
While Taylor Swift's Eras tour may be over, David and Eugene embark on an "eras" journey of our own, as we talk about how our perspectives on life has changed over time. Are you the same person you were decades ago? What's different and what's stayed the same? David explains why the best word to...
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Career Journey - The Final Chapter (for now!) (Ep. 152)
This is the last in our recent series about career planning and Eugene's process of looking for a job. Happily, shortly after recording this episode, Eugene was offered and accepted a full time position. Thank you everyone for your support and well wishes during the transition process! In this...
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Chicago (Ep. 151)
After a solo trip to the Windy City, David and Eugene discuss how they would structure solo travel, why David doesn't feel alone on such trips, and how (if at all!) Eugene's extroverted self would manage. We also reflect on our childhoods living in Chicago and some of the tough choices our…
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The Grind of Unemployment, and How to Conquer It (Ep. 150)
Finding a job is not easy. Like learning to drive while driving, there's a learning curve to how to find employment, which you need to climb while applying to job openings. There's also a mental health aspect to unemployment that often goes under appreciated, as well as the need to still feel...
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Arachnophobia (Spoilers!) (Ep. 149)
Did you know that 30-40 million Americans have arachnophobia? And among them is one of the two of us? In this episode, David and Eugene review the somewhat obscure 1990 "thrill-omedy" Arachnophobia. We discuss what turns out to be our very different memories of how this movie showed up in our...
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Teacher Eugene? (Ep. 148)
This year has certainly been a journey when it comes to Eugene's work and career. This episode starts with David and Eugene taking Career Fitter's online career assessment test and discussing our results. We then consider whether Eugene should transition from software engineer to high school...
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A.D.D. / A.D.H.D. (Ep. 146)
Today's episode was meant to be the second half of our discussion of the book Who Moved My Cheese? But as sometimes (often?) happens on this podcast, David and Eugene veered instead toward a different conversation -- this time about ADD/ADHD and neurodivergence. As always, thank you for…
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Who Moved My Cheese? (Ep. 145)
David and Eugene have been on a 90's kick recently, and are sticking with the trend with a review of the business self-help best seller "Who Moved My Cheese?" by Spencer Johnson. We discuss the fable of the two mice and two "Littlepeople" named Hem and Haw, and how remarkably relevant the story...
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How I lost weight in 2024 (and why I wouldn't recommend it!) (Ep. 144)
It's been a while since David and Eugene have talked about their fitness journeys. In this episode, we discuss how Eugene smoked David in our most recent half marathon race, how we're dealing with injuries and stress, and our very different strategies for trying to lose weight. Unsurprisingly,...
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Queen of Tears Part 2 (Ep. 143)
In the second half of our discussion of "Queen of Tears," David and Eugene talk about how the show ends, the richness of the characters in this family drama, how meta the show was, and which characters we identified with the most. David asks Eugene whether he'd ever want to visit Sanssouci…
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Queen of Tears (Ep. 142)
In David's ongoing effort to get Eugene hooked on K-dramas, we review the recent Netflix hit "Queen of Tears." David and Eugene discuss what made this Korean drama so good, the main characters, villains, corporate intrigue, and love as seen in rom coms. As always, thanks for listening! Threads...
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Lights out and away we go! (Ep. 141)
Something happened earlier this year in Formula 1 that David has literally never seen in sports. Formula 1 superstar Lewis Hamilton announced he would be leaving his current team Mercedes Benz to drive for Ferrari. An athlete leaving a team is not new. But Hamilton said he wasn't leaving until…
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Formula 1 (Ep. 140)
I (David) have always found Formula One to be an intimidating sport. Vaguely European, with weirdly shaped cars racing at break neck speeds around bizarrely shaped tracks, without a guide, it's hard to know what's going on. Eugene meanwhile has been an auto racing aficionado since his early...
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M.F.E.O. (Ep. 139)
In this second half of our discussion about the movie Sleepless in Seattle, David and Eugene discuss Anne stalking Sam, poor Walter and Victoria's fates, and debate over some of the choices made by these characters. We explore some of our own theories about love and romance, how we see this movie...
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Sleepless in Seattle (Spoilers!) (Ep. 138)
In 1993, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks starred in the hit romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle. With its quirky characters, clever writing, and stellar soundtrack, not only did the movie put the city of Seattle on the map, it was a huge box office success, and has since been recognized as one of the…
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Drinking the Kool-Aid (Ep. 137)
As Eugene notes in this episode, it's not a surprise that David has "authority issues." In this second half of the discussion of Jocko Willink's book, "Extreme Ownership," we talk about the idea of being a true believer, whether Jocko is right when he says being a true believer is necessary to...
