The Korea Society

September 10, 2024 - South Korea’s film industry is producing movies and original series eagerly anticipated by the global audience, and it is now arguably considered one of the few countries outside the United States to have captivated the world’s hearts and minds through pop music, TV dramas, and film. Similarly, the exponential growth in the South Korean film industry has been mirrored by increasing interest from the press and academia all over the world. The South Korean Film Industry is the first detailed scholarly overview of the South Korean film industry, discussing topics from short films to popular television series that have engaged global audiences and exploring the major changes in South Korean film making and marketing, as well as the international popularity of South Korean films. Join us for a conversation about the South Korean film industry with three contributors to this new volume: Sangjoon Lee, Dal Yong Jin, and Jason Bechervaise. For more information, please visit the link below: https:/

September 5, 2024 - Korean Couture: Generations of Revolution is a compelling exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art about the history and transformative legacy of Korean fashion, presenting garments ranging from excavated 17th-century aristocratic garments to contemporary Korean couture by leading and emerging designers, including André Kim (1935–2010); Lie Sang Bong (b. 1954); Lee Chung Chung (b. 1978), for LIE; Lee Jean Youn (b. 1978); and Shin Kyu Yong (b. 1988) and Park Ji Sun (b. 1988), for Blindness. Through juxtaposing historical and contemporary ensembles, Korean Couture: Generations of Revolution recounts the definition of “couture” from an inclusive perspective, amplifying how tradition has empowered contemporary Korean fashion designers to invent a new artistic language. Join us for a conversation with Darnell-Jamal Lisby, who co-curated the exhibition with Sooa Im McCormick. For the video version with slides, please visit the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ5dgb1gSXE For more i

July 27, 2024 - Join us at The Korea Society to honor Veterans who served in The Korean War. This ceremony marks the 71st Anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice Agreement on July 27, 1953. This program will provide perspectives on the experience of a front-line soldier as told by a Korean War veteran, South Korea's wartime economy and financial situation, South Korean President Syngman Rhee's role in the Armistice and Alliance, and the state of the US-ROK Alliance today. The ceremony will feature remarks from president and CEO of The Korea Society Thomas J. Byrne, Republic of Korea New York Consul General Euy Whan Kim, President of the New York Department of the Korean War Veterans Association Salvatore Scarlato, Instructor of Economics in the Department of Social Sciences at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY Major Rachel Kim, and Associate Director, Center for East Asian Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison Dr. David Fields. This program is presented in collaboration

July 24, 2024 - A beautifully crafted, enriching saga inspired by East Asian mythology, The Melancholy of Untold History is Minsoo Kang’s debut novel, steeped in history and lyrically exciting, interweaving four complex yet entertaining stories as they shape and create a nation’s literary narrative through the themes of love and grief. Famous for his dispelling of the national myth, a history professor understands the power of narrative. He has inspired another young professor to search for her own truths, while trying to understand the way fiction creates fact and how sometimes the past can only be understood by filling in holes with a new narrative. Which is exactly what he needs when his wife passes away to parse meaning out of a world that no longer makes sense. Together the protégé and the Historian find comfort in each other. Yet they know their time together is fleeting, as time usually is. Only the gods have an abundance of time, and yet—the two discover—even that might not be so clear cut. Part of

July 18, 2024 - A daughter of Korean immigrants, Hyeseung Song spends her earliest years in the cane fields of Texas where her loyalties are divided between a restless father in search of Big Money, and a beautiful yet domineering mother whose resentments about her own life compromises her relationship with her daughter. With her parents at constant odds, Song learns more words in Korean for hatred than for love. When the family’s fake Gucci business lands them in bankruptcy, Song moves to a new elementary school. On her first day, a girl asks the teacher: “Can she speak English?” Neither rich nor white, Song does what is necessary to be visible: she internalizes the model minority myth as well as her beloved mother’s dreams to see her on a secure path. Song meets these expectations by attending the best Ivy League universities in the country. But when she wavers, in search of an artistic life on her own terms, her mother warns, “Happiness is what unexceptional people tell themselves when they don’t have the

June 28, 2024 - Join us for a bipartisan pair of Former Members of Congress to hear a forecast unpacking how America’s 2024 presidential and congressional elections will impact U.S. domestic politics, U.S. foreign policy, and America’s dynamic relationship with South Korea. The conversation features former Representative Bart Gordon, Former Senator Tim Hutchinson, and Chicago Council on Global Affairs senior fellow Dina Smeltz, with opening remarks by the Republic of Korea Consul General Euy Whan Kim, Former Members of Congress (FMC) Chief Operating Officer Sabine Schleidt, and Korea Society President and CEO Thomas Byrne. The conversation will be moderated by American University professor Leonard Steinhorn. This program is presented in collaboration between The Korea Society and FMC’s Congressional Study Group on Korea. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1842-the-2024-u-s-presidential-election-what-they-could-mean-at-home-and-abr

