**Andrew Phung:** My friend and I were in Calgary at the same time, and I was like, “Yo, let me take you out for dinner.” And I remember getting to his hotel, and he’s like, “How’d you get here so fast?” I’m like, “It’s Calgary. There’s not that much traffic.” He’s blown away. And we went to this restaurant, CHARCUT, get a table, and he’s like, “Did you make a reservation?” I’m like, “Nah, man, I just assume we get a table.” He’s like, “You just walked into a restaurant at 7:00 and got a table at this nice of a place?” I’m like, “Yeah, man.” He’s mind blown **Nora Richie:** Ah, the Calgary life.
No traffic, no reservations, no problem. I’m Nora Ritchie, and this is Atlas Obscura, a celebration of the world’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. This episode was produced in partnership with Travel Alberta.
Explore Canada’s Wild Side. This month, we’re talking with Canadian writers and artists who find inspiration in their home province of Alberta. Today, I’m talking with Andrew Phung.
Andrew is a comedian and actor best known for playing Kimchee on _Kim’s Convenience_, and he’s the creator and star of _Run the Burbs_. But for this conversation, what matters most is that Andrew is a superfan of Calgary, the medium-sized city where he grew up. An Explorer's Guide to the Hidden Wonders of the United States Introducing Our Newest Book: _America Obscura_.
Available Nov 10, 2026 _This is an edited transcript of the__Atlas Obscura Podcast__: a celebration of the world’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. Find the show on__Apple Podcasts__,__Spotify__, and all major podcast apps._ To Andrew Phung, calgary is simultaneously a big city and a small town—in all the right ways. Travel Alberta / Sameer Ahmed Calgary is in southern Alberta, where the prairies meet the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
And to be honest, it’s not exactly considered the poster child for Alberta tourism. That honor usually goes to places like Banff and Lake Louise, with their turquoise lakes and mountain views. But Andrew thinks his hometown deserves a little more love. **Andrew:**I would describe Calgary as a really big city that has all the amenities but feels a bit like a small town at times in regards to its friendliness.
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