The Korea Society

May 28, 2025 - Young adult literature is rapidly becoming one of the most popular genres in publishing today. Also increasingly visible are YA novels featuring Asian American and Pacific Islander characters at the forefront, providing insight into the expectations and identity issues many members of the AAPI community experience and offering a unique perspective on these universal themes. Catherin...

May 16, 2025 - Join us for a discussion with Dr.  Joan E. Cho , Associate Professor of East Asian Studies at Wesleyan University on her 2024 book  Seeds of Mobilization: The Authoritarian Roots of South Korea's Democracy , which explores the nonlinear nature of South Korea's democratization. Using oral interviews, original protest datasets, and publications by student and labor activists, Cho illu...

May 15, 2025 - There are many Korean American voices within food media nowadays, and many more women on editorial mastheads. But, what is it like to navigate this system of reporting and contributing to food culture as a Korean-American woman? What are the challenges, and what difference do they make in the industry? Chef and writer  Caroline Choe  sits down with three women with longstanding care...

April 30, 2025 - Join us for a conversation with  Ankit Panda , Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, on his newly published book:  The New Nuclear Age: At the Precipice of Armageddon . The book describes how "nuclear weapons are returning to the fore of international statecraft in ways unseen since the Cold War… The prospect of nucl...

April 30, 2025 - Join us for a discussion co-hosted by The Korea Society and Temple University Japan with Ambassador  Raymond Burghardt , who served for many years as one of the leading Asian specialists in the U.S. Foreign Service. He was formerly Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) from 2006 to 2016. Previously, he was Ambassador to Vietnam (2001-2004), AI...

April 23, 2025 - 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 o...

April 16, 2025 - Join us for a conversation on acting and activism with actress and North Korean human rights activist  Minnie Mills  and Korea Society policy program officer  Chelsie Alexandre . Exploring the origin and development of her professional acting career, Minnie discusses roles on "The Summer I Turned Pretty," "Obliterated," and future projects. She then describes her passion for suppo...

April 10, 2025 - Sarah Ahn 's viral food videos featuring her mother  Nam Soon Ahn  have captivated millions of viewers with their behind-the-scenes look at Korean cooking and multigenerational home life. Their latest collaboration is a must-have cookbook  Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes , which captures the flavors, traditions, and stories of Korean cooking. The recipes...

April 8, 2025 - Join us for a discussion about the legacy, implications, and a modern application of the theories from Gregory Henderson's 1968 seminal text Korea: The Politics of the Vortex, with  Edward J. Baker , advisor to the Harvard University Korea Institute, and Dr.  Ingu Hwang , Associate Professor of the Practice at Boston College. The discussion will also address Hwang's 2022 book, Huma...

April 4, 2025 - Join us for this rapid reaction program held soon after the ruling of South Korea's Constitutional Court on the impeachment trial of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol. If the impeachment motion is upheld, the country will have 60 days to hold a presidential election. How will the outcome of the case affect Korea's democracy and society, U.S.-Korea relations, inter-Korean relations,...

April 3, 2025 - This spring, from director  Andrew Ahn  comes  The Wedding Banquet , a joyful comedy of errors about a chosen family navigating the disasters and delights of family expectations, queerness, and cultural identity. With a pitch-perfect cast of multigenerational talent that includes Bowen Yang, Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-Chan, Joan Chen, and Academy...

April 1, 2025 - Korea's thriving tech industry—driven by global brands and cutting-edge innovation—continues to attract substantial foreign investment, even as the regulatory landscape evolves. Korea's recent proposed online platform regulations have drawn significant attention for its impacts on major tech companies and the broader competitive landscape in the country's technologically advanced m...

March 26, 2025 - Join us for a discussion on the current status and future pathways for U.S.-Korea-Japan trilateral relations, with Dr.  Joshua Walker , President and CEO of Japan Society, and  Emma Chanlett-Avery , Deputy Director of the Asia Society Policy Institute's Washington DC office and the Director for Political-Security Affairs. The moderator for this program is Korea Society policy dire...

