The Korea Society

February 7, 2023 - Twenty-five years in the making, Heinz Insu Fenkl's ambitious, darkly funny, sweeping novel SKULL WATER is a haunting inter-generational coming-of-age story that grapples with identity and displacement in South Korea in the 1950s and 1970s, and reveals a history both countries would prefer to conceal. Born in South Korea to a German father and a Korean mother, Fenkl grew up in Korea, Germany, and the U.S., and his own experience informs this deeply autobiographical novel. SKULL WATER is the story of Insu, the son of a Korean mother and a GI father in the U.S. Army, and the intertwined tale of his Korean Big Uncle, who has been exiled to a mountain cave near the family village to die from a gangrenous foot. Growing up near the army base in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Insu and his two best friends, also "half and halfs," spend their days skipping school, selling scavenged Western goods on the black market, and testing the boundaries between childhood and adulthood. When Insu hears an old legend that water collected from a dead person's skull will cure any sickness, he vows to collect some to heal Big Uncle's mysterious injury. His quest takes him and his friends on a sprawling journey into some of South Korea's darkest corners. Meanwhile, Big Uncle, a geomancer uprooted by the Korean War, has embraced his solitude and fate and attempts to teach his nephew that life is not limited to what we can see or think we know. In his interview with The New Yorker, Fenkl said; "It's a Korean folk belief that stories are meant to be told, and that if one keeps them to oneself and hoards them, there will be terrible consequences." Join us for a conversation with Heinz Insu Fenkl about his latest book. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1649-heinz-insu-fenkl-skull-water

Michelle Li, an award-winning journalist and co-founder of the Very Asian Foundation, talks about introducing children to Asian cuisine through her debut children's book 'A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food'. She discusses her personal journey as an Asian adoptee, the challenges she faced growing up, and her passion for journalism. Michelle also shines a light on Asian experiences and advocacy, shares her deep connection to Korean food and culture, and emphasizes the importance of representation in media. She discusses the projects and initiatives of the Variation Foundation, including micro grants for career pivoters and the Maybook project for Asian American representation.

January 17, 2023 - Bong Joon Ho: Dissident Cinema by culture writer and screenwriter Karen Han is the first definitive critical and visual survey of the Academy Award–winning South Korean writer/director who has been making critically acclaimed feature films for more than two decades. Brilliantly illustrated and designed by the London-based film magazine Little White Lies, this lush monograph surveys Bong’s full body of work, including his short films and music videos. The accompanying text by Karen Han, interviews with Bong’s key collaborators, and foreword by David Lowery (The Green Knight) flesh out the stories behind Bong’s films and explore his rise in the cultural eye of the West. For more information, please visit the link below: https://koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1642-bong-joon-ho-dissident-cinema-with-karen-han

January 12, 2023 - Join us for a discussion on the causes and consequences of South Korea’s shrinking birth rate, including its impact on social and civic relations, the economy, and the military, as well as an exploration of efforts to reverse the trend. This discussion features Washington Post reporter Min Joo Kim, Wall Street Journal reporter Dasl Yoon, University of Missouri Assistant Professor Dr. Aram Hur, and Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute Dr. Nicholas Eberstadt, in conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1636-south-korea-s-demographic-challenge

Recorded December 7, 2022 - Did you know that leading tech companies, namely Apple, Google, and Microsoft, started their journey with venture capital funding? As many success stories suggest, venture capital is a key financial resource for startups’ emergence and growth. Join us for our upcoming YPN series featuring two leaders in venture capital – Bernard Moon, Co-founder & Partner at SparkLabs Group, and John Nahm, Co-founder & Managing Partner at Strong Ventures. Bernard and John have a lively discussion on topics helpful to aspiring entrepreneurs seeking timely advice, including their career highlights, their supervisory roles at the company, and how they managed to seek robust business growth. Moreover, they shed light on the current market trends and prospects for venture capital. Moderating this session is another leading venture capital specialist, Eddie Lee, a Partner at White Star Capital. 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/1634-young-professionals-network-meet-the-leaders-of-venture-capital

December 19, 2022 - Join us as Lucy Park, Sejong Cultural Society Executive Director, and Elizabeth Jorgensen, writer and educator at Arrowhead High School in Wisconsin, share their insights into and passion for the ancient Korean poetry form, Sijo. Part of the Society’s Spotlight on Korean Studies in K-12 Schooling series, this talk will inspire individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Sijo: Korea’s Poetry Form not only provides tips, techniques and sample lesson plans for teaching and writing Sijo, it also explores the history and beauty of the form. The authors ask, “With only three lines, and 46 syllables, how much can a poet fit within its confines?”, and answer, “a world of story and emotion!” In their talk they demonstrate the power of the form by showcasing award-winning modern sijos and accompanying illustrations by Wonsook Kim. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/education/item/1638-sijo-korea-s-poetry-form

