The Korea Society

June 3, 2021 - Join us for this discussion about the dynamics of U.S.-Japan-Korea trade relations and regional economic integration, featuring Asia Society Policy Institute Vice President Wendy Cutler, Waseda University Professor Emeritus and Economic Research Institute for East Asia and ASEAN Senior Research Advisor Shujiro Urata, and Korea Development Institute and Johns Hopkins University Professor Wonhyuk Lim. How can the three countries overcome obstacles to cooperate on shared challenges to achieve prosperity and shape the economic rules of the road? What will the Biden administration mean for U.S. trade policy? This program is co-hosted by the Korea Society, the Japan Society and Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI), with moderation by Korea Society president Tom Byrne, and an introduction by Japan Society president Joshua W. Walker. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1487-challenges-and-opportunities-for-u-s-japan-korea-tr

Recorded June 1, 2021 - In our inaugural episode of the ‘President's Interview Series', we are pleased to invite Yongmaan Park, Chairman of Doosan Infracore for a conversation with The Korea Society’s President Tom Byrne. As one of the most successful and powerful business leaders in Korea and the world, Chairman Park will discuss his extensive career and leadership role as the Chairman of Doosan Infracore and former Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). Chairman Park will also share his views and insights on key issues and challenges in the U.S.-Korea economic cooperation post pandemic. This interview will also provide a rare opportunity to hear Chairman Park’s personal story and vision of his life. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1495-a-conversation-with-chairman-yongmaan-park

May 25, 2021 - Believe it or not, BTS and Blackpink are not the entirety of Korean popular music. At the birthplace of K-pop, "idol" groups share the stage with the new generation of "trot" singers, power balladeers, hip-hop artists and indie bands. Music critic Youngdae Kim surveys the recent history of popular music in Korea and how it has evolved as K-pop exploded all around the world. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1500-from-ga-yo-to-k-pop

May 25, 2021 - Join us for this rapid response analysis on the first summit meeting between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joseph R. Biden Jr. In a discussion covering the latest trends regarding the U.S.-Korea Alliance, geostrategic coordination, North Korea issues, and COVID-19 vaccine diplomacy, Korea Society president and CEO Tom Byrne is joined by former UNC/CFC/USFK Commander General (ret.) Vincent Brooks, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs George W. Ball Adjunct Professor Ambassador (ret.) Christopher R. Hill, and Dr. Peter J. Hotez, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1503-u-s-korea-summit-analysis

May 19, 2021 - Do you want to learn more about Covid-19 vaccines and the global vaccination effort? Please join The Korea Society for a conversation on COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution with Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and Tom Byrne, Korea Society President/CEO. Dr. Kim, who was named one of “The 50 Most Influential People in Vaccines” in 2014 by the vaccine industry organization Vaccine Nation, will share the importance of COVID-19 vaccines combating this prolonged pandemic. Dr. Kim will highlight the central role of IVI in accelerating safe and effective vaccines worldwide, provide the most up to date COVID-19 vaccine news, and remark on the challenges surrounding global vaccination. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1498-all-about-covid-19-vaccines-with-global-vaccine-expert-dr-jerome-kim

May 6, 2021 - Statues, paintings, and masks—like the bodies of shamans and spirit mediums—give material form and presence to otherwise invisible entities, and sometimes these objects are understood to be enlivened. Dr. Laurel Kendall explores how magical images are expected to work with the shamans and spirit mediums in contemporary South Korea and compares the use of these shamanic images with similar practices in Vietnam, Myanmar, and Bali. The question of empowered images concerns not only what they are expected to do but how they are fabricated, marketed, cared for, disposed of, and sometimes transformed into art-market commodities and museum artifacts. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1494-sacred-images-and-magical-things

