Members' Newsletter | March 2026 Editor: Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE Happy Korean Independence Movement Day (or March 1st Day, 삼일절)! On March 1, 1919, the Korean independence movement mobilized an estimated two million people in one of the largest nonviolent protests in modern history. In the spirit of national unity this month, learn about the Korean national flag (태극기)! The national flag of Korea, the 태극기, reflects the universal principle of balance in...
about 1 month ago • 8 min read
Members' Newsletter | February 2026 Editor: Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE by Dr. Abraham Kim, President and CEO of The Korea Society Dear Members, As we welcome the Lunar New Year in 2026, I extend my warmest wishes to you and your families for health, prosperity, and renewed purpose. This season of reflection and renewal is especially meaningful as I begin my tenure as President and CEO of The Korea Society. I am deeply honored to join a distinguished community...
2 months ago • 10 min read
Members' Newsletter | January 2026 Editor: Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE Happy New Year to all our corporate and individual members! 새해 복 많이 받으세요. Many Koreans traditionally start off the new year with a bowl of 떡국 (tteokguk), a simple rice cake soup. More than just a meal, the round slices of rice cake resemble coins, symbolizing prosperity, while the clear broth represents a clean slate to welcome the year ahead. Soup, more broadly, holds special meaning in...
3 months ago • 10 min read
Members' Newsletter | December 2025 Editor: Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE Welcome to December, to The Korea Society's corporate and individual members! The winter solistce, or Dongji (동지), is observed on December 22 this year and signifies not only the longest night of the year, but also a turning point: from this day on, sunlight returns and the calendar moves forward toward renewal. A tradition around this time of year is sharing a bowl of patjuk (팥죽), or...
4 months ago • 10 min read
Members' Newsletter | November 2025 Edited by Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE Happy November to The Korea Society's corporate and individual members :) Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day, is observed annually on November 11th to honor military veterans. The holiday traces back to the end of World War I, when an armistice between Germany and the Allied Powers took effect at “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” in 1918. In 1919,...
5 months ago • 11 min read
Members' Newsletter | October 2025 by Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE Welcome to October, corporate and individual members of The Korea Society! We are excited to welcome a month of celebration and connection, both in Korea and here at The Korea Society. October marks the arrival of Chuseok (추석), or Korean Thanksgiving, one of Korea's most meaningful and widely-celebrated holidays. Falling on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, Chuseok is traditionally...
6 months ago • 12 min read
Members' Newsletter | September 2025 by Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE As we step into the new season, South Korea observes the fall equinox with Chubun (추분), which this year falls on Tuesday, September 23 at 3:19 AM (KST). Chubun marks the moment when day and night are equal in length, reflecting a point of perfect balance in the seasonal cycle and underscoring the philosophy of yin-yang. A common expression associated with the season is “하늘이 높다” ("the sky is...
7 months ago • 9 min read
Members' Newsletter | August 2025 by Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE To all our corporate and individual members — welcome to August! This month, Korea commemorates its liberation from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule on August 15. One of the few national holidays celebrated in both South and North Korea, Liberation Day highlights the distinct values and narratives embraced by each nation. In South Korea, the holiday is known as 광복절 (Gwangbokjeol), or...
8 months ago • 7 min read
Members' Newsletter | July 2025 by Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE Happy Fourth of July to all our U.S.-based readers! As many of us enjoy some classic combination of barbecues, beach visits, firework displays, and family gatherings to observe the ratification of the Declaration of Independence, South Korea will also be celebrating the enactment of an important document in its own history this month. Following liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945, Korea...
9 months ago • 9 min read