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The Korea Society Members' Newsletter | April 2025
Published 9 months ago • 11 min read
Members' Newsletter | April 2025
by Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer
WELCOME MESSAGE
Happy Spring!
Cherry blossom season (or 벚꽃놀이) marks the arrival of spring each year in both the United States and South Korea. Blooms travel throughout Korea from late March to mid April, turning the country a beautiful pink in the southern regions, then moving up to central and northern regions. Each region features a unique local viewing experience, colored by festivals, cultural activities, picnics with loved ones, traditional foods & performances, and even a cherry blossom marathon.
At The Korea Society this month, we are looking forward to a total of 10 programs across our arts & culture, policy, business & corporate, and education departments. Check out our lineup of star speakers below, including all of the expert voices that will be featured at our Annual Startup Forum at Citi Headquarters.
Following a very active April, get ready to kickoff AAPI month with our next members-only event! The Korea Society is hosting a Spring Happy Hour on the first of May - mark your calendars now to join this opportunity to enjoy drinks and meet fellow members. Read on for more information.
IMAGE OF THE MONTH
by Thomas Byrne, President and CEO of The Korea Society
Courtesy of Georgia Department of Economic Development
Continuing to focus on the new dynamic in the U.S.-Korea economic relationship, Korean firms were the leading source of foreign direct investment in the state of Georgia. Investments made and new jobs created by Korean firms were so large that they surpassed the total amount from the next eight countries, including Germany and Japan, in both respects. The data represent new locations or expansions worked by the Georgia Department of Economic Development in Fiscal Year 2024.The Korea Society obtained this chart upon an outreach visit to Atlanta and to the Georgia Department of Economic Development in March 2025.
Key strong points of Georgia’s business-friendly investment climate include a growing and well-educated workforce in the eighth largest state in the U.S., right-to-work labor law, a relatively low cost of doing business, sound state finances with an AAA bond rating from all three major credit rating agencies, a predictable and relatively low corporate tax regime, and a superior logistics and transportation hub—the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport is the world’s busiest and most efficient airport, and Savannah is the fastest growing and fourth busiest seaport in the U.S.
The Korea Society invites you to join our Spring 2025 Happy Hour! The event will take place at The Korea Society's event space & beautiful outdoor terrace.
Event attendees will receive 2 free drink tickets, with additional drinks available for purchase. Guests must be 21+ to consume alcohol (ID will be checked at entry). Our event is fully sponsored by Asian and Korean-owned small businesses.
This event is open to members-only, with the option for members to purchase tickets for additional guests ($20 per ticket). Please visit our website to purchase tickets.
EVENT DETAILS:
Date/Time: Thursday, May 1st at 6:00PM
Address: The Korea Society - 350 Madison Ave, FL 24, New York, NY 10017
MEMBERS-ONLY DISCOUNT!
On Wednesday, May 7th for the 7:00pm performance, Maybe Happy Ending will be holding a kick-off celebration event for AAPI month at the theatre!
The evening will include a special talkback with cast and creatives after the show, hosted by The Broadway League.
Discounted tickets have been held for members of The Korea Society. Use the link below to purchase tickets, with the code HAPPYE2B to access the discount.
The Struggle for Hong Kong: Reflections on the Protests of the 2010's and the Crackdowns of the 2020's
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 | 3:00 PM | In-person only
The National Committee on U.S. China Relations is hosting "The Struggle for Hong Kong" here at The Korea Society.
Jeffrey Wasserstrom and Emily Feng, in conversation with Sewell Chan, discuss the implications of developments in Hong Kong over the last ten years for HK-mainland relations, Sino-American relations, and trends in the region. A special invitation to this event has been extended to members of The Korea Society. Please fill out the members-only form to register.
A Roundtable with Ambassador (Ret.) Raymond Burghardt
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | 10:30 AM | In-person only
Join us for a private roundtable discussion co-hosted by The Korea Society and Temple University Japan with Ambassador Raymond Burghardt, who served for many years as one of the leading Asian specialists in the U.S. Foreign Service, to discuss U.S. relations with Taiwan and America's Asian allies under the Trump adminsitration.
Ambassador Burghardt joins in conversation with Temple University Japan Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies Co-Director Robert Dujarric, senior vice president at Park Strategies Sean King, and Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado.
A special invitation to this event has been extended to members of The Korea Society. Please fill out the members-only form to register.
The Korea Society is excited to announce Startup Scene’s keystone annual forum for 2025: “Startups in Focus: Driving US-Korea Economic Synergy,” supported exclusively by Hanwha Life.
