The Korea Society

March 4, 2024 - Snowglobe by Soyoung Park, the first book in a powerful young adult dystopian duology, is a groundbreaking exploration of personal identity, and the future of the world as we know it. The winner of the Changbi X Kakaopage Young Adult Novel Award, the novel has been translated into English by Joungmin Lee Comfort, introducing a new readership to this cutting-edge commentary on climate change, socioeconomic inequality, and personal identity.

Set in a frozen world, only the residents of Snowglobe have it all: fame, fortune, and, above all, safety from the bitter cold. Outside the domed city, citizens must face the –50-degree Fahrenheit temperatures to produce the energy that Snowglobe needs to run. Their only solace comes in the form of television programming developed from the 24/7 filming of those who live in Snowglobe. When Snowglobe's biggest star and newly-minted weather announcer, Haeri, is found dead, look-alike Chobahm must take her place, getting the opportunity of a lifetime to join the residents inside. But she soon discovers that the society she's idolized is hiding a frozen and dangerous heart.

Snowglobe is a powerful and layered thrill ride containing a myriad of plot twists and a shocking ending that will keep readers eagerly awaiting its sequel.

Join us for a conversation with the author and translator, moderated by Kat Cho, as they discuss the English publication of Snowglobe.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1782-snowglobe-with-soyoung-park-and-joungmin-lee-comfort

February 28, 2024 - Navigating the uncertainties of quitting an established career to venture into entrepreneurship is a common challenge for many aspiring startup founders. The question of when to take that leap adds another layer of complexity to the journey. To shed light on these dilemmas, we invite you to join our conversation with Curtis Lee, a seasoned startup founder, currently serving as the VP of Global Payments and Cash at Microsoft.

Curtis embarked on his entrepreneurial path by founding Luxe, a premium valet and auto-concierge system, in 2013. After Luxe's successful acquisition to Volvo Group, Curtis returned to the entrepreneurial arena with the launch of Pinwheel, a fintech specializing in payroll API, in 2021. During this discussion, Curtis will share the intricacies of how he charted his entrepreneurial path, strategically navigating tech giants, startups, and investment firms, to fulfill his aspirations. Additionally, Curtis will impart how his firsthand founding experience has transformed him into a more emphatic investor, particularly for early-stage startups in their foundational phases.

Moderated by CeFaan Kim, correspondent for ABC News.

This program is supported by Hanwha Life

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1781-charting-entrepreneurial-paths-curtis-lee-from-luxe-to-pinwheel-and-beyond

February 22, 2024 - Join us for a discussion on deterrence and North Korea with Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins, United States Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. Together in conversation with US Air Force Reserve Major Jessica Taylor and Korea Society Policy Director Jonathan Corrado, Ambassador Jenkins will discuss the US-ROK Alliance and the growing threats posed by Pyongyang's evolving nuclear, missile, and space capabilities as well as its proliferation and procurement activities, including its growing ties and trade with Russia.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1770-deterring-north-korea-a-conversation-with-ambassador-bonnie-jenkins

January 31, 2024 - Recent events have heightened military tensions on the Korean Peninsula—North Korea's successful launch of a military satellite resulting in Seoul's decision to partially suspend the inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement (CMA), and followed by Pyongyang's deployment of additional forces near its border with South Korea—increasing the chances of conflict on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea's advancements in its nuclear weapons and missile programs, coupled with the diminishing enforcement of sanctions and renewed support from Russia, have sparked debates among the South Korean public and security experts about the possibility of Seoul pursuing an indigenous nuclear deterrent. Join us for a program co-hosted by The Korea Society and the National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP) on the future of Korean Peninsula security and suggestions for de-escalation and preventive diplomacy, featuring Professor Moon Chung-In, James Laney Professor at Yonsei University and Vice Chair for the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament. Following Professor Moon's initial remarks, he will be joined by NCAFP director for Asia Susan A. Thornton and Director of the new Indo-Pacific Security Initiative of the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Markus Garlauskas for a conversation moderated by Korea Society president & CEO Tom Byrne.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1764-rumbles-of-thunder-and-endangered-peace-on-the-korean-peninsula

January 30, 2024 - The author and translator of Cursed Bunny, a National Book Award and International Booker Prize Finalist, are back with a new collection of short stories.

A rising star of Korean literature, Bora Chung burst onto the American literary scene last year with the publication of her astounding debut, Cursed Bunny: Stories, translated by Anton Hur. Met with universal praise, these surreal, chilling fables that take on patriarchy, capitalism, and the reign of big tech were a National Book Award Finalist for Translated Literature and shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. Chung and Hur returns with her striking sophomore collection, Your Utopia: Stories.

Filled with Chung's inimitable blend of horror, absurdity, and dark humor, and set in near and distant futures that reflect our deepest fears and desires, the stories in Your Utopia take place in different, off-kilter yet sometimes uncannily familiar settings. With Your Utopia, Chung hopes to provide readers with "a collection of stories that explore the limits of humanity to re-discover what it means to be human. Like all other works of science and speculative fiction, Your Utopia is ultimately about human beings: who we are and what we will be as the Anthropocene era reaches its peak and eventual demise."

