July 13, 2023 - Bringing together a wealth of primary sources and with contributions from leading experts, Dress History of Korea presents the most recent approaches to the interpretation of dress and fashion of Korea. Through close analysis of visual, written, and material sources—some newly excavated or recently re-discovered in global museums—the book reveals how dress and adornment evolved from the period of state formation to the modern era. As in other cultures, modern Korean fashion owes many of its styles to historic dress and this process of adaptation is explored within high fashion and popular culture contexts in ways that benefit historians, curators, and designers alike. Authors with a range of academic and curatorial experience discuss the close relation of dress and adornments to the socio-political and cultural history of Korea and place the dress history of Korea within broader contexts in studies of fashion, material culture, museology, and costume design. Join us for a conversation with Minjee Kim and Kyunghee Pyun, the editors of this anthology. Video version available here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCraL67-KoQ For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1696-dress-history-of-korea

June 15, 2023 - What’s really happening in North Korea right now? The regime’s pandemic border closures have left diplomats and aid workers outside the country, making it even more difficult than normal for the outside world to understand the Kim regime’s decision making and the daily lives of ordinary North Korean people. Join us for a discussion that goes behind the headlines to explore human rights and human stories in North Korea, with four renowned experts at the front lines of journalism and advocacy. Hear from: Eiji Han Shimizu, Director of the animated movie True North, Kim Young Hwan, Senior Researcher of NK Net, Ishimaru Jiro, Director of Asia Press Osaka, Eun Kyoung Kwon, Director, NK Net. This program is moderated by Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1685-behind-the-headlines-human-rights-and-human-stories-in-north-korea

May 25, 2023 - K-pop, K-fashion, K-drama, K-beauty: over the past decade, K-style has exploded onto the global scene. What is behind this phenomenon? Where does K-style go from here? In Make, Break, Remix: The Rise of K-style, author and communications consultant Fiona Bae makes no attempt to define or categorize the movement, instead celebrating the eclectic and multifaceted nature of K-style and its home city of Seoul. Through interviews with sixteen tastemakers who are shaping K-style across creative sectors—from 1MILLION Dance Studio’s Lia Kim, rock band leader Hwang Soyoon, and world-famous tattoo artist Doy to drag performer Nana Youngrong Kim, Asia’s leading interior designer Teo Yang, and leading K-pop stylist Youngjin Kim (who has styled BTS, Kang Daniel, and NCT)—Bae tells untold stories from true insiders, exploring a sense of identity in their work, how living in Seoul affects them and their creative output, and the decade of changes that has brought about the current K-style. In her conversation with Frances Cha, Bae discusses the rise of K-style. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1678-make-break-remix-the-rise-of-k-style-with-fiona-bae

May 23, 2023 - Seoul, South Korea makes Beverly Hills look like a one-stoplight town when it comes to the beauty rat race, and it’s getting more intense every year. Elise Hu spent four years in South Korea as NPR’s bureau chief, and during her tenure there, the K-beauty industry tripled to become a $10 billion industry. South Korea is home to more than 7,500 cosmetic and skincare manufacturers, and K-beauty has staked its claim as the future of skin care. With products that promise pore-less perfection, South Korea’s $10 billion beauty industry is a decade ahead of any other country in innovation and heralded by many industry professionals as the best when it comes to products, regimen, and end-results. Riding the pop culture “Korean wave” and marketed by K-pop superstars and global brands, K-beauty promises flawless skin and a soothing multi-step routine. You’ll find K-beauty products in any city around the world, and in the US, the biggest importer of K-beauty behind China, you can take your pick from hundreds of brands at stores from Nordstrom and Bloomingdales to Sephora and Target. But how did K-Beauty become the darling of the global skincare industry? And does the trend stop at creams and toners? Or are we in an appearance revolution that will permanently transform our faces and bodies towards a more aesthetically pleasing sameness? Elise Hu, NPR host-at-large and the host of TED Talks Daily, asked herself those questions after living and working in Seoul, the heart of the K-beauty industry. She delivers an audacious, journalistic exposé of the booming industry from the ground up in Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. In the book, Hu explores K-beauty’s undeniable success and shines a much-needed light on the darker ramifications of the impossible standards and pressures that drive its growth and their effects on women in a looks-obsessed patriarchy. In a conversation with Hannah Bae, Elise Hu discusses her book and her experience in Korea. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1672-flawless

