The Korea Society

July 19, 2022 - As one of the first Korean American actors to blaze a unique path through cultural and business barriers into the mainstream, John Cho’s esteemed career has spanned over two decades with compelling performances across film and television. Cho is also a former 7th-grade English teacher who grew up as a Korean immigrant kid in Texas and East L.A. (among many other places). This spring, he became an instant New York Times bestselling author when he published Troublemaker, an incredible middle grade novel highlighting the unique Korean American perspective as 12-year-old Jordan navigates the evening of the 1992 LA Riots. In this conversation with The Korea Society, Cho discusses his debut novel and career. “The novel weaves together large-scale issues of social injustice and interracial barriers with the intimate pain— and joy—of personal relationships. Equal parts suspenseful and emotionally insightful.” — Kirkus Reviews “A gripping work of historical fiction. . . Exploring a significant historic

July 13, 2022 - As part of our ‘Korea and Coronavirus Series,’ The Korea Society will again host a conversation with Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and Tom Byrne, The Korea Society’s President/CEO. Dr. Manki Song, Deputy Director General of IVI will also join the interview. The speakers will focus on South Korea’s efforts on becoming a ‘K -Global Vaccine Hub,’ a new initiative to strengthen vaccine capabilities on COVID-19 as well as future pandemics. They will also highlight IVI’s continuous journey on overcoming the pandemic and its future plans on building public safety. This program will be recorded at IVI in Seoul when President Byrne visits South Korea in late June. For more information, please visit the link below: https://koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1593-discussion-on-k-global-vaccine-hub-with-dr-jerome-kim-and-dr-manki-song

June 16, 2022 - The United States and South Korea have a well-established “gold standard” Free Trade Agreement. Now, as international economic relationships are shifting to strategic frameworks and concerns over supply-chain robustness and resiliency, Korean investment in the U.S is gaining attention and transforming the bilateral relationship into a new dynamic. The upcoming President’s Interview Series led by Tom Byrne, the President and CEO of The Korea Society will feature the representatives from three states for an in-depth conversation: Andrew Deye, Vice President, Head of Strategy at JobsOhio, Harry M. Lightsey III, Secretary of Commerce of South Carolina Department of Commerce, and Pat Wilson, Commissioner of Georgia Department of Economic Development. The panelists will discuss the significance of the new wave of Korean direct investment in the United States. They will also cover the business, economic and political angles of the investment in each state, and how this is contributing to the "compreh

June 15, 2022 - Meet the new generation of Korean American young adult novelists. Drawing inspiration from the Korean pop culture they grew up consuming and their personal journey as immigrant kids, these authors offer refreshing and compelling representations on myriads of subject matters, from intergenerational struggles and family bonds to identity issues. And they are conquering the bestseller lists while offering a mirror to the generations of young readers that they themselves did not have. Join our conversation with Claire Ahn, Kat Cho and Mary H. K. Choi, as they discuss the popularity of YA novels featuring Korean and Korean-American characters, the changing perception in the publishing industry regarding Asian American YA novels, and their remarkable stories. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1587-ka-ya-korean-american-ya-novels-authors

June 7, 2022 - King's College London Professor of International Relations, KF-VUB Korea Chair at the Brussels School of Governance, Adjunct Fellow (Non-resident) at CSIS, and Non-resident Fellow at Sejong Institute Dr. Ramon Pacheco Pardo discusses his new book Shrimp to Whale, which provides an account of South Korea’s extraordinary transformation from “the ashes of colonialism, partition and a devastating war” into “a boisterous democracy, a vibrant market economy, a tech powerhouse, and home to the coolest of cultures.” Please enjoy a 25% discount on pre-orders on the book with code DISTRO25 on this link here. This program was made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our corporate sponsors. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1573-shrimp-to-whale-south-korea-s-extraordinary-transformation

May 26, 2022 - Recently named The New York Times 2021 Breakout Star in Classical Music, Korean conductor Eun Sun Kim is the Caroline H. Hume Music Director of San Francisco Opera. The first woman to serve as music director of one of America's largest opera companies, she is "making history while ensuring the future of classical music in a digital age," as The New York Times declared. This program is made possible by the support from Yang Won Sun Foundation. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1582-eun-sun-kim

May 24, 2022 - Chances are, you’ve read something you loved by the talented and prolific Marie Myung-Ok Lee. Her stories, criticism, and essays on everything from Picnicking in North Korea to navigating her son’s disability have been published in The Atlantic, The New York Times, Slate, Salon, Guernica, The Paris Review, and The Guardian, among others. She’s the author of the acclaimed novel Somebody’s Daughter and the YA classic, Finding My Voice. A sharp observer, a masterful storyteller, and an extraordinary and bitingly funny stylist, Lee uses those talents here to reveal the world we live in and imagine the world we could live in, too, in her latest novel The Evening Hero. In The Evening Hero Lee wrestles with big questions and big themes: how war trauma insinuates itself between the generation of immigrants and their American-born children; the dire state of medical care in the US—from rural hospital closures to crazy, high-end shopping mall medicine; and what it means to be a good Korean, a good Americ

