On Wednesday, January 25, 2012, The Korea Society’s Korean Studies department visited The New Preparatory Middle School in Jamaica, Queens. Two classes of 57 6th and 8th graders, currently studying Korean language, were introduced to the historical and cultural significance of Korean masks. The children then painted their own unique versions of the yangban 양반 (aristocrat) and pune 부네 (young woman) masks. This school visit was made possible with the generous financial support of The Freeman Foundation.

The Korean Studies team took the exciting Once Upon A Time in Korea... storytelling and crafts program on the road this summer and fall. Stories based on traditional Korean folktales were narrated and acted out with puppets for children throughout New York City. Children learned Korean values, such as filial piety and selflessness, as well as a few Korean words for the animal characters. The team worked with the young students to make fun masks and puppets. The program venues and dates were as follows: Loves A Lot Pre-School (August 15), Baby Moves NYC (August 18), Stuyvesant Heights Montessori School (October 12), The Geneva School of Manhattan West Side Campus (November 17), and The Geneva School of Manhattan East Side Campus (November 18).

Artist and Calligrapher Sungsook Hong Setton visited five schools in the greater New York area to introduce students to the art of Korean calligraphy and brush painting. At her workshops, Setton provided students with Korean rice paper, brushes, and ink, and taught Korean calligraphy and painting to accompany the calligraphy. The students were excited about the new material, and, by the end of the session, were able to write such expressions as “blue mountains and clear rivers,” and “opportunity only comes to those who are ready.” The program venues and dates were as follows: Bellport Middle School (April 29), Commack High School (May 5), Wood Road Elementary (June 2), Lynwood Avenue Elementary (June 3), and Korean School of Long Island Catholic School (June 5).