March 17, 2025 - Join us for a discussion on the latest developments in Korea, including domestic politics north and south of the 38th parallel, inter-Korean relations, US-North Korea developments, Russia's role, and more, featuring team members from  NK News , including  Chad O'Carroll , Chief Executive Officer of Korea Risk Group,  Jeongmin Kim , Lead Correspondent at  NK News  and Editorial Dir...

March 6, 2025 - As the food and hospitality industry continues to evolve and grow, the Asian faces in it have also become more visible. Despite the progress, there are still long-standing obstacles that women face both in and out of kitchen and business culture. Meet Korean-American women running their own successful food and hospitality business and contributing their perspective and approaches t...

March 5, 2025 - When it comes to building a successful SaaS (Software as a Service) business, many assume that exceptional coding skills are the key to success. However, our next Startup Scene offers a different perspective- one that highlights the power of storytelling and strong investment relationships. Please join us for an insightful session with  John Sung Kim , a serial SaaS founder of  Fiv...

February 19, 2025 - Join us for a program on deterrence and readiness with Major General  Jason R. Armagost , who is the Commander of Eighth Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. "The Mighty Eighth" is responsible for the service's bomber force and airborne nuclear command and control assets, encompassing approximately 24,000 Airmen across...

February 13, 2025 - Join us for a discussion about fallout from the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's Martial Law declaration, his subsequent impeachment and the presidential transition in Seoul, challenges to South Korea's democracy, and implications for the U.S.-Korea relationship and Korea's foreign relations, with  Kelly Kasulis Cho , Washington Post Breaking News Reporter,  Andrew Yeo , senior f...

February 4, 2025 - Join us for a discussion on the newly launched book:  Korea-US-China Trilateral Relations in the Xi Jinping Era . The authors,  CHUNG Duck Koo , Korea's former Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Energy, and  YUN Byung-se , Korea's former Minister of Foreign Affairs, examine Korea-US-China trilateral relations through a strategic triangular lens. The book moves beyond convention...

January 28, 2025 - Join us for an exclusive conversation with  Hyungseok Dino Ha  (hereinafter Dino), Co-Founder and CEO of MBX (formerly Memebox), a visionary multi-brand beauty and personal care company leading the convergence of technology, culture, and K-beauty. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Seoul, Shanghai and Taipei, MBX has established itself as a global leader in the beauty...

January 24, 2025 - Join us for a discussion on the Trump Administration's economic security policy towards Asia with  Navin Girishankar , president of the Economic Security and Technology Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and former Counselor to the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce and  Yeo Han-koo , former trade minister of the Republic of Korea and senior f...

January 24, 2025 - Embark on a captivating musical journey weaving three compelling stories from Hawai'i's Korean diaspora with performances by remarkable musicians, including the Grammy Award-winning violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill, the world renowned violinists Chee-Yun and Ignace Jang, and Keola Beamer. Songs of Love from Hawai'i  weaves together three stories from the long history of Korean di...

December 11, 2024 - Join us for a program that explores recent political events in South Korea, including a brief history of martial law in Korea, the events leading up to the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's decision to invoke Martial Law, the National Assembly's counter-action, and the long term consequences of the episode. How will this affect Korea's domestic politics, the U.S.-ROK Alliance rela...

December 5, 2024 - Join us for an inspiring and heartwarming story timed for the holiday season about the largest wartime humanitarian evacuation in history. During The Korean War, naval and merchant ships from America and its allies rescued almost 100,000 North Korean refugees. Among these ships was a humble freighter, the SS Meredith Victory. Although it was built to accommodate only a few passe...

December 4, 2024 - With a vibrant population of over 10 million, Seoul ranks as a top global destination on many travel lists. We invite you to an immersive book that offers a unique exploration of Seoul through the lens of a smart city. Join authors, Kristi Shalla and Sungjin Park , as they discuss their book Seoul: Tale of a Smart City with Anne-Sophie Mahle and explore Seoul's transformation fr...