May 19, 2022 - Born in Seoul and raised in Maryland, Peter Serpico’s route to Korean food came long after making a name for himself in New York City restaurants. His first bites of marinated short ribs and black bean noodles tasted like home, and a love affair with the flavors and techniques of his birthplace began. Written with Drew Lazor, Serpico's debut cookbook Learning Korean: Recipes for Home Cooking draws from his decades of professional cooking experience to elevate the greatest hits of at-home Korean dishes. In this insightful and endearing cookbook, new flavors, techniques, and ways to enjoy one of the world’s greatest cuisines are revealed by Serpico, chef and father. In a conversation with Eric Kim, the New York Times bestselling author of Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home, Serpico discusses his career and his debut cookbook. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1580-peter-serpico-learning-korean-with-eric-kim

May 13, 2022 - Join us for this discussion on North Korea's evolving economy, state, and society with Dr. Andrew Yeo, the SK-Korea Foundation Chair in Korea Studies at The Brookings Institution and Professor of Politics, Catholic University of America. Yeo's new book, State, Society, and Markets in North Korea, examines the extent and limitations of reform and development under leader Kim Jong Un, arguing that, "situational factors will continue to complicate the country’s future domestic prospects." This live webcast discussion is in conversation with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. This program was made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our corporate sponsors. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1579-state-society-and-markets-in-north-korea

May 12, 2022 - Amid intensifying U.S.-China strategic competition, a shifting Indo Pacific regional order, and an undaunted North Korea that continues to develop its nuclear weapons and missile programs, how can South Korea maximize its opportunities and defend against threats? Join us for this conversation about South Korea and a Regional Order in Flux with Dr. Andrew Yeo, SK-Korea Foundation Chair in Korea Studies at The Brookings Institution and Professor of Politics, Catholic University of America, and Dr. Patricia Kim, David M. Rubenstein Fellow at The Brookings Institution, moderated by Korea Society Van Fleet senior fellow Dr. Katrin Katz. This program was made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our corporate sponsors. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1578-south-korea-and-a-regional-order-in-flux

May 10, 2022 - Join us as Dr. Todd A. Henry, Associate Professor in the Department of History and affiliate faculty member of Critical Gender Studies, Science Studies, and Film Studies at the University of California, San Diego (USCD), launches the Society’s new Current Directions in Korea Studies Series. Dr. Henry, a specialist of modern Korea, a social and cultural historian, and an expert in LGBTQ studies, is well-suited to launch our new series. From 2013 to 2018, he served as the inaugural director of Transnational Korean Studies at UCSD and has researched, lectured, and written extensively on topics of place, race, identity, and nation. From his first book, Assimilating Seoul: Japanese Rule and the Politics of Public Space in Colonial Korea, 1910-1945 (University of California Press, 2014) — the Korean translation of which was awarded a 2020 Sejong Book Prize in History, Geography and Tourism — to his recent edited volume, Queer Korea (Duke University Press, 2020), as well as two forthcoming books and a

May 1, 2022 - A great deal of stigma remains on conversations regarding mental health. Among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, the issue is often shrouded by silence and shame, allowing misconceptions and minimization of mental health concerns. Amid historic levels of anti-Asian violence, it is crucial to recognize the intergenerational trauma from immigration and racism and share stories that show the fullness of the AAPI experience in order to educate and form alliances. Join us for an illuminating conversation with Dr. Shinhee Han, psychotherapist and co-author of Racial Melancholia, Racial Dissociation: On the Social and Psychic Lives of Asian Americans, and journalist Heidi Shin. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1575-building-resilience-aapi-identity-and-mental-health

April 28, 2022 - A long-married couple is forced to confront their friend’s painful past when a church revival comes to a nearby town … A woman in an arranged marriage struggles to connect with the son she hid from her husband for years … A well-meaning sister unwittingly reunites an abuser with his victims. Skinship by Yoon Choi is a breathtaking debut of an important new voice. Through an indelible array of lives, Yoon Choi explores where first and second generations either clash or find common ground, where meaning falls in the cracks between languages, where relationships bend under the weight of tenderness and disappointment, where displacement turns to heartbreak. This collection of short stories is suffused with a profound understanding of humanity and offers a searing look at who the people we love truly are. “To encounter these achingly truthful, beautiful stories of newcomer Americans is like gazing up at the starry vault of a perfect night sky; it’s immediately dazzling and impressive, and yet the