2022 Korea Society Van Fleet Policy Signature Event - In Partnership with FMC Recorded December 8, 2022 - Join The Korea Society and Former Members of Congress (FMC) & the Congressional Study Groups for a dialogue with a bipartisan pair of Former Members of Congress to hear insights on the consequences of America’s midterm elections on the country at large and its dynamic relationship with South Korea. This conversation features former Representative Russ Carnahan (D-MO, 2005-2013) and former Representative Ted Yoho (R-FL, 2013-2021), and is moderated by Korea Society President and CEO Thomas Byrne. The roundtable dialogue features input from policy and corporate professionals and is released as a pre-recorded video and podcast. For more information, please visit the link below: https://koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1632-the-impact-of-the-u-s-midterms-and-the-u-s-korea-alliance

November 28, 2022 - Join us for the Sixth Annual Sherman Family Korea Emerging Scholar Lecture! Eunbin Chung, Assistant Professor at the University of Utah and the 2022 Sherman Family Korea Scholar Lecture awardee, will address National Identity Affirmation and Trust in Korea, Japan, and China from a unique perspective. Legacies of conflict and distrust have made it difficult for East Asian countries to form regional institutions and overcome security dilemmas. Chung's research questions two conventional wisdoms related to these regional dynamics: 1) that distrust among states can be overcome through cultural convergence and appealing to a shared identity (such as the "European" identity developed through the creation of the EU) and 2) that strong, inward-focused national identities exacerbate inter-state distrust and conflict. Chung asks, Is this true? Do distinct national identities really impede international trust? Chung’s research advances the concept that trust not only can be built among nations when each affirms its own distinctive identity, but that this approach may be more effective than embracing common identities across different countries. Dr. Katrin Katz, the inaugural Sherman Family Lecture Award recipient and Van Fleet Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Society, describes Chung’s argument as “breaking new ground in tackling some prevailing beliefs regarding the relationship between national identity and levels of inter-state trust and conflict. Dr. Chung's work entails a hopeful message for East Asia and beyond: that emphasizing the favorable and distinctive traits of one's own country need not lead to antagonistic relations with neighbors.” Come hear more about Chung’s fascinating research on advancing productive dialogue in the region. Aram Hur, Assistant Professor at the University of Missouri and our 2021 Sherman Family Lecture, awardee will introduce the lecture. The annual Sherman Family award and lecture, now in its sixth year, aims to grow U.S. thought leadership on Korea for a new generation. The award is presented across disciplines and to emerging thought leaders, from doctoral candidates to junior professors and respective research or non-profit professionals. The award is made possible through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Sherman and family. You can view the presentations of former award winners at the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1392-2020-korea-emerging-scholar-lecture-awardee-announced Video version of this lecture with presentation slides can be seen at the link below: https://youtu.be/CvgZgVYTMt0 For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1627-sherman-family-korea-emerging-scholar-lecture-2022

December 6, 2022 - Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize and the winner of a PEN/Heim Grant, Cursed Bunny is the wildly original debut story collection from Bora Chung, a rising star of Korean literature. Published in the US for the very first time and translated by the acclaimed Anton Hur, Chung’s stories are modern fables for the internet age, offering biting critiques on the patriarchy, capitalism, politics, and the reign of big tech. Blending elements of horror, fantasy, surrealism and sci-fi, Chung creates an absurd, chilling universe that illuminates the ills of contemporary society. Mirroring the simple style of the fairy tales and legends of storytellers like The Brothers Grimm and Hans Christen Anderson, the ten stories of Cursed Bunny are imaginative, thought-provoking and deeply unsettling, destined to haunt readers for weeks after reading. In this episode of Author Talks, Bora Chung discusses her career in Korea and her English debut. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1635-author-talks-bora-chung

December 6, 2022 - A discussion on the most likely scenarios for the future of the Korean Peninsula, featuring: Korea Risk Group CEO Chad O’Carroll, NK News Director and Professor at Kookmin University Andrei Lankov, NK News Lead Correspondent Jeongmin Kim, and NK News Senior Analytic Correspondent Colin Zwirko, in conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado. Utilizing forecasts that rely on the trajectory of current conditions, the experts debate the best possible case, the worst possible case, and the most likely scenario. The experts also opine on how to avoid the most dangerous contingencies and create conditions for positive developments. Join us for this discussion informed by a rich tapestry of journalistic and academic inquiry. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1630-three-futures-north-korea-and-the-korean-peninsula