The annual forum aims to highlight the role of startups as the nexus of economic innovation and cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea. This year will celebrate pioneering entrepreneurs who energize the business landscape with their innovative approaches, alongside accelerators and investors who empower their progress.
Event Details:
Date/Time: Tuesday, April 22nd at 11:30am - 7:00pm
Location: Citi Headquarters - 388 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013
Registration: Includes full-day access to the forum, networking opportunities, lunch, and apero-mixer with hors d'oeuvres
From director Andrew Ahn comes The Wedding Banquet, a joyful comedy of errors about a chosen family navigating the disasters and delights of family expectations, queerness, and cultural identity. With a pitch-perfect cast of multigenerational talent (which includes Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-Chan, Joan Chen, and Youn Yuh-Jung), this fresh reimagining of Ang Lee’s beloved, award-winning rom-com is a poignant reminder that being part of a family means learning to both accept and forgive. Join us for a conversation with Andrew Ahn about his latest film and his career, moderated by The Korea Society's Jay Oh (Senior Director of Arts & Culture).
The Verdict on Korea’s Presidential Impeachment Case
Friday, April 4, 2025 | 8:00 AM (EDT) | Livestream only
Join us for this rapid reaction program held soon after the ruling of South Korea’s Constitutional Court on the impeachment trial of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol. How will the outcome of the case affect Korea’s democracy and society, U.S.-Korea relations, inter-Korean relations, and Korea’s regional relations with countries such as Japan, China, and Russia? Here to discuss with us are Ambassador (Ret.) Philip Goldberg, former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, and Michelle Ye Hee Lee, Tokyo bureau chief for The Washington Post, covering Japan and the Koreas. Korea Society President and CEO Thomas Byrne will provide introductory remarks.
The discussion is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado and policy program officer Chelsie Alexandre. This program is made possible by the generous support the Korea Foundation.
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | 4:00 PM (EDT) | Livestream only
Join us for a discussion about a modern application of the theories from Gregory Henderson’s 1968 seminal text Korea: The Politics of the Vortex, with Edward J. Baker, advisor to the Harvard University Korea Institute, and Dr. Ingu Hwang, Associate Professor at Boston College. The discussion will also address Dr. Hwang’s book, Human Rights and Transnational Democracy in South Korea (2022), which examines the role of South Korean pro-democracy actors in (re)shaping the global history of human rights activism and politics in the 1970s.
The moderator for this program is The Korea Society's President & CEO Tom Byrne. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Kim Koo Foundation.
Sarah Ahn’s viral food videos featuring her mother Nam Soon Ahn have captivated millions of viewers with their behind-the-scenes look at Korean cooking and multigenerational home life. Their latest collaboration is a must-have cookbook: Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes. The recipes are framed by mother-daughter conversations that are funny, profound, and universally relatable—plus all the food is backed by the recipe-testing power of America’s Test Kitchen.
This conversation will be moderated by Eric Kim, New York Times staff writer and essayist.
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 | 4:00 PM (EDT) | Livestream only
Join us for a conversation on acting and activism with actress and North Korean human rights activist Minnie Mills. Exploring the origin and development of her professional acting career, Minnie discusses roles on “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” “Obliterated,” and future projects. She also describes her passion for supporting North Korean refugees through volunteering for Liberty in North Korea (LiNK). An introduction is provided by Dr. Victor Cha, Professor at Georgetown University and President of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department at CSIS. The moderator for this program is The Korea Society's Policy Program Officer Chelsie Alexandre. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Kim Koo Foundation.
The Korea Society and Y. T. Hwang Family Foundation is proud to present Ilyon Woo, New York Times best-selling author of Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom, which won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Biography.
This discussion is moderated by Ed Park, author of Same Bed Different Dreams (2023)and Personal Days (2008). This program is made possible by the generous support of the Y.T. Hwang Family Foundation.
Join us for a conversation with Ankit Panda, Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, on his newly published book: The New Nuclear Age: At the Precipice of Armageddon. This book describes how “nuclear weapons are returning to the fore of international statecraft.” The book includes a passage on North Korea’s rapidly advancing nuclear program and the debate over South Korea acquiring an indigenous deterrent.
The moderator for this program is The Korea Society's Policy Director Jonathan Corrado. This program is produced in collaboration with Temple University Japan and made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation.
GALLERY EXHIBITION
2025 SPRING EXHIBITION
CHO IN HO | IN THE MANNER OF MAGNIFICENCE
Exhibition Dates: January 23 - April 18
Rooted in tradition yet also contemporary, Artist Cho In Ho reimagines Korean landscapes through muk (black ink), transforming familiar locations into expansive expressions of space and time. His exhibition, In the Manner of Magnificence, is on view at The Korea Society.