April 28, 2022 - With strategic competition between the United States and China intensifying and a new South Korean President set to shift Seoul’s foreign policy preferences, join us for this discussion on US-Korea-China relations, featuring: Dr. Seong-Hyon Lee, Harvard University Fairbank Center visiting scholar and Former Director of Sejong Institute Center for Chinese Studies, Yun Sun, Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the East Asia Program and Director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, Daniel Russel, Vice President for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, and Dr. Katrin Katz, Korea Society Van Fleet Senior Fellow, moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado. This program is produced in collaboration with Asia Society Policy Institute. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1574-us-korea-china-relations

April 27, 2022 - Join us for this exciting presentation by Ambassador Enna Park about Busan’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo. Officially known as International Registered Exhibitions, World Expos are a global gathering of nations dedicated to finding solutions to pressing challenges by offering a journey inside a universal theme through engaging and immersive activities. Korea became one of five candidates to host the World Expo after submitting its bid in June 2021. The other candidates are Moscow, Odessa, Rome, and Ryadh. The host country will be determined by the 170 BIE (Bureau International des Expositions) Member States in 2023, with each country casting one vote. Busan’s bid is based on the theme “Transforming Our World, Navigating Toward a Better Future.” Busan is a global hub of both commerce and culture. This city is a transportation and logistics hub for Northeast Asia and its vibrant atmosphere is an incubator for artists such as musicians and filmmakers. In the future, Busan seeks to become an e

April 19, 2022 - The Korea Society is pleased to invite Mr. Kyung Shik Sohn, Chairman of CJ Group, for a conversation with the Society’s President/CEO Tom Byrne. In this upcoming episode of our President’s Interview Series, Chairman Sohn will discuss his remarkable success in growing CJ’s diversified businesses domestically and globally, and how CJ is managing an increasingly challenging global business climate. He will also inform us on his contributions to forging stronger U.S.-Korea ties. Chairman Sohn will also talk about his remarkable career and his vision as one of the most respected and influential leaders in the Korean business community. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1570-interview-with-cj-group-chairman-kyung-shik-sohn

April 7, 2022 - Riding the Korean Wave sweeping the world, the traditional Korean costumes have become increasingly visible in global media. In 2021, hanbok - the generic term referring to traditional style Korean clothing - was registered in the Oxford English Dictionary. In this comprehensive series of lectures, Dr. Minjee Kim, the preeminent scholar of Korean textile and fashion in the U.S., illustrates and elucidates hanbok in sartorial, socio-cultural, and historical contexts. In the second lecture of the series, Dr. Kim discusses some distinctive qualities of men's hanbok in comparison with other dress traditions; terminologies of the components and their structural parts; colors, materials, and embellishments; and symbols and ideas behind design principles and ways of dress. YouTube video with slides: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2-MFWJJn7s For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1560-hanbok-a-new-lexicon-of-world-fashion-men-s-hanbok

April 6, 2022 - Do you wonder what it takes and how to build success as an entrepreneur? Although interested, do you find running a startup company quite intimidating? If your answer is yes, join us for our upcoming Young Professionals’ Network program and take your passion to the next level. The Korea Society is delighted to host a panel discussion featuring three successful Korean American entrepreneurs and startup expert – Ryan Kim (Founder and CEO, Kim’C Market), Sol Park (Managing Director, Korea International Trade Association) and Jun Yoon (Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Culinary Agents and Vice President, Korean Startups & Entrepreneurs (KSE). The discussion will be led by moderator Sang Lee, President of KSE and CEO of VegaX and Konstellation. In this event, the panelists will spark thought-provoking conversations and inspire a new generation of leaders. They will delve into the realities, challenges, and success they experienced building their entrepreneurial ventures. The discussion w

March 31, 2022 - Sibling defectors from Pyongyang Seohyun Lee and Hyun-Seung Lee discuss their life in North Korea, their journey to escape, and their transition to life in the United States, alongside Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) President & CEO Hannah Song, in conversation with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. Hyunseung and Seohyun Lee are prominent North Korean activists and siblings. They're the children of Ri Jong-ho, a high ranking North Korean defector who worked for decades in “Office 39,” which generates revenue for the North Korean leadership. Hyun-Seung and Seohyun were raised in Pyongyang, educated in China, and escaped North Korea in 2014 with their family after witnessing a series of brutal purges by Kim Jong Un. They speak to their experience as millennials from Pyongyang and share the true nature of the Kim regime and the reality of life in North Korea. The event marks the anniversary of the February 2014 publication of the historic UN Commission of Inquiry report on human

March 29, 2022 - New York Times staff writer Eric Kim grew up in Atlanta, the son of two Korean immigrants. Food has always been central to his story, from Friday-night Korean barbecue with his family to hybridized Korean-ish meals for one that he makes in his tiny New York City apartment. In his debut cookbook, Kim shares these recipes alongside insightful, touching stories and stunning images shot by photographer Jenny Huang. Playful, poignant, and vulnerable, Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home explores how new culinary traditions can be forged to honor both your past and your present. In a conversation with Irene Yoo, Kim discusses his career in food writing and his debut cookbook. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1567-korean-american-food-that-tastes-like-home-with-eric-kim