As a commuter, I’m used to spending nearly three hours a day on the road — traveling to my office in central Seoul and back home to the suburbs after work. Riding the bus isn’t so bad. In fact, it’s often far better than taking the subway, which is infamous for being overcrowded during the morning rush hour.

On the bus, I usually spend time resting, napping or simply watching the changing scenery through the window. It’s a calm and peaceful part of my day — at least until it’s interrupted, seemingly out of nowhere, by a radio news show blasting from the driver's speaker system. These radio programs often feel like a snapshot of Korea’s deep political divide.

Some hosts are so overtly biased that I question their professionalism. They speak freely about their political leanings without the slightest attempt at neutrality. Their choice of guests can be just as questionable.

As just one of many passengers on the bus, I have no choice but to listen. This kind of forced listening is stressful, especially during what I prefer to be the quiet hours of a daily commute.

Last Wednesday was one of those days. A morning news show was playing, and a host, along with........

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