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Extreme Ownership (Ep. 136)
My daughter thinks the phrase "you can't swing a dead cat in this town" is absolutely ridiculous, and to be fair, she's not wrong! That said, you can't swing a dead cat these days without hitting a couple self-help gurus and podcasters who love them. But the self help book, "Extreme Ownership" by...
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The Hard Year (Ep. 134)
We're back! David and Eugene reflect on the past year and look ahead to 2024. Eugene talks about why 2023 was such a challenging year, while David discusses his marathon goals, his desire to finally pick up a camera, and what Deion Sanders and marching band taught him last year. As always, thanks...
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Where are you from? (Ep. 131)
I (David) have always had a hard time answering this question. In part because I'm from a family of immigrants but also because we lived in so many places over my childhood. This is the second half of David and Eugene's episode about home. We discuss our "Alien Space Club," the difficult move to...
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Home (Ep. 130)
Home is where the story begins. Home is not a place but a feeling. David and Eugene have lived in several homes over time, in different parts of the U.S. In this episode, we discuss the places we lived, from our earliest memories to significant events (like the time Eugene broke his femur), and…
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To sleep, perchance to dream (Ep. 129)
Everyone I know, to a person, says they need more sleep. Yet the modern age is not conducive to getting a full eight hours. After a brief discussion about the modern weight loss "miracle cure" Ozempic, David and Eugene get into the nitty gritty of sleep habits, and some of the psychology and hard...
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"Her" but in real life (Ep. 128)
You can't pick up your smartphone these days without seeing the latest crazy headlines about artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, and how they will take over the world. David and Eugene wanted to take a different approach on the topic and ask what happens if/when people start forming friendships…
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4000 Weeks (Ep. 127)
The average person lives about 4000 weeks. To author Oliver Burkeman, that sounded absurdly brief. So in response to this "radical finitude," Burkeman wrote the kind of self-help book that David has been wishing for years. One that doesn't necessarily provide ten tips and tricks for a more...
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The Importance of Hobbies (Ep. 126)
The word "hobby" has connotations of something trivial or inconsequential. (The word's roots refer to "an activity that doesn't go anywhere.") But I'm coming to realize just how important and life sustaining hobbies can be in our lives. In this episode, David and Eugene reflect on their lives…
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Turning the Tables, Part 2 (Ep. 125)
As it turns out, when you put four middle age men in front of a microphone, they have a lot to say. It's a good thing none of our wives prefer the "strong silent type" haha! This is the second half of our conversation with Sam Chung and Rob Koh. As always, thanks for listening! Music: VDGL:...
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Turning the Tables (Ep. 124)
We hope everyone's 2023 is off to a good start! This week we bring back long time friends of the podcast and Ironman triathletes Sam Chung and Rob Koh. But this time around the tables have turned, as Rob and Sam put David and Eugene on the hot seat, and have some questions for us to answer. As...
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The Karate Kid Part II (Part 2) (Ep. 123)
In the second half of our discussion on the Karate Kid sequel, David and Eugene discuss Daniel-san, Miyagi, Sato, Kumiko, the romances, plot twists, final battle, what happens to these characters after the movie (which we know thanks to Cobra Kai), and the impact this movie had on our lives.…
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The Karate Kid Part II (Spoilers!) (Ep. 122)
Last year around this time, David and Eugene reviewed one of David's all time favorite movies, "An Ode to My Father." Because we had so much fun with that episode, we decided to take another ride on the nostalgia train, this time revisiting the 1986 martial arts sequel, The Karate Kid Part II. In...
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Why I Stopped Drinking Alcohol (Ep. 120)
David and Eugene talk about how our drinking habits have changed, and for David why he's nearly stopped drinking alcohol all together. The topic of alcohol is admittedly too big to address on this podcast, let alone in a single episode. Instead, we focus on how our habits have changed…
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Race Day (Ep. 119)
The second of our two part series on the SF Marathon. David and Eugene discuss the highs and lows of the race, our biggest takeaways, Eugene's surprise mystery SECOND race, and what we hope to get from running in the future. As always, thanks for listening! Music: New Lands - Alex Productions...
