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Author: Yurim Oh

Policy director Jonathan Corrado interviewed by VOA

Posted on by Yurim Oh

Korea Society policy director was interviewed by VOA Reporter Jo Sang-jin about North Korean nuclear diplomacy, sanctions implementation, North Korea-Russia military cooperation, and the future situation on the Korean Peninsula. Corrado assessed that North Korea feels no immediate need to engage in dialogue, as it has secured greater negotiating power than ever before through Russia and China. He also pointed out that the reduction of U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises should not continue indefinitely without corresponding measures from North Korea.

Soju Party with Irene Yoo

Posted on by Yurim Oh

Author Photo © Heami Lee

Drinking is an essential part of Korean culture, one that’s guided by a complex web of unspoken rules, deep tradition, and lots and lots of food.

With Soju Party, food writer, chef, and co-owner of Brooklyn’s Orion Bar Irene Yoo has written the book on drinking like a Korean. She introduces the classic Korean alcohols and how Koreans typically like to drink them and serves up unique cocktail recipes featuring Korean-inspired riffs and nostalgic twists. Of course, you can’t drink without eating, and there are plenty of recipes for tasty anju (drinking foods). In addition to recipes, Yoo explores the history of Korean drinking, with illustrations explaining proper serving and drinking etiquette, drinking games, food pairings, and more.

A book that promises late nights (don’t worry, there’s a section on hangovers!), this is a party on the page.

In her conversation with Christina Chaey, Irene Yoo discusses her career and the first book.

 

 

Soju Party with Irene Yoo

Thursday, September 18, 2025 | 6:30 PM (EDT)


 The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

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About the Speaker:

 

Irene Yoo is a food writer, recipe developer, creator (Yooeating), YouTube cohost (KA KA Studio), and the chef and co-owner of Orion Bar in Brooklyn. Raised in Los Angeles and Seoul, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and previously worked as a photo and video producer for Food Network. Her recipes and essays have appeared on foodnetwork.com, Food52, and Food & Wine, and she has spoken about Korean culinary history at The Korea Society and the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD). She has been featured in The New York Times, The Korea Times, and Bon Appétit.

 

About the Moderator:

 

Christina Chaey is a recipe developer, home cook, and writer based in Brooklyn. She writes a popular Substack newsletter called Gentle Foods where she shares achievable recipes that inspire and essays that explore the intersection of cooking and mental health. She is currently writing her first cookbook, Gentle Foods, which will be published in 2026.

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Women in Food Media Women in Food Business Umma: A Korean Mom’s Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes K-Quick with Judy Joo

Midtown Cultural Alliance (MCA) Inaugural Fortnight

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September 12-21, 2025 |
The Midtown Cultural Alliance, launching on September 12-21, 2025 with an inaugural fortnight, is offering free and paid programming spread across all five partner organizations in the Midtown NYC Area.

A visitor to any one event on this fortnight will receive a special “passport” and collect a stamp upon attendance at any one of the five organizations. Once collecting three stamps on their passport, a visitor may then redeem a free gift from three different organizations of their choice. Visitors may pick up the passport from any of the listed organizations.

 

MCA Organizations

 

          

     

Inaugurating in September 2025, the Midtown Cultural Alliance (MCA) is a presenters’ union founded by Japan Society, The Korea Society, Korean Cultural Center, L’Alliance New York, and Scandinavia House to highlight Midtown NYC as a global cultural destination.

New York City is home to the densest agglomeration of cosmopolitan cultural outposts in the world. The Midtown East neighborhood of Manhattan—from 59th street to 34th street, bound by the East River and Madison Avenue—boasts dozens of distinct international cultural organizations offering a dizzying array of programs connecting New York audiences to global culture in the form of international art exhibitions, live music, performance, film screenings, lectures, literary programs, and more. In just a few scant city blocks, visitors can immerse themselves in the art of the entire world.

The Midtown Cultural Alliance invites visitors to experience our locality as one of New York’s signature destination neighborhoods, serving up the best traditional and contemporary art, music, film, and performance from around the world, right here in Midtown.