May 7, 2021 - University of Missouri Assistant Professor and Institute for Korean Studies Co-Director Aram Hur, the 2021 Sherman Scholar award recipient, speaks on May 6 at 3 PM to Korea’s Changing National Story and Democratic Future. Hur addresses Korean nationalism, a “rapidly fragmenting and changing” national story, and the danger of democratic rollback. Senior director Stephen Noerper describes Hur’s selection and address as “incredibly important given the costs of such fragmentation in Korea, but comparatively in the United States of late and by extension to a world seeing rollback in Myanmar, Thailand, Russia and elsewhere.” During the program, Korea Society President and CEO Tom Byrne introduces Hur, and inaugural Sherman Scholar Award recipient and Columbia University professor Katrin Katz presents her academic resume. Following Hur's presentation, USC Professor and Korean Studies Institute Director David Kang provides commentary, and Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado facilitates the au

April 27, 2021 - Join us as we welcome renowned businesswoman Angie Byun as she reflects on her career as a leader in the media, entertainment, and fashion industries. Learn insider secrets about her executive roles with Vogue, GQ, The New Yorker, Wired, and Golf Digest and how those experiences helped her land her current position as CEO at AB WORLD. The discussion will be led by moderator Asiah James, Director of Emerging Audiences at Condé Nast, followed by a Q&A session. The Korea Society Young Professionals’ Night program consists of industry professionals who share their career experiences and advice with the audience. It provides a wonderful opportunity for networking, and all professionals seeking to expand their careers are encouraged to come. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1489-media-and-entertainment-spotlight-a-conversation-with-ab-world-ceo-angie-byun

April 22, 2021 - Samul nori, the South Korean percussion genre with powerful rhythmic forms, has reached international popularity. First created in Seoul in 1978 by a quartet of musicians, samul nori (which translates simply into "four things play") is a neo-traditional musical repertory that has been performed on many international stages by professional ensembles and amateur musical enthusiasts around the world. Professor Katherine In-Young Lee explores the history and development of samul nori and its importance as a sonic and cultural symbol of South Korea. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1483-samul-nori-dynamic-rhythms-from-korea

April 21, 2021 - U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-39) joins The Korea Society to share her journey in becoming one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress in its 230-year history. As an immigrant, small business owner, and previous California State 65th district Assemblywoman, we will explore how Congresswoman Kim pursued the American dream to become a successful Korean American leader and politician. The conversation will be moderated by Ambassador Kathleen Stephens, former U.S. Ambassador to Korea and Korea Society Board Chair. Thomas Byrne, President and CEO of The Korea Society will deliver a special welcoming remarks at the event. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1490-women-in-congress-a-conversation-with-u-s-representative-young-kim

April 16, 2021 - Join us for a discussion on regional roles in building inter-Korean peace and unification with Columbia University adjunct professor Katrin Fraser Katz, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior research analyst Kathryn Botto, and Columbia University adjunct professor, Weatherhead East Asian Institute research scholar and Society senior director Stephen Noerper. Policy director Jonathan Corrado moderates the discussion, which enjoys the support of the UniKorea Foundation. Columbia University's Center for Korean Research (CKR) partners for this exciting discussion. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1476-role-of-regional-players-in-inter-korean-peace-and-unification

April 8, 2021 - Once considered a dubious cuisine relegated to the "ethnic food" category, Korean food is now hotter than ever in the United States and beyond. Ingredients like gochugaru and gochujang show up on menus of American fast food chains and local grocery aisles, while Korean cooking shows and meokbang videos have become a genre of their own on streaming platforms and social media, such as Netflix and YouTube. Today, KFC also stands for Korean Fried Chicken and the noodle dish jjapaguri from the Oscar-winning movie Parasite has its own Wikipedia entry. Professor Robert Ji-Song Ku explores the rising popularity, appreciation, and appropriation of Korean food around the world and particularly in the United States, and its relationship to the global proliferation of Korean popular culture, a phenomenon commonly known as hallyu, the Korean Wave. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1480-hot-hot-hot-korean-food-in-the-age-of-kpop

April 1, 2021 - Stimson Center senior fellow and China Program director Yun Sun and Asia Society Arthur Ross director of the Center for US-China Relations Orville Schell join senior director Stephen Noerper to discuss where Korea sits relative to China and US priorities. They explore China policy in the new US administration, alliances and expectations, and prospects for improvements or further deterioration in Sino-US ties. This program is made possible thanks to the support of the Korea Foundation. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1477-korea-and-sino-us-relations

