The Korea Society

June 19, 2020 - Early on in his life, Kyungmoon Kim discovered that he had an exceptional palate. As he immersed himself in the world of wine, he leveraged his palate and his natural aptitude for memorization to build an extensive base of wine knowledge. In 2016, Kyungmoon Kim won the Master Sommelier Certification and joined the Court of Master Sommeliers; currently, there are only 247 Master Sommeliers worldwide. Now Kyungmoon Kim is expanding the horizon in the beverage world and taking on the mission to bring exciting artisanal soju from Korea to the U.S. Listen to the Master Sommelier’s unique story and his exploration of the world of wine, traditional Korean liquors, and cocktails. He will also offer a few tips on creating delicious cocktails at home. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1398-from-wine-to-soju-stories-from-the-master-sommelier

June 15, 2020 - Over the months journalists have worked tirelessly to provide reliable and up to date information on COVID-19. Timothy Martin, Korea bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, is among these journalists. His reporting has shed light on the outbreak in South Korea, giving U.S. readers an in-depth account of the situation in the country and the actions taken to stem the spread of the virus. In this webcast, Timothy speaks with AAJA - NY chapter president, Frank Bi, on his experience covering the coronavirus pandemic in South Korea. He also gives us a look into his career in journalism, and shares his advice for journalists entering the field. The Korea Society is excited to present this Young Professionals’ Night webcast in partnership with the Asian American Journalists Association’s New York chapter. AAJA's New York chapter is the largest chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association with more than 770 members in New York and the surrounding region. Its mission is to advance the represe

June 11, 2020 - Harvard University visiting fellow and Sophia University professor Sandra Fahy joins senior director Stephen Noerper for a discussion of her latest work, Dying for Rights. Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy professor Sung-yoon Lee, who reviews the book in Korean Studies, joins the discussion. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1386-north-korean-human-rights

June 11, 2020 - South Korea’s impressive, timely and comprehensive strategy in controlling the spread of the coronavirus has earned praise from the director general of the WHO. In this webcast moderated by Korea Society President Thomas Byrne, Mr. Dae Joong Lee, Director of Development, Finance Division at the Ministry of Economy and Finance in South Korea, discusses how the country coordinated among ministries, agencies and the private sector in its response to the pandemic. The conversation will also examine the government’s fiscal measures taken to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1400-korea-s-campaign-against-the-coronavirus-pandemic-a-view-from-the-ministry-of-economy-and-finance

June 4, 2020 - “Banchan” is often translated as “side dishes” and understood as “appetizers” at Korean BBQ restaurants. But that is not the whole story! Learn the real story of banchan, a category unto themselves and the ubiquitous feature of Korean home cooking. Shin Kim, a chef and culinary entrepreneur, will lead the viewers to explore the delectable world of banchan in its many forms and share some of her recipes that can be easily prepared at any home. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1397-banchan-story-korean-home-cooking

June 3, 2020 - Korean War Veterans area commander and Long Island chapter head Sal Scarlato shares reflections on the Korean War years in conversation with senior director Stephen Noerper. Scarlato, a Marine veteran, offers insights on the sacrifice of those who served and efforts to raise awareness of the service and valor of Korean War veterans. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1374-korean-war-veteran-tales

May 28, 2020 - A riveting tale of four women navigating contemporary Korea, If I Had Your Face is a debut novel from Frances Cha, a former travel and culture editor for CNN in Seoul. This utterly compelling novel follows the interconnected lives of four young women balancing on the edge of survival in contemporary Seoul, a world of strict social hierarchies, extreme plastic surgery and K-pop fan mania. Cha will discuss her debut novel and career as a journalist, always having a foot in both Korea and the US and writing about contemporary Korea in English. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1390-frances-cha-if-i-had-your-face

May 21, 2020 - Korean War veterans advocate Hannah Y. Kim joins policy director Jonathan Corrado for a conversation on her global journey to meet Korean War veterans. Kim, founder of Remember 727 and former chief of staff to Congressman Charles Rangel, highlights the discussion with photos from her travels. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1385-korean-war-at-70-honoring-korean-war-veterans-from-around-the-world

May 20, 2020 - What impact is the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic crisis having now and going forward on the relationships between the U.S., South Korea, and India? How does it impact their respective visions for the future of regional institutions and relationships in the Indo-Pacific? What is the prognosis for U.S. and Chinese leadership -- and rivalry -- and how does this impact the region? Is a regional economic or security architecture more or less possible, or desirable, post-pandemic? Join us for a conversation with Representative Ami Bera (D-CA), Co-Chair of the Congressional Study Group on Korea, Deputy Chief of Mission for the South Korean Embassy in Washington Moon Seoung-hyun, and President of the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum Mukesh Aghi, moderated by Korea Society Board Chair Ambassador Kathleen Stephens. With vibrant economic ties and a common commitment to democracy, how can Washington, Seoul, and New Delhi work together to respond to transnational threats and a rising China? Th

May 19, 2020 - South Korean literature in translation has been experiencing a global efflorescence in recent years. There are at least 6 Korean novels being released in the United States in the first half of 2020, with more to follow. Professor Jae Won Chung will discuss the commercial and critical success of Korean novels in the United States, the types of Korean novels that appear to be popular in the international market, and the range of new styles, genres, and voices that soon-to-be published titles will offer English-language readers. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1380-reading-in-translation-korean-novels-in-the-u-s