INFORMATION ABOUT MCA:

Charged events are indicated by 💰

** All Gallery Visits to The Korea Society will earn a stamp in the MCA Passport during September 12-21, 2025 ** 

Fri. 9/12

Japan Society
Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries (gallery exhibition 11 am-5 pm) 💰
Chiharu Shiota exhibition talk (4:30 pm) 💰
KINKAKUJI (performance 7:30 pm) 💰

The Korea Society
Guided Gallery Tour (3-6 pm)
Fall Happy Hour (6-9 pm) 💰

Sat. 9/13

Japan Society
Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries (gallery exhibition free admission, 12 -6 pm)
Japanese Writing Activity (1-4 pm)
KINKAKUJI  (2:30 & 7:30 pm) 💰

L’Alliance New York:
Fall Open House 2025 (All free except for trial lessons)
Trial Classes for Adults & Children (9:30 am – 4:15 pm) 💰
Book Sale & Exchange (10 am – 5 pm)
Family Visual Arts Workshop (10:15 am)
Les tutomouves Exhibition Opening Reception & Family Workshops (12 pm – 2 pm)
Family Film – Small Change (1:30 pm)
Film – The Second Act (4:30 pm)

Scandinavia House
Nordic Textile Takeover (2-6 pm)
Artist talks, curator walkthrough & reception 💰

Sun. 9/14

Japan Society
Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries (12-6 pm)💰
KINKAKUJI  (2:30 pm) 💰

Scandinavia House
Nordic Textile Takeover:
Open Gallery Hours (12-5 pm)
Artist-led workshops (12-3 pm) 💰

Tue. 9/16

Japan Society
Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries (11 am-5 pm) 💰
KINKAKUJI (7:30 pm)💰

The Korea Society
Beginning Korean Trial Class (6:30-8 pm)

L’Alliance New York
A Very Private Affair (film screening 4 & 7 pm) 💰

Scandinavia House
Hilma af Klint’s Botanical World (talk 6:30 pm)

Wed. 9/17

Japan Society
Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries (11 am-5 pm) 💰
KINKAKUJI  (7:30 pm)💰

 L’Alliance New York
The Big Sleep (performance 7:30 pm) 💰

Scandinavia House
Homecoming (film screening and talk 7 pm)💰

Thu. 9/18

Japan Society
Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries (11 am-5 pm) 💰
KINKAKUJI (7:30 pm)💰

The Korea Society
The Unseen Resilience of North Korean Female Defectors (4-5:30 pm)
Soju Party by Irene Yoo (6:30-7:30 pm)

Korean Cultural Center New York
New Korean Movie Night: Story Up Shorts in NY (7:30 pm)

L’Alliance New York
Black & White (film screening 4 & 7 pm)💰

Fri. 9/19

Japan Society
Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries (11 am-5 pm) 💰
Trial Japanese Lesson (1-2 pm)
KINKAKUJI (8 pm)💰

Scandinavia House
Writing the World from Copenhagen to NYC (talk 7 pm)

Sat. 9/20

Japan Society
Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries (free admission, 12-6 pm)
KINKAKUJI  (2:30 and 7:30 pm)💰

Korean Cultural Center New York
Meet the Author: Hyunmin Park – How to Be a True Friend Picture Book Workshop (2 pm)

Sun. 9/21

Japan Society
Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries (12-6 pm)

 

Highlights from Startups in Focus: AI Powering the Way We Live | 2026 Startup Scene Annual Forum

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Event Recap 

Startups in Focus: AI Powering the Way We Live 

The Korea Society has successfully hosted the Startup Scene’s 2026 annual forum: “Startups in Focus: AI Powering the Way We Live,” supported exclusively by Hanwha Life, on Thursday, May 21, 2026. This year’s forum celebrated pioneering entrepreneurs who energize the business landscape with their innovative approaches, alongside accelerators and investors who empower their progress. The forum was opened with remarks by Michael Burke (Head of International Network Management, Citi’s Banking & International Organization), Dr. Abraham Kim (President and CEO, The Korea Society) and joined by Dr. Jinwoo Hwang (Senior Executive Vice President) of Hanwha Life and Sangho Kim (Consul General, Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in New York) with a special address.

The forum officially kicked off with a fireside chat with keynote speaker, Steve Jang, Founder and Managing Partner of Kindred Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on software, Internet, and deep-technology investing. Joined by Dr. Abraham Kim (President & CEO, The Korea Society), Steve spoke on his investment philosophy and opportunities in the new wave of AI innovation.

With five panel sessions, the forum focused on topics surrounding innovation synergy, exploring how investment, corporations, and the greater startup community can come together to celebrate the successes of startups. Exclusive insights from BCI experts and innovators were demonstrated by Dr. Min Kyung Lee (Assistant Professor; UT Austin School of Information) and Peter Yoo (Senior Director, Neuroscience & Algorithms; Synchron).