The Korea Society Gallery is available by appointment only. Please contact info@koreasociety.org at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled visit.
Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00am - 4:30pm
KOREAN LANGUAGE PROGRAM
SPRING TERM
The deadline to register for our Korean Language Program's Spring Term is on April 4th, 2025.
For all terms, as part of our membership program, we're pleased to offer a 10% discount on language classes to all members of The Korea Society (at the Individual Level or higher). Returning students from the previous term also receive a 10% discount for the term. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your skills!
Our 2025 Spring Term runs from April 7 through June 16. Click the link below for more information, and happy learning to all our registered students!
The Policy Team's 2025 spring semester of the Kim Koo Professional Series features the following programs: Charting Future Pathways for U.S.-Korea-Japan Trilateral Relations, Korea's Politics of the Vortex: 2025, and Acting and Activism with Celine "Minnie" Mills.
Unlocking Korea's Tech Potential – Strengthening U.S. Investment and Innovation
On April 1st, we held a discussion about recent developments surrounding Korea's recently proposed online platform regulations. This program gathered a panel of experts, including Scott Jacobs (Coupang), Ji Hyun Lee(AWS), and Lilla Nora Kiss, Ph.D(ITIF), to share their insights on critical matters such as US-Korea investment relations and policy incentives that could strengthen Korea’s status as a premier destination for U.S. investment.
This program is co-hosted by KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency) and moderated by Tami Overby (DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group).
Scaling SaaS: The Art of Storytelling & Investor Strategy
On March 5th, we were joined by John Sung Kim, a serial SaaS founder of Five9 (NASDAQ: FIVN), DoctorBase, and Jetbridge. He shared his expertise on launching SaaS startups, emphasizing how compelling storytelling can drive investor engagement, team-building and business growth. Check out the video release to learn firsthand from John's entrepreneurial journey and discover the strategies that turn great ideas into thriving companies.
On March 6th, we met with Korean-American women running their own successful food and hospitality business and contributing their perspective and approaches to proactively change the industry. This panel features 4 business owners: Hannah Bae of Noona's Ice Cream, Julia Choi-Rodriguez of Vesta Chocolate, Alice Jun of Hana Makgeolli, Jee Kim of 8282. Also joining is hospitality lawyer Vivian Chen, who represents many businesses and brands throughout New York City.
The moderator for this conversation is chef, artist, teacher and writer Caroline Choe.
The Korea Society hosted a discussion on March 17th about the latest developments in Korea, including domestic politics north and south of the 38th parallel, inter-Korean relations, US-North Korea developments, Russia’s role, and more, featuring team members from NK News, including Chad O'Carroll, Chief Executive Officer of Korea Risk Group, Jeongmin Kim, Lead Correspondent at NK News and Editorial Director at Korea Pro, Colin Zwirko, Senior Analytic Correspondent for NK News, and Shreyas Reddy, Lead Correspondent at NK News.
This program is moderated by The Korea Society's Policy Director Jonathan Corrado.
The Flow of Ink and Color: A Journey of Korean Ink Painting by Sunglim Kim
Professor Sunglim Kim is an associate professor of Korean art and culture at Dartmouth College. She specializes in the material and consumer culture of the late Joseon period and women artists in modern and contemporary Korea. On March 18th, Sunglim Kim explored the history of ink painting in Korea, and examined its origin and development, both in the past and the present.
This conversation is moderated by Jay Oh, Senior Director of Arts & Culture at The Korea Society.
Charting Future Pathways for U.S.-Korea-Japan Trilateral Relations
On March 26th, we held a discussion on the current status and future pathways for U.S.-Korea-Japan trilateral relations, with Dr. Joshua Walker, President and CEO of Japan Society, and Emma Chanlett-Avery, Deputy Director of the Asia Society Policy Institute's Washington DC office and the Director for Political-Security Affairs.
The moderator for this program is Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Kim Koo Foundation.
YOUTUBE SHORTS
Check out our past programs on The Korea Society's YouTube Channel. Subscribe today!
Thanks to our Media Program Associate Bradley Sheen, you can now see the best clips from our guest speakers on Youtube Shorts. Click on the most recent highlights shown here, or visit the page below for our full collection of shorts.
A nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization with individual and corporate members that is dedicated solely to the promotion of greater awareness, understanding, and cooperation between the people of the United States and Korea.
This monthly newsletter is designed to keep our community of members informed about our latest achievements, upcoming programs, and other exciting updates.
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