May 11, 2023 - Join us for a book talk with Dr. Siegfried Hecker, who discusses “his on-the-ground experience at the North's nuclear center at Yongbyon,” unpacking the ramifications of North Korea’s technical developments in the context of fateful foreign policy decisions by Washington, Seoul, and Pyongyang. Dr. Hecker describes how “successive U.S. administrations have been unable to prevent the North, with the weakest of hands, from becoming one of only three countries in the world that might target the United States with nuclear weapons.” The discussion also includes a consideration of developments to the approach addressed in the summit meeting between US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and the debate around the potential for South Korea to acquire an indigenous deterrent. This program is moderated by Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1675-hinge-points-an-inside-look-at-north-korea-s-nuclear-program

May 3, 2023 - Join us for the latest episode of our Leadership Interview Series with FILA Holdings Corporation & Acushnet Holdings Corporation Chairman Gene Yoon, moderated by The Korea Society’s President & CEO Tom Byrne. Chairman Gene Yoon has a legendary story of success as a self-made businessman. His early career in business was a stepping stone that paved the way to his leveraged buyout of the global FILA brand in 2007. He brought the storied Italian-born brand back to life after taking the company public in Korea in 2010. Chairman Yoon will share inspiring lessons and insights learned from his remarkable career, guided by his entrepreneurial spirit. Chairman Yoon will recount his career milestones and how he achieved business successes against formidable odds. He currently serves as the Chairman of both FILA Holdings Corporation and Acushnet Holdings Corporation, which hold the trademarks for FILA as well as Titleist and FootJoy respectively. Under his leadership, he has propelled both firms to oversee leading global golf and sportswear brands. Chairman Yoon has received numerous accolades in his career and serves on the board of The Korea Society. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1659-interview-with-fila-acushnet-holdings-corporation-chairman-gene-yoon

Recorded April 27, 2023 - Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly growing field with the potential to revolutionize many aspects of our lives. However, the possible consequences of AI are bifold. While it has enabled dramatic improvements by achieving quick and efficient results, it also raises fears of the unknown. Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking YPN interview with Professor Jeongki Lim, a leading expert in transdisciplinary design. In this interactive program with Professor Lim, he walks through his career journey on how he landed on his current position and shares invaluable insights gained through his years of experience and research in the creative technology and design industry. Prof. Lim also explores how AI technologies have impacted creative industries and beyond, as well as the challenges and opportunities they have posed in shaping the future. This discussion is moderated by Tae Young Woo, Co-Founder and CEO of Finestra. For more information, please visit the link below: https://koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1664-ypn-a-conversation-with-prof-jeongki-lim-our-future-with-ai

April 28, 2023 - Join us for this conversation on the major diplomatic, security, and economic takeaways from the US-Korea Summit between US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. The Korea Society is joined by former ROK Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo, Van Fleet Nonresident Senior Fellow Dr. Katrin Katz and The Washington Post Seoul Bureau Chief Michelle Ye Hee Lee, in conversation with Korea Society President and CEO Tom Byrne. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1671-us-korea-summit-analysis

April 27, 2023 - Join us for a discussion that aims to cultivate fresh ideas on America’s policy toward North Korea and coordination with ally South Korea by mobilizing a nuanced understanding of past lessons. The discussion includes consideration of developments to the approach addressed in the summit meeting between US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. The program features Professor Jeong-Ho Roh, Director of the Center for Korean Legal Studies, Jenny Town, Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center and the Director of Stimson's 38 North Program, and Keith Luse, Executive Director of the National Committee on North Korea (NCNK), in conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1669-north-korea-lessons-learned-and-creative-thinking

April 13, 2023 - An instant bestseller in Korea and the follow up to the international bestseller, Please Look After Mom, I Went to See My Father by Kyung-Sook Shin centers on a woman’s efforts to reconnect with her aging father, uncovering long-held family secrets. More than just the portrait of a single man, I Went to See My Father opens a window onto humankind, family, loss, and war. With this long-awaited follow-up to Please Look After Mom—flawlessly rendered by award-winning translator Anton Hur—Kyung-Sook Shin has crafted an ambitious, global, epic, and lasting novel. In a rare personal appearance in the U.S., Kyung-Sook Shin will be joined by Jenny Wang Medina to discuss her latest novel. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1666-kyung-sook-shin-with-jenny-wang-medina