Tim Hwang (Co-Founder and CEO, Nitra) discussed the current fintech investment landscape and Nitra’s wedge-in strategy with Dorothy Chang (Venture Partner, Fybridge).

SY Lee (CEO and Co-Founder, Story Protocol) and David Park (Managing Partner, Warren Equity Partners, Founding Member, Digital Storytelling Lab of Columbia University) discussed how data ownership and rights are becoming a critical chokepoint in AI development.

Hyunsun Ahn (@Ahnstoppable_tech), Taeyong Kim (CEO, EO), Ryan Cheah (Founder, The 21st), and Sho Young Shin (Director of Platform, ERA) shared how the next generation of entrepreneurs can leverage AI to build distinctive brand identities and navigate an increasingly competitive and fast-moving market landscape.

Chang (CK) Kim (Founder & CEO, Saywise), Kirak Hong (Co-founder and CTO, Sandbar), and Dorothy Chang (Venture Partner, Flybridge) took a look at how AI startups are transforming everyday experiences across productivity and commerce.

The forum concluded with closing remarks, followed by a networking reception with refreshments and hor d’oeuvres. Attendees were able to interact via networking opportunities throughout the forum and during the reception, elevating the forum as a platform for connectivity and inspiration.

An Evening of JeongGa

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Step into the world of JeongGa (正歌), the refined vocal art once cherished by scholars and nobles of Joseon Dynasty. Join us for an evening of lyrical elegance with ALeum Lee‘s resonant voice, accompanied by WooSung Jung on DaeGeum (flute) and HeeJung Han on HaeGeum (string instrument). Lee will also share thoughtful reflections on the origins and evolution of GaGok, Korean lyric song cycles, offering personal and refreshing insights into the meaning of Korean traditional vocal music today.

 

 

An Evening of JeongGa

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | 6:30 PM (EDT)

 

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

email iconE-News sign-up

 

 

About the Performers:


ALeum Lee is a Korean traditional vocalist and creative artist, and Certified Practitioner of National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 30 (Gagok). With a deep understanding of the essence of traditional vocal music, she continuously explores the emotionality, vocal techniques, and structural elements of yeochang jeongga (female-sung jeongga), while engaging in experimental works rooted in this heritage.

Lee has received the KBS Korean Traditional Music Award for Vocal Music, and was selected as a Surim New Wave Artist (2023–2024) and a Fringe Artist at the 2023 Korean Improvised Music Festival, affirming her contribution to the contemporary expansion and creative potential of jeongga. She has also released several recordings, including the full-length albums Soil (2024), Space of Poetry (2021), and Areum Lee’s Jeongga (2019), along with numerous singles.

 


WooSung Jung is an accomplished musician who has inherited the Daegeum Jeongak, a Korean Intangible Cultural Heritage. He plays various wind instruments including the daegeum, sogeum, danso, and taepyeongso, as well as percussion instruments like the janggu and buk. He has worked as a traditional music performer and educator in Korea, China, and Chicago in the United States, where he has operated local ensembles such as the danso ensemble, instrumental ensemble, janggu ensemble, and military band (chwita).

Currently, Jung is active in the New York/New Jersey area, performing at various venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and Jordan Hall. Additionally, he teaches a diverse group of students through online classes, reaching not only various regions within the United States but also Korea, China, Japan, and Australia.

 


HeeJung Han is a professional haegeum (two stringed fiddle) performer dedicated to promoting Korean music through recordings and concerts. Han graduated from Chu-Gye University of Art, and she was selected as the NYFA/NYSCA Fellow for two years in a row.

You May Also Enjoy:
Ga Mu Ak: An Evening of Korean Traditional Music and Dance An Evening of Korean Traditional Dance Samul Nori: Dynamic Rhythms from Korea ADG7: A Virtual Concert

CCLI in Atlanta:

Posted on by Yurim Oh

Event Recap

The Korea Society in Georgia: Cross-Cultural Leadership Initiative Comes to Atlanta

The Korea Society recently brought its Cross-Cultural Leadership Initiative (CCLI) to Atlanta through two complementary programs focused on one increasingly important question: 

“What does it take to turn Korean investment in America into successful, well-integrated organizations and communities?”

The U.S.–Korea Workforce Strategy Summit, co-hosted with the Southeast U.S. Korean Chamber of Commerce (SEUSKCC), with support of the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Atlanta, brought together approximately 100 business, government, workforce, academic, and community leaders. The following day, The Korea Society and KOTRA Atlanta convened a smaller, invitation-only Executive Leadership Roundtable for senior representatives of Korean companies and key community and business leaders.