June 25, 2024 - Join us for a conversation with Dr. Peter Banseok Kwon, Assistant Professor of Korean Studies at the University at Albany, State University of New York, on his newly released book: Cornerstone of the Nation: The Defense Industry and the Building of Modern Korea under Park Chung Hee. Newly released by Harvard University Press, this book is the first historical account of the complex alliance of military and civilian forces that catapulted South Korea’s conjoined militarization and industrialization under Park Chung Hee. Kwon reveals how Park’s secret program to build an independent defense industry spurred a total mobilization of business, science, labor, and citizenry, all of which converged in military-civilian forces that propelled an unprecedented model of modernization in Korea. Kwon joins President and CEO Tom Byrne in conversation. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1830-cornerstone-of-the-nation-the-defense-

Recorded June 20, 2024 - The Korea Society is pleased to invite you to a fireside chat with Co-founder and CEO of Rael, Yanghee Paik. In 2017, Yanghee joined forces with two other Korean-American women to revolutionize the stagnant American feminine-care product market by introducing clean, high-performing holistic feminine care products. Their innovative approach excited millions of Amazon customers with a single product-organic cotton cover pads- leveraging cutting-edge South Korean manufacturing technology. Under Yanghee’s leadership, Rael quickly became the best-selling pad on Amazon and expanded into major retailers such as Target and Walmart, offering a wide range of holistic care products for women, from feminine products to acne-treatment beauty patches. Join us to hear the trailblazing journey of Yanghee, who transitioned from a successful career as a Disney executive to leading a consumer-goods startup. You will learn the insights into how Rael could break through the global feminine product market,

June 18, 2024 - Is the short story a fiction writer’s laboratory where you can experiment with characters, plots, and ideas? or is it an art form of its own, telling a complete story in just a few words? What does a short story need to have in order to be successful that is different from a novel? And what makes the writers return to this form of writing again and again? Join us for a conversation between Gina Chung (Green Frog, Sea Change) and Yun Ko-eun (Table for One, The Disaster Tourist) about the art of short story writing in English and Korean. For more information, please visit the link below: https://koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1827-writing-short-stories-with-gina-chung-and-yun-ko-eun

May 30, 2024 - Join us for the launch of the Korean translation of The Power of Money: How Governments and Banks Create Money and Help Us All Prosper by economist and bestselling author Paul Sheard. Money issues dominate the news, but economic jargon and the complexity of it all can be bamboozling. Leading economist Paul Sheard is known for his ability to see the forest and the trees and demystify complex economic phenomena. With The Power of Money, Sheard empowers readers to become better-informed economic citizens by providing context for some of the biggest questions surrounding money, including how money comes into existence and whether cryptocurrencies are going to upend the money system as we know it. Sheard will tackle these topics and more in conversation with Chief Executive of MCC Productions and CNBC Contributor Michelle Caruso-Cabrera. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1828-the-power-of-money-how-governments-and-banks

May 16, 2024 - Today, South Korea is a cultural superpower—a global trendsetter producing award-winning films like Parasite, riveting dramas like Squid Game, and chart-topping music by K-pop groups such as BTS and BLACKPINK. But behind the country’s meteoric rise to the world stage, a phenomenon known as the Korean Wave, or hallyu, is the story of remarkable resilience and innovation. Just a century ago, Korea was in search of a new national identity, following its occupation by Japan and the Korean War. Harnessing cutting-edge technology, the country has rapidly transformed its economy and international reputation. At the same time, its creative outputs are deeply rooted in its past, with many contemporary artists, filmmakers, musicians, and fashion designers paying tribute to traditional values and art forms dating back to Korea’s dynastic kingdom days. Hallyu! The Korean Wave features approximately 250 objects—costumes, props, photographs, videos, pop culture ephemera, and contemporary works—providing an

May 13, 2024 - To save her sister, a teen girl becomes entangled in a political conspiracy with an enigmatic prince in this fiery new YA novel. June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, returns with a devastating and pulse-pounding tale based on a true story from Korean history. A Crane Among Wolves is set in 1506 Joseon, where people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings. Seventeen-year-old Iseul has lived a sheltered, privileged life despite the kingdom’s turmoil. When her older sister, Suyeon, becomes the king’s latest prey, Iseul leaves the relative safety of her village, traveling through forbidden territory to reach the capital in hopes of stealing her sister back. But she soon discovers the king’s power is absolute, and to challenge his rule is to court certain death. Prince Daehyun has liv

May 8, 2024 - With the ever-growing need to understand ourselves and humanity as a whole, it is necessary to examine the concepts of morality, ethics and universal values as guiding principles of the human condition. With generous support from Y.T. Hwang Family Foundation, The Korea Society presents a Series on Ethics and Common Values. This series promotes the understanding of central themes of our human existence - morality, ethics, personal responsibility, compassion and civility - through a series of lectures by distinguished speakers and conversation with extraordinary individuals who exemplify the universal values in line with the mission of Y. T. Hwang Family Foundation and The Korea Society. The Korea Society and Y. T. Hwang Family Foundation is proud to present Min Jin Lee in a conversation with Kyung B. Yoon. Min Jin Lee is the author of Free Food for Millionaires and Pachinko, a finalist for the National Book Award. Lee is the recipient of the 2022 Manhae Grand Prize for Literature, the Bucheon D

