The Korea Society

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 co-produced documentary on queer histories of authoritarian South Korea (1948-1993), Dr. Henry has been a groundbreaking scholar and an empowering educator in the field. A frontrunner in promoting explorations of same-sex sexuality, gender variance, and other marginalized aspects of Korean society, culture, and history, Dr. Henry will examine how the field in general and his path specifically have evolved over the past few decades. He will discuss current scholarly, artistic, and activist approaches to non-normative embodiment, including the journey and impact of Queer Korea and his hopes for the future of Korean Studies. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/education/item/1583-queerness-as-an-embodied-and-critical-approach-to-korean-studies-with-todd-henry

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 closer and deeper you look, the more you appreciate the sheer countless brilliance.” —Chang-rae Lee Maureen Corrigan/Fresh Air Top 10 Book of the Year ● Longlisted for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection ● An NPR Book Best Book of the Year ● A Kirkus Best Book of the Year For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1556-a-conversation-with-yoon-choi

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 eco-friendly, smart city that harnesses Korea’s advanced digital technologies. Busan’s openness, diversity, and inclusivity make it the ideal host for the 2030 World Expo. If the bid succeedes, the Expo will take place in the city of Busan between May and October 2030. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1576-busan-s-bid-for-world-expo-2030-with-ambassador-enna-park

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 will also provide the most important, transformative advice reflecting current K-startup business trends and success stories and share tactical strategies for new Korean businesses in building a solid ground in the US. Come open-minded, find your potential, and kick start your entrepreneurial journey. The Korea Society is excited to present this Young Professionals’ Network in partnership with the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and Korean Startups & Entrepreneurs (KSE). 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/1568-k-startups-empowering-the-future-of-young-entrepreneurs