Episode 2: Into the Gorge

The Chinese government contends that David died while hiking in Tiger Leaping Gorge and that his body was carried off by the Jinsha River. But David’s family says that’s not just unlikely, but practically impossible. In this episode, we delve into the contradicting accounts of David’s trek through the mountains, and hear from those who retraced his footsteps to get at the most central question of this case: Did David die in the Gorge?

Episode 3: Eight Witnesses

Frantic, David’s father and two of his brothers comb the Chinese countryside looking for David. They don’t find him, but do find 8 witnesses who all claim they saw David after the gorge. If true, this would mean he didn’t fall to his death. After almost a year of request the Chinese government finally interviews the witnesses, but all their stories have changed.

Episode 4: The Underground Railroad

In the early 2000s, thousands of North Korean citizens were attempting to escape their totalitarian government on a modern-day underground railroad. The only route would take them across the border into China, through the Yunnan province, and onto freedom. The last known reports of David place him directly in the path of the railroad. Could he have been working on the railroad? Was he mistakenly swept up by North Korean officials pursuing escapees?

Episode 5: The Mysterious Mr. Choi 
A mysterious South Korean man named Mr. Choi makes a shocking claim. He states that he has sources inside North Korea who have seen David. Mr. Choi says that David is being forced to train North Korean spies and was once the personal English teacher to Kim Jong Un. In this episode, we look into the mysterious Mr. Choi, his history of claims, and why the US government refuses to believe his report.

Episode 6: A Nation’s Obligation

What does a country owe one of its citizens? Did the U.S. State Department do enough to investigate David’s case?  We talk to former U.S. Representative Chris Stewart, the author of a congressional resolution demanding that the State Department investigate the possibility of David’s disappearance. We also hear from former Special Envoy to North Korea Robert King and his thoughts on David’s case. And we try desperately to get the U.S. open the still classified files in David’s case. 

Episode 7: The Invitation-Only Zone

Deep inside the North Korean capital of Pyongyang exists an area where high-ranking government officials and foreign nationals are held, the Invitation-Only Zone. If David is alive, that's where he is being held. In this episode, we dig into North Korea’s history of kidnapping and what it is like to be held inside the country.

Episode 8: 26 Million Reasons

As the podcast draws to a close, we try to make sense of this mystery and what to do now. After years of trying, we finally get to talk to the person who was closest to David, his sister Jenny. North Korean defector Doohyun Kim tells us about his journey to freedom, what he thinks about David’s case, and what he wants Americans to know about the 26 million people living inside North Korea.