• Coming soon: The Last Voyage of the Pong Su
    Sep 24 2019

    When a dead body and bags of heroin washed up on the southern coast of Australia, a dark tale began to unfold...

    Richard Baker investigates the final journey of the Pong Su in a new podcast from The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.

    Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts, and look out for episode 1 on October 8.

    Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald.

    Support the show.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    1 min
  • Trailer: The Last Voyage of the Pong Su
    Oct 2 2019

    Launching Tuesday, October 8 - Richard Baker investigates the final journey of the Pong Su in a new podcast from The Age & Sydney Morning Herald.

    When a dead body and bags of heroin washes up on the southern coast of Australia, a dark tale begins to unfold...

    Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.

    Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald.

    Support the show.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
  • "This f---ing boat"
    Oct 7 2019

    Episode one. North Korean cargo ship the Pong Su comes dangerously close to Australia’s Great Ocean Road shoreline as part of a high-risk, high-reward operation to import a record amount of heroin. Coastal locals have never seen anything like it.

    The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays.

    If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend.

    To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites.

    Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald.

    Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )
    Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter
    Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams
    Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh
    Music & Composition - Vicki Hansen
    Sound design & mixing - John Greenfield
    Script translations - Yan Zhuang
    Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

    Actors:
    Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy Song
    Kiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony Ting
    Yau Kim Lam is played by Jason Chong
    Casting - Catapult Casting

    Additional Audio from: Largo International N.V, World Surf League and Sky News

    The poem you heard at the start of this episode is titled ‘Waves’ by South Korean poet Cho Oh-hyun, read by Jason Chong.

    Support the show.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • Master Sun's big gamble
    Oct 14 2019

    Episode two. Pong Su skipper Song Man Sun embarks on his final journey before retirement, while Australian police get a big break as they covertly track suspected Asian crime syndicate foot soldiers around Melbourne’s casino and the nearby Great Ocean Road coast.

    The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays.

    If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend.

    To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites.

    Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald.

    Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )
    Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter
    Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams
    Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh
    Music & Composition - Vicki Hansen
    Sound design & mixing - John Greenfield
    Script translations - Yan Zhuang
    Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

    Actors:
    Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy Song
    Kiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony Ting
    Yau Kim Lam is played by Jason Chong
    Casting - Catapult Casting

    Additional film audio from: Narcos Productions LLC and MMDP Munich Movie Development & Production

    The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by Samuel Taylor Coleridge - read by Jason Chong.

    Support the show.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
  • Going fishing
    Oct 21 2019

    Episode three. Secretly bugged conversations give Australian police clues about the immense scale of the heroin import. On board the Pong Su, two men prepare to risk everything to make it happen.

    The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays.

    If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend.

    To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites.

    Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald.

    Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )
    Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter
    Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams
    Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh
    Music & Composition - Vicki Hansen
    Sound design & mixing - John Greenfield
    Script translations - Yan Zhuang
    Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

    Actors:
    Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy Song
    Kiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony Ting
    Yau Kim Lam is played by Jason Chong
    Casting - Catapult Casting

    Additional audio from: Reuters, Associated Press and the Australian Liberal Party.

    The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, read by Jason Chong.

    Support the show.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • "Do you believe in luck?"
    Oct 27 2019

    Episode four. Tension among the Asian crime syndicate members is at breaking point, while Australian police keep finding their best laid plans are going astray.

    A dead body on the beach throws everyone off their game.

    The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays.

    If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend.

    To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites.

    Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald.

    Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )
    Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter
    Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams
    Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh
    Music & Composition - Vicki Hansen
    Sound design & mixing - John Greenfield
    Script translations - Yan Zhuang
    Extra production - Tim Mummery
    Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

    Actors:
    Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy Song
    Kiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony Ting
    Yau Kim Lam is played by Jason Chong
    Casting - Catapult Casting

    The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from The Wasteland by T.S Eliot, read by Jason Chong.

    Support the show.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
  • Hot pursuit
    Nov 4 2019

    Episode 5. A dramatic chase at sea unfolds to stop a fleeing Pong Su. The North Korean crew fears the worst for their Master after they are told by their superiors in Pyongyang to stop and fight.

    Age & SMH subscribers can listen to an extended interview with former SAS soldiers Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis here: https://bit.ly/36s4szb

    The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays.

    If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend.

    To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites.

    Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald.

    Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )
    Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter
    Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams
    Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh
    Music & Composition - Vicki Hansen
    Sound design & mixing - John Greenfield
    Script translations - Yan Zhuang
    Extra production - Tim Mummery
    Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

    Actors:
    Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy Song
    Kiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony Ting
    Yau Kim Lam is played by Jason Chong
    Casting - Catapult Casting

    Additional audio from: Channel Seven

    The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from The Old man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway- read by Jason Chong.

    Support the show.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
  • Hidden forces
    Nov 11 2019

    Episode 6. Was Kim Jong Il’’s secretive money-making agency behind the Pong Su heroin importation? A high-profile North Korean defector speaks out.

    Age & SMH subscribers can listen to an extended interview with former clearance diver Nicholas Martin here: https://bit.ly/2Kackvx

    The Last Voyage of the Pong Su is brought to you by the newsrooms of The Age & Sydney Morning Herald. A new episode of this 10-part series drops on Tuesdays.

    If you’re enjoying this series, leave a review on iTunes and recommend us to a friend.

    To read more, and to watch the videos referenced in this episode, head to our websites.

    Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Click on the links to subscribe to The Age or The Sydney Morning Herald.

    Reporter - Richard Baker (Get in touch: rbaker@theage.com.au )
    Executive Producer - Rachael Dexter
    Narrative Consultant - Kate Cole-Adams
    Consulting Producer - Siobhan McHugh
    Music & Composition - Vicki Hansen
    Sound design & mixing - John Greenfield
    Script translations - Yan Zhuang
    Assistant Producer - Margaret Gordon
    Head of Audio - Tom McKendrick

    Actors:
    Chin Kwang Lee is played by Andy Song
    Kiam Fah Teng is played by Anthony Ting
    Yau Kim Lam is played by Jason Chong
    Casting - Catapult Casting

    Additional audio from: Time Magazine, C-SPAN, Alux.com, Vidello Productions, NBC, Associated Press, Sky News UK, Journeyman pictures, Channel 10, Channel 9, ABC, ABC America and CNN

    The reading you heard at the start of this episode was an excerpt from the poem Midnight Sun by Kim Hyesoon - read by Jason Chong.

    Support the show.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Show More Show Less
    41 mins