May 15, 2020 - Internationally acclaimed artist Ik-Joong Kang in conversation about his art and career with Dr. Katherine Anne Paul, Curator of Asian Art, the Birmingham Museum of Art. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1358-artist-talk-ik-joong-kang-with-dr-katherine-anne-paul

May 14, 2020 - In these uncertain times, we regard self-care as a way to manage anxiety and alleviate stress. Often, skincare comprises an essential part of many self-care routines. Tune in to see how Glow Recipe co-founders, Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, are adapting content during this time to align with a self-care centric beauty philosophy, and how they continue to lead Glow Recipe with a K-Beauty inspired approach for every product and campaign. Furthermore, discover how Sarah and Christine have transformed Glow Recipe, which began as a Korean skincare curation brand in 2014, into a successful skincare line of their own, with products such as the cult-favorite Watermelon Sleeping Mask. Aspiring entrepreneurs will not want to miss this program! Sarah and Christine's success in creating and leading Glow Recipe will undoubtedly offer valuable insight for starting a business. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1394-korean-inspired-glow

May 14, 2020 - Dr. Jung H. Pak discusses her new book - Becoming Kim Jong Un - on the rise of North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, in conversation with Society President Tom Byrne. Pak, a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and former CIA analyst, provides a behind-the-scenes look at Kim’s character and motivations and chronicles his nuclear ambitions and summitry with President Trump. The book is available for purchase at Penguin Random House. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1395-becoming-kim-jong-un-with-jung-pak

May 8, 2020 - What are the challenges a chef faces when she decides to open a restaurant? How do you break the stereotype that “women make good cooks, but men make better chefs”? And how do you not only survive but thrive in the hyper-competitive restaurant kitchens and food scene in New York and London? And what do you cook when you have to stay home, due to the unprecedented world-wide pandemic? Meet two inspirational chefs - who happen to be female Korean Americans - who are doing all that and more: Chef Esther Choi and Judy Joo, chef, television personality, and the author of Korean Soul Food. Listen and join in on their conversation. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1362-a-conversation-between-chefs-esther-choi-judy-joo

April 30, 2020 - A chef known for defining Korean food in America brings a powerful culinary legacy into your kitchen. Hooni Kim, chef/owner of Danji and Hanjan, will discuss his eagerly-anticipated cookbook, My Korea: Traditional Flavors, Modern Recipes, his insight and deep knowledge on Korean cuisine, and the challenges he faces as a restaurateur in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moderated by Andrew Friedman. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1377-chef-hooni-kim-with-andrew-friedman

April 17, 2020 - Stanford University Professor Gi-Wook Shin joins Korea Society Senior Director Stephen Noerper for a timely breakdown of the April 15 Korean legislative elections. Professor Shin, Director of the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Director of Korean Studies, and William J. Perry Professor of Contemporary Korea, examines the voice of the electorate and impact of the National Assembly election results for the Moon administration and Korean politics. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1360-korean-election-analysis

April 16, 2020 - South Korea’s coronavirus response has been lauded for its integration of new technologies and aggressive trace-and-test measures. To help the international community understand this approach, a crowd-sourced team has translated Korea’s coronavirus playbook, a 90 page set of instructions made by the Korea Center for Disease Control advising local public health officials to plan for an array of contingencies. In this special podcast interview with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado, translation team leaders Alex Bae, Sehyo Yune, and Jungmin Hwang discuss the project and the insights gained from it. The document is available to view at the team’s website here. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1383-podcast-translating-korea-s-coronavirus-response-playbook

April 14, 2020 - Learn how South Korea managed to bring COVID-19 under control in this recorded interview between the Korea Society’s President, Thomas Byrne, and Professor of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital, Dr. Kim Woo Joo. Deemed by the media as South Korea’s “most prominent coronavirus expert”, Dr. Kim explains how he and the country learned from past epidemics to mobilize the public and private sectors to combat the novel coronavirus. Tune in to learn what lessons the U.S. and other countries can glean from South Korea’s successes. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1379-covid-19-lessons-from-south-korea-a-conversation-between-korea-s-top-coronavirus-expert-dr-kim-woo-joo-and-korea-society-president-thomas-byrne

April 10, 2020 - Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow for Japan Studies Dr. Sheila Smith and Korea Society Senior Director Dr. Stephen Noerper examine the political impact of the coronavirus outbreak in Japan and Korea, in conversation with Japan Society President and CEO Dr. Joshua W. Walker and with an introduction by Korea Society President Thomas Byrne. In this live webcast program, co-hosted by the Japan Society and the Korea Society, the three discuss the domestic responses and impact of COVID-19 to date and regional implications, to include relations between the two states, Tokyo 2020 Olympics and evolving domestic realities. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1378-geopolitics-of-coronavirus-japan-and-korea

April 3, 2020 - Orville Schell, Arthur Ross Director of the Center on US-China Relations at the Asia Society, examines developments in China’s foreign policy toward the Korean Peninsula in conversation with senior director Stephen Noerper. Schell discusses China’s commitment to denuclearization, orientation toward Pyongyang and Seoul, views on Korean unification, and the current news cycle, to include the geopolitics of the coronavirus response. For more information, please visit the link beow: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1354-china-s-foreign-policy-and-relations-on-the-korean-peninsula