In this episode of Author Talks, Bora Chung is joined by Anton Hur to discuss her latest English publication.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1774-author-talks-bora-chung-anton-hur

January 24, 2024 - Join us for our inaugural program of Startup Scene: Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow, featuring Saeju Jeong, the Co-Founder and former CEO, and now serving as Executive Chair of Noom. Noom, established in 2008 with Saeju's friend, Artem Pekatov, introduced a pioneering weight loss app in 2017, integrating behavioral psychology with an empathetic human approach. Since then, Noom has disrupted the weight loss industry, achieving a valuation of $3.7 billion, and benefited over 50 million people with their health and diet.

Saeju's unwavering, mission-driven leadership has been behind the remarkable success of Noom. As the visionary behind Noom, Saeju guided the company through the many strategic pivots that ultimately led to the discovery of Noom's unique business model. We invite you to explore Saeju's compelling entrepreneurial journey, marked with soulful tenacity toward a healthier-choice platform for consumers. This conversation took place on January 24 at 6:00 pm at the premise of The Korea Society.

This program is supported by Hanwha Life.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1751-saeju-jeong-an-unwavering-visionary-behind-noom

January 10, 2024 - With the ever-growing need to understand ourselves and humanity as a whole, it is necessary to examine the concepts of morality, ethics and universal values as guiding principles of the human condition. With generous support from Y.T. Hwang Family Foundation, The Korea Society is launching a new lecture and conversation series titled Series on Ethics and Common Values.

This series promotes the understanding of central themes of our human existence - morality, ethics, personal responsibility, compassion and civility - through a series of lectures by distinguished speakers and conversation with extraordinary individuals who exemplify the universal values in line with the mission of Y. T. Hwang Family Foundation and The Korea Society.

The Korea Society and Y. T. Hwang Family Foundation is proud to present Dr. Jim Yong Kim, who will deliver the inaugural lecture of the new series.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1767-y-t-hwang-family-foundation-series-on-ethics-common-values-inaugural-lecture-by-dr-jim-yong-kim

January 9, 2024 - Join us for a book talk with the Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow for Korea Studies and Director of the Program on U.S.-Korea Policy Scott Snyder. This new work provides an authoritative overview of the internal and external pressures on the U.S.–South Korea alliance and explores its future prospects. He argues that exclusive-nationalist leaders' accession to power and domestic political polarization in the United States and South Korea could put past successes at risk and endanger the national security objectives of both countries. In the United States, "America First" nationalism favors self-interest over cooperation and portrays allies as burdens or even free riders. "Korea first" sentiments, in both progressive and conservative forms, present the U.S. military presence in South Korea as an obstacle to inter-Korean reconciliation or a shackle on South Korea's freedom of action. Snyder also examines North Korea's attempts to influence South Korean domestic politics and how China's growing strength has affected the dynamics of the alliance. He considers scenarios in which the U.S.-South Korea relationship weakens or crumbles, emphasizing the consequences for the region and the world. Drawing on this analysis, Snyder offers timely recommendations for stakeholders in both countries on how to preserve and strengthen the alliance. The conversation is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado.

This program is produced in partnership between The Korea Society and The Council on Foreign Relations.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1759-the-u-s-south-korea-alliance-why-it-may-fail-and-why-it-must-not

Recorded January 4, 2024

Join us for a screening of the documentary film BEYOND UTOPIA, winner of the Audience Award for US Documentary Features at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. BEYOND UTOPIA is a suspenseful look at the lengths people will go to gain freedom. It follows various individuals as they attempt to flee North Korea, one of the most oppressive places on earth. At the film's core are a mother desperate to reunite with the child she was forced to leave behind; a family of five - including small children and an elderly grandmother - embarking on a treacherous journey across the Yalu River and into the hostine mountains of China; and a man of God on a mission to help these desperate souls. Gripping, visceral, and urgent, Madeleine Gavin's film embers the viewers with these family members as they attempt their perilous escape, palpably conveying life-or-death stakes. After the film, stay for a Q&A with Producers Sue Mi Terry and Rachel Cohen as well as human rights advocate and North Korean defector Seohyun Lee, moderated by policy program officer Chelsie Alexandre.

For more information, please visit the links below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1758-beyond-utopia-screening-and-q-a-with-executive-producer-sue-mi-terry Beyond Utopia trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D-WVu35oPM

December 14, 2023 - How does the US public view America's place in the world? How strong are the bonds between the US and Korea? Conversely, how does the Korean public view the United States as a partner and an ally? How are these views changing and what are the implications for global geopolitics, the US-Korea Alliance, and peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula? The expert panel includes: Troy Stangarone, Senior Director and Fellow at the Korea Economic Institute (KEI) and an author of KEI's "2023 Report on American Attitudes Toward the Korean Peninsula," Dina Smeltz, Senior Fellow, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and author of the survey report, "Americans Continue to See Benefits from US Alliances," and Dr. Woo Chang Kang, associate professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at Korea University, who will explore the implications for Korea of these recent surveys, as well as the equivalent surveys in Korea. The conversation is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1747-is-sentiment-shifting-on-foreign-policy-alliances-and-the-us-korea-relationship