Across both conversations, one message stood out: 

“The next phase of Korean investment will depend not only on capital and facilities, but on people, leadership, local relationships, and institutional trust.”

What We Heard in Atlanta

Build a “Third Culture”

Korean companies operating in the United States cannot simply transfer headquarters practices to American workplaces—or expect an American model to emerge on its own. Participants emphasized the importance of intentionally developing a shared “third culture” through leadership, communication, training, and adaptation to local conditions.

Prepare People, Not Just Positions

Workforce integration begins before recruitment ends. Participants highlighted the importance of preparing both expatriate managers and local employees to work effectively across cultures, clarifying expectations around authority, feedback, decision-making, and autonomy, and strengthening communication between Korean headquarters and U.S. operations.

Trust and Autonomy Matter

The discussion highlighted how differences in management style can affect engagement, collaboration, and retention. Participants shared examples suggesting that trust, empowerment, and two-way communication can be critical to building effective Korean-American teams.

Community Integration Is a Business Strategy

The conversation extended beyond the workplace. Participants emphasized that Korean companies need to become visible, active members of the communities where they operate—not simply investors creating jobs. Sustained relationships with civic organizations, schools, chambers, and local institutions can strengthen trust and contribute to workforce recruitment, retention, and organizational reputation.

The Conversation Continues

The CCLI events in Atlanta pointed toward a clear next step: moving from informal adaptation and goodwill to a more deliberate approach to cross-cultural leadership, workforce integration, local leadership, and community engagement. Participants emphasized the need for measurable training and retention efforts, empowered local leaders, and sustained community engagement tied to business priorities.

These insights will help inform the continued development of The Korea Society’s Cross-Cultural Leadership Initiative (CCLI)—a national initiative designed to strengthen the leadership capabilities, workforce integration, cultural competence, and community relationships that support Korean companies operating in the United States.

“Investment builds the foundation.
People and relationships make it work.”

The Korea Society thanks our partners, speakers, participants, and community leaders who joined us in Atlanta and contributed to this important conversation.

 Our special thanks to:

  • Ambassador Joon Ho Lee, Consul-General of the Republic of Korea in Atlanta
  • Scott Snyder, President & CEO, Korea Economic Institute of America
  • Tami Overby, Partner, Dentons Global Advisors
  • Eugene Kim, Professor, Scheller College of Business, Georgia Tech
  • Steven Jahng, Vice President, Hyundai Motor Group
  • SungJoon Ahn, General Director, KOTRA Atlanta
  • Jean Kim, President, SEUSKCC

Hong Seon Jang | Minor Landscaping

Posted on by Yurim Oh

Sculpted Voices | Kyungmin Park & Jinsik Yoo

Sculpted Voices | Kyungmin Park & Jinsik Yoo
September 10-December 5, 2025 | Opening Exhibition: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 | 5-7 PM |
Image courtesy of the Artist |

With his installations, Hong Seon Jang transforms industrial products and found objects in order to explore the usually recognizable surroundings. As their conventional function and values are reinterpreted, distorted, and subverted, Jang investigates opposing concepts and contrasting ideas, such as authority and subordination, internal and external dynamics, and the interplay between security and threat. Through his art, Jang invites viewers to re-examine how symbols acquire cultural and ideological significance, and how their meanings transform in displacement.

 

Opening Reception

Wednesday, September 10, 2025 | 5-7 PM

 

The Korea Society Gallery is open only by appointment. The appointment must be made at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled visit. To make an appointment, please contact info@koreasociety.org.

Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday 10 AM-4:30 PM
By Appointment Only

Click here to make an appointment

 

The Korea Society 
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor, NYC

 

Join our membership program here!

email iconE-News sign-up

 

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Hong Seon Jang has widely exhibited in solo and group exhibitions including Wellin Museum of Art, NY; SHCM Museum of Art, NY; Socrates Sculpture Park, NY; Meet Factory, Czech Republic; Fine Arts Gallery, San Francisco State University, CA; Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning, NY; the Cohen Gallery at Brown University, RI; Smack Mellon, NY; McColl Center for Visual Art, NC; The Soap Factory, MN; The Islip Art Museum, NY; Artspace, CT; Rush Arts Gallery, NYC, and Hangaram Art Museum, South Korea. His awards and residencies include:  ISCP Ground Floor Program, AHL-AAW Solo Exhibition Grant, The Sharpe-Walentas Studio Program, NY; Art Council Korea Grant, Korea; MSA, LA; Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, ME; Tokyo Wonder Site, Artist-In-Residence, Japan; Percent for Art, Public School Art commission, NY; Djerassi, CA; Atlantic Center for the Arts, FL; Newark Museum, NJ; Lower East Side Printshop Special Editions Residency, NY; Emerging Artist Fellowship, Socrates Sculpture Park, NY; Sculpture Space, NY; Bemis Art, NE; Abron Arts Center, NY; The Triangle Artists’ Workshop Program, NY; and Urban Artist Initiative Fellowship. He received his BFA from Dankook University, South Korea and earned his MFA in Imaging Art at Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY. 