March 26, 2021 - Yul Kwon, Google Senior Director of Product Management and the first Asian American winner of the CBS reality show Survivor, will join the Society to share his diverse career trajectories in product management, technology, law, and media. Yul has worked with major government agencies and private companies including Google, Facebook, the Federal Communications Commission, the US Senate, McKinsey, and PBS. As the first Asian American winner of the CBS reality TV show ‘Survivor’, he will also discuss how he used that platform to voice what it means to be a Korean American in today's age. Moderated by TV Journalist & Storyteller Julie Chang. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1479-surviving-the-professional-world-advice-from-yul-kwon

March 25, 2021 - There is a long and illustrious history of fermentation in Korean cuisine. Different types of fermented food - doenjang, ganjang, gochujang, and kimchi to name just a few - are integral and essential to the Korean way of eating and cooking. Join Irene Yoo as she provides an overview of Korean art of fermentation and tips on how to incorporate Korean fermented food in your everyday cooking. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1475-the-korean-art-of-fermentation

March 18, 2021 - Michael D. Shin, a Fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge, looks at the late Joseon period and the Japanese colonial period to examine the historical causes of Korean division and investigate their impact on inter-Korean reconciliation in this program supported by the UniKorea Foundation. Understanding the deep historical causes of Korean division sheds light on the persistence of the division after the end of the Cold War. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1465-the-historical-causes-of-korea-s-division-and-challenges-to-reconciliation

March 11, 2021 - The saga of King Sukjong, Queen Inhyeon, and Concubine Jang Hui-bin is one of the most famous episodes in the 500-year-long history of Joseon dynasty. Filled with palace intrigues and passionate love affairs, the story of the 19th king of Joseon, his virtuous queen, and one of the most infamous women in the history of Joseon dominates the popular culture and imagination even today. But what was the real story behind the legend? Professor Minsoo Kang, who recently published a translation of Record of the Virtue of Queen Inhyeon, Lady Min, speaks about the importance of this story, the historical myth that has built around the characters, and its place in modern Korean society. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1474-the-king-the-virtuous-queen-and-his-wicked-consort

March 4, 2021 - Join us as Nelson Chai, Chief Financial Officer of Uber, shares "lessons learned" from more than a decade of experience in senior positions at some of the world's leading publicly traded companies, including Uber, CIT Group, Merrill Lynch, and NYSE Euronext, among others. Members and friends of The Korea Society and Korea Finance Society are invited to the discussion, moderated by Korea Finance Society Co-Chairman Mike Joo and Sandor Hau. The Korea Society is excited to present this Young Professionals’ Night webcast in partnership with the Korea Finance Society (KFS). KFS seeks to build a community to promote the advancement of Korean and Korean-American financial professionals in the United States through networking, education, and mentorship. We are dedicated to providing a platform for sharing expertise among Korean financial professionals, as well as educational and career programs for young Korean financial professionals and college students to maximize their opportunities for career suc

March 4, 2021 - Since the pandemic started, restaurant and food service businesses had to combine flexibility and ingenuity in order to survive. Constantly dealing with ever-changing regulations and restrictions, restaurateurs had to quickly pivot and develop new business models, including outdoor dining and shipping nationwide. Join us for a roundtable conversation with three Korean American restaurateurs in New York - Christina Jang of New Wonjo; Simon Kim of Cote; and Ray Park of Red Poke - as they discuss the challenges they face during the pandemic and the future of restaurants. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1470-restaurants-in-the-covid-19-era-a-roundtable

March 4, 2021 - Woodrow Wilson Center director of the Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy Jean Lee converses with senior director Stephen Noerper on ROK-DPRK relations. They address impasse and opportunity between North Korea and South Korea and offer recommendations for US and other policy makers on peninsular realities and possibilities. This program is made possible thanks to support from the Korea Foundation. The Columbia University's Center for Korean Research (CKR) is a promotional partner for this program. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1464-new-developments-in-inter-korean-relations