May 2, 2024 - Given heightened tensions and strategic competition in the Indo Pacific, how is South Korea navigating its diplomatic, economic, and security relationships with the US, China, and Taiwan? In a 2023 Joint Statement, US President Joseph Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol “reiterated the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait [and] strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific…” thereby underscoring an uptick in Korean interest and attention to the Taiwan question. Join us for this conversation with Dr. Dean Chen, Professor of Political Science at Ramapo College of New Jersey, and Sean King, Senior Vice President of Park Strategies, moderated by Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. For more information, please visit the link below: https://koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1819-quick-take-changes-in-us-korea-china-taiwan-relations-with-dr-seong-hyon-lee-sean-king-and-dr-dean-chen

April 25, 2024 - In 2024, North Korea’s leadership has made a number of striking changes to its foreign policy, including abandoning its goal of unification and declaring South Korea its “principal enemy.” Pyongyang has also doubled down on its relationship with Moscow, shipping artillery and missiles off to Russia for use on the battlefields of Ukraine. Speculation has also risen that Kim Jong Un may have made the strategic decision to go to war, or to engage in provocations against the US-ROK Alliance. What is motivating these policies and what does the future hold? Join us for an analytic perspective from Dr. Soo Kim, Principal Technical Advisor at LMI Consulting and formerly the Central Intelligence Agency and RAND Corporation, in conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado. For more information, please visit the link below: https://koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1815-quick-take-north-korea-s-new-posture-with-dr-soo-kim

April 19, 2024 - This program examines shifts in South Korea’s foreign policy posture, featuring insights and analysis from Dr. Kuyoun Chung, Assistant professor of the Department of Political Science at the Kangwon National University. The Yoon Suk Yeol administration aims to transform Korea into a “Global Pivotal State.” How has Seoul pursued this objective despite complex geopolitical and economic challenges? How does Korea navigate diplomatic relations in a tense region that is increasingly impacted by strategic competition between autocracies and democracies? Using survey data, Dr. Chung reveals how the South Korean public understands their country’s place in the world, including its allies, threats, and opportunities, in conversation with policy program officer Chelsie Alexandre. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1811-quick-take-south-korea-s-new-foreign-policy-and-public-opinion-with-dr-kuyoun-chung

April 18, 2024 - Join us for a book talk with authors Professor Victor Cha and Professor Ramon Pacheco Pardo, who discuss their new book, Korea: A New History of South and North with policy director Jonathan Corrado. The Korea Society is proud to be a stop on the famous pink book tour! This important new work of history draws on “decades of research to explore the history of modern Korea, from the late nineteenth century, Japanese occupation, and Cold War division to the present day. This comprehensive history sheds light on the evolving identities of the two Koreas, explaining the sharp differences between North and South, and prospects for unification." You can purchase the book here.  For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1761-korea-new-history-of-south-and-north-with-victor-cha-and-ramon-pacheco-pardo

April 11, 2024 - Join us for a rapid reaction analysis of the Republic of Korea’s high stakes 2024 legislative election, held in South Korea one day prior on April 10. This election could shift the control of power in the National Assembly, resulting in an emboldened electoral mandate for President Yoon Suk Yeol, or else creating a new challenge for his administration’s agenda. In this conversation with Korea Society policy program officer Chelsie Alexandre, Stanford University’s Professor Dr. Gi-Wook Shin explores the implications of the election for: Korea’s political, economic, and social policy; its relations with its Alliance partner the United States, and regional states, such as North Korea, China, and Japan.  For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1772-rapid-reaction-unpacking-the-korean-election

April 9, 2024 - Join us for a conversation about recovering lost ground in the international effort to address North Korea’s human rights violations, featuring: Ambassador Julie Turner, U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues, James Heenan, UN Human Rights Office representative in Seoul, Dr. Katrin Katz, Korea Society Van Fleet Senior Fellow, and Sean Chung, CEO of HanVoice, in conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado. The United Nations Human Rights Council published its landmark report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea ten years ago. That report documented “systematic, widespread and grave violations of human rights” in North Korea. But the international effort to ensure accountability, involving U.S. coordination with allies such as the Republic of Korea and through the United Nations, is only just beginning. The U.S. State Department describes credible reports of unlawful or arbitrary killings by the government, harsh and li

April 3, 2024 - Darye–"etiquette for tea" or "tea rite"– has been an integral part of Korean history and culture for over a thousand years. Donghyun Kim, a Korean heritage curator, discusses the history of tea practices and aesthetics in Korea and the landscape of contemporary Korean tea culture. YouTube version with images can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sRVfQpAmJg For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1797-the-philosophy-of-korean-tea