Do the U.S. and China Still Share a North Korea Policy?

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In a new video program produced by The National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado spoke with Korea Society Board Director Dr. Victor Cha and NCAFP Director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security Susan Thornton about shifting U.S. and Chinese strategies toward the Korean Peninsula.

The discussion begins by examining how recent U.S. policy shifts—including modified joint military exercises and diplomatic outreach—impact the U.S.–ROK alliance. They also evaluate how North Korea’s military involvement with Russia alters Beijing’s leverage and regional security dynamics.

Next, the panel delves into regional perceptions of Kim Jong Un’s “two hostile states” policy and the abandonment of unification, exploring its implications for South Korean domestic politics and alliance stability.

The discussion also assesses the diminishing U.S.–PRC consensus on denuclearization alongside South Korea’s foreign policy approach under the Lee administration, which favors pragmatic, principled engagement across the region.

Finally, the experts analyze potential crisis escalation scenarios on the peninsula, emphasizing the need for effective U.S.–China crisis communication and contingency planning to prevent conflict.

Ed Park: An Oral History of Atlantis with Mira Jacob

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Ed Park: An Oral History of Atlantis with Mira Jacob

 

A deadpan, wildly imaginative collection of stories that slices clean through the mundanity and absurdity of modern life, An Oral History of Atlantis is the newest collection of short stories from Ed Park, the author of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize–winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist Same Bed Different Dreams.

In this utterly original collection, characters question the fleetingness of youth and art, reckon with the consequences of the everyday, and find solace in the absurd, the beautiful, and the sublime. Throughout, Ed Park deploys his trademark wit to create a world both strikingly recognizable and delightfully other. All together, these fifteen stories have much to say about the meaning—and transitory nature—of our lives. And they are proof positive that Ed Park is one of the most insightful and imaginative writers working today.

In this conversation with Mira Jacob, presented in collaboration with Yu & Me Books, Ed Park discusses his latest book.

 

Ed Park: An Oral History of Atlantis with Mira Jacob

Thursday, September 4, 2025 | 6:30 PM (EDT)


 The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

 

Join our membership program here!

email iconE-News sign-up

 

About the Speaker:

 

Ed Park is the author of the novels Personal Days and Same Bed Different Dreams. He is a founding editor of The Believer, and has worked in newspapers, book publishing, and academia. His writing appears in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Harper’s Magazine, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Born in Buffalo, he lives in Manhattan with his family. 

 

About the Moderator:

 
 

Mira Jacob is a novelist, memoirist, illustrator, and cultural critic. Her graphic memoir Good Talk: A Memoir in Conversations was shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award, longlisted for the PEN Open Book Award, and named a New York Times Notable Book. Her novel The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing was a Barnes & Noble Discover New Writers pick and named one of the best books of the year by Kirkus Reviews, the Boston Globe and Goodreads. She is a professor at The New School and a founding faculty member of the MFA in Writing at Randolph College.

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President Abraham Kim Visits Montana to Strengthen Connections

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The Korea Society President & CEO Abraham Kim recently traveled across Montana, meeting with state officials, academic leaders, business executives, and civic leaders to explore opportunities to deepen connections between the state, Korea, and Asia at large.

Dr. Kim also traveled to Missoula, Yellowstone National Park, the real-life location of “Dutton Ranch”, and other locations across the state. The trip held particular significance for Dr. Kim, who previously spent six years in Montana and has continued to return to the state annually since his departure.

Alongside a series of meetings, the visit offered opportunities to experience Montana’s natural, cultural, and scientific attractions, including dinosaur fossils, caves, rivers, hot springs, and wilderness.

Special thanks to Matt Olson of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, a longtime friend of President Kim, for organizing productive meetings, and to Andrew Stroup for joining President Kim throughout the journey.

The innovative and inspiring natural landscape of Montana revealed tremendous potential to build new bridges, strengthen relationships, and expand collaboration with Korea and Asia.