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"Suffer Fest" (Ep. 118)
What possesses anyone to run one mile, let alone 26.2? David and Eugene talk about our attempt to complete the San Francisco Marathon this past summer. We discuss why we run, our running histories, the training, and the many MANY logistics leading up to the race. As always, thank you for…
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Top Gun: Maverick (Spoilers!!) (Ep. 115)
David and Eugene are joined by friend of the show and former naval officer Rob Koh to discuss Top Gun: Maverick. We talk about whether the movie lives up to the hype, how Tom Cruise is able to unify the left and the right, and why this is such a special franchise especially for Rob and Eugene. As...
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Spoilers!!) (Ep. 114)
After a brief spring hiatus, David and Eugene are back to take a deep dive into Marvel's latest, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (with spoilers!). We talk about the movie's themes of grief, power, and abuse of power, the controversial decision to go "horror," why we think Elizabeth...
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Our Money Story (Ep. 113)
What does money mean to you? What was your relationship with money like growing up? I was honestly surprised that we've never yet tackled the topic of money head on. In this episode, David and Eugene talk about our complicated feelings, goals, hopes and dreams, all related to money. We'll be…
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The Kids Will Be All Right (...Right?) (Ep. 112)
If you ever feel like raising a parent's anxiety and stress levels -- actually there are many ways to raise a parent's stress level! -- but one way is by asking them about their child's future career and job prospects. Personally, until becoming a parent, I never knew it was possible to feel so...
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My Role Model (Ep. 111)
Many of these podcast episodes have been brooding in my head for years. This is definitely one of them. In this episode, I explain why the fictitious and often problematic character of Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid movies has become a role model for me as an adult. As always, thank you for...
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My Peers are More Successful than I Am (Ep. 109)
Happy Lunar New Year, Year of the Tiger, and Black History Month! In this somewhat belated episode, David and Eugene reflect on the year that was and the year ahead. We explain why David's theme for the year is "fewer for longer," while Eugene's is to be more intentional. David also talks about…
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My Favorite Movie ... of All Time? (Ep. 108)
It's hard to say what your single "favorite" movie is. While it has its flaws, David makes the case for why the 2014 Korean film "Ode to My Father" may be his all time favorite. It's fair to say Eugene ... has some thoughts! :) As always, thank you for listening! We are taking a "winter break"...
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Chasing Happiness - What Tony Hsieh Taught Me (Ep. 107)
Life can be humbling. It's important to try to be grateful. In the last year of his life, Tony Hsieh's life went quickly downhill. In the second half of this series, I talk about what I believe triggered his demise, what happened in those final hours, and some of the lessons I took away from…
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Phase Four (Spoilers!!) (Ep. 106)
With the recent releases of Black Widow, WandaVision, Shang-Chi, Loki, and now Eternals, among others, we are deep in Phase Four territory of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. David and Eugene share their feelings on how phase four is going and whether Marvel is living up to its promises of greater...
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The Death and Life of Tony Hsieh (Ep. 105)
Zappos CEO and eccentric billionaire Tony Hsieh died at the age of 46 almost a year ago on November 27, 2020. His was just one death among countless others in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. And yet, the more I learned about the manner in which he died -- by fire in a small wooden shed in...
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Our Favorite Holidays! (Ep. 104)
With Halloween quickly approaching, David and Eugene talk about our favorite holidays of the year. What do we remember about trick or treating growing up? What do the holidays mean to us now? And how do we tackle telling our kids that (spoiler alert!) Santa Claus may not be real? As always, thank...
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Tricky Questions Around Navigating Friendship (Ep. 103)
Can men and women "just be friends"? What do you do if someone wants to be your friend but you don't? How do you join a community without "drinking the Kool-Aid"? We don't always get a lot of guidance when it comes to hard questions about friendships. While certainly no gurus, Eugene and David...
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You need friends. Here's how we do it. (Ep. 102)
We're back with another season of the podcast! The statistics don't lie. It's hard for adult men especially to make friends. In this episode, David and Eugene discuss what it takes to make deep, meaningful friendships, how to overcome toxic masculinity that often gets in the way, and how our own...
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Summer Q&A (Ep. 101)
Why did David start this podcast? Has Eugene gotten more woke since joining? We end this season with a Q&A, reflecting on what motivates us to keep talking (it doesn't take much!), how David got deservedly scolded for lack of attentiveness, ways both of us want to grow, and much more. This is our...
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does What Just Happened? have?
What Just Happened? currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is What Just Happened? about?
What Just Happened? is a podcast about recent history. In each episode, host David Chang tackles current and often controversial topics head on, making sense of a nonsensical world.
How often does What Just Happened? release new episodes?
What Just Happened? has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to What Just Happened??
You can listen to What Just Happened? on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts What Just Happened??
What Just Happened? is created and hosted by David Chang.
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