Members' Newsletter | May 2026 Editor: Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE Welcome to May, corporate & individual members! This month, South Korea celebrates Buddha's Birthday (석가탄신일) as a public holiday on Sunday, May 24 — a moment that offers a window into the depth of Korean culture and history. South Korea is a multi-religious nation: roughly half the population has no religious affiliation, while among those who do, Christianity and Buddhism are the two most...
about 2 months ago • 13 min read
Members' Newsletter | April 2026 Editor: Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer WELCOME MESSAGE Welcome to Spring, all individual and corporate members! It was great seeing those of you who attended our Spring Happy Hour mixer last week. As we welcome in the (occasionally) warmer weather in NYC, we invite you to consider adding nourishing, seasonal spring foods into your diet. The idea of eating seasonally, or choosing foods that are at their freshest and most flavorful in line with a...
2 months ago • 12 min read
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...
4 months 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...
4 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...
5 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...
6 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,...
7 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...
9 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...
10 months ago • 9 min read