The Korea Society

Latest Episodes:

Hand Taste: Cook Like a Korean Grandmother with Esther Choi Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

October 27, 2026 - We all know cooks whose fingertips seem to infuse every meal with deliciousness. In Korean, that magic touch is called sohn-mat, or "hand taste"―but you don't have to be born with it. Esther Choi picked hers up from her halmoni, or grandmother, who used her hands for everything from smearing cabbage with pepper paste to make kimchi to crumbling tofu for mandu (dumpling) filling and tossing vibrantly flavored noodles for japchae. Hand taste starts with seasoning but ultimately describes a way of cooking rooted in heritage, intuition, and heart. In her hotly anticipated debut cookbook Hand Taste: Cook Like a Korean Grandmother Choi offers delicious entry points to Korean and Korean-American cuisine, with foundational techniques alongside quick weeknight recipes and show-stopping traditional spreads. In her conversation with Eric Kim, Esther Choi will discuss her career and her debut cookbook. Order your copy of Hand Taste: Cook Like a Korean Grandmother here.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/cuisine/hand-taste/

ENVY: Why Wanting What They Have is the Key to Getting What You Want Oct 23, 2026

Show notes

October 22, 2026 - "What Stacy Kim understands, and what took me too long to appreciate myself, is that our darkest emotions often shed the most light. ENVY makes a rigorous, wise, and compassionate case that the feeling high achievers are most ashamed to admit may offer one of the clearest signals of what they truly want."

— Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE POWER OF REGRET and DRIVE

We all want things that other people have. It's natural, yet we are ashamed of how it makes us feel—a mix of inferiority, ill will, and injustice. In the West, we're told "Comparison is the thief of joy," and taught to avoid this "deadly sin." Meanwhile, in Korea, people publicly make social comparisons and express their envy. Drawing on how Koreans used their envy of Japan to transform a war-torn country into a pop-culture powerhouse, Dr. Stacy S. Kim teaches us that when we examine our envy, we can learn what we want, whom to emulate, and how to get it. ENVY: WHY WANTING WHAT THEY HAVE IS THE KEY TO GETTING WHAT YOU WANT is for those of us who do everything we can to build our best life yet still find ourselves feeling behind or unfulfilled. Thanks to social media and smartphones, we can experience this negative emotion at any hour, anywhere, and the feeling remains largely buried and unspoken. But through stories, interviews, and research, Dr. Kim provides concrete strategies on how to convert unexamined reckless use of envy into a guiding force and powerful motivator.

In a conversation with Hyeseung Song, Dr. Kim discusses her new book and research.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/literature/envy-why-wanting-what-they-have-is-the-key-to-getting-what-you-want/

Author Talks: Lee Seong-bok & Anton Hur Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

October 20, 2026 - Mountains, rivers, trees, flowers, the dark, a cat, a train. In the elemental forms and figures of our world, Lee Seong-bok finds repositories for thought, sounding boards against which he can test his reflections. Again and again, in sequences, he probes his subjects—five "Mountain Path" poems, three "River" poems, three commentaries on the I Ching— not to solicit answers, like Moses impatiently striking the rock for water, but to savor the muted tones that echo in response.

That Summer's End is a collection of one hundred and six poems of self-reflection and exquisite beauty—an intoxicating blend of Seon Buddhism and French Symbolism from one of South Korea's most celebrated and influential poets. The poems of That Summer's End, though acutely conscious of the self, are free of an inhibiting self-consciousness, speaking directly of youth, love, fear, family, grief, old age, impermanence, and all that's central to life. As enticing as they are profound, Lee Seong-bok's poems have made him not only a poet's poet but a favorite of RM, leader of K-pop superstars BTS, whose support of his work on social media has brought him international attention.

In a conversation with Stine An, Lee Seong-bok and his translator Anton Hur will discuss his poetry and career.

Pre-order your copy of That Summer's End here.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/literature/author-talkslee-seong-bok-anton-hur/

On the Ground in North Korea: Aid and Engagement in the DPRK Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

October 6, 2026 - Delve into the frontlines of humanitarian aid in North Korea. Join us for a special discussion with seasoned experts Kathi Zellweger, Mike Chinoy, and Jerome Sauvage as they share first-hand insights from years of experience on the ground inside North Korea. In Miss Kathi: Saving Lives in North Korea, Swiss aid worker Kathi Zellweger collaborates with veteran journalist and author Mike Chinoy to chronicle her nearly three decades in North Korea. Dubbed the "Mother Teresa of North Korea" by local officials, Zellweger navigated state suspicion and international skepticism to deliver life-saving relief to thousands of vulnerable North Koreans, focusing especially on children. The book is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. In Witness to North Korea: Three Years on the Ground in the DPRK, former UN Resident Coordinator Jerome Sauvage offers a rare insider account of daily life and operational realities inside Pyongyang. Drawing on his tenure leading international aid operations, Sauvage reflects on the successes and challenges of delivering humanitarian assistance and offers strategic guidance for future engagement. The book is available for purchase here, with a 20% discount using the code: WITNESS20. The discussion is moderated by Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our individual and corporate members.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/geopolitical-affairs/on-the-ground-in-north-korea/

Rapid Reaction: An Olive Branch for North Korea? Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

September 1, 2026 - Join The Korea Society for a rapid reaction discussion exploring recent shifts in Korean Peninsula security and diplomacy. Featuring Ambassador (ret.) Joseph Yun, this program will examine President Donald Trump's decision to modify joint military exercises with South Korea and his revelation of ongoing communication with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The program is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado. The session will draw lessons from past negotiation cycles, assess how the geopolitical climate has evolved since Trump and Kim last met, dissect the implications of North Korea's new "hostile states" policy, examine South Korea's shifting role as a diplomatic pacemaker, and explore how the surrounding geopolitical situation—such as the expanding Russia-North Korea alliance and The Iran War—is reshaping dynamics in Northeast Asia. Ambassador Yun will also share insights from his multi-decade career managing Korean Peninsula relations. This program is made possible by the generous support of our individual and corporate members and the Korea Foundation.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/geopolitical-affairs/rapid-reaction-an-olive-branch-for-north-korea/

Critical Comparison: Sanctions on North Korea vs. Iran Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

June 17, 2026 - Join us for a conversation with Dr. Jonathan Brewer, Visiting Professor at King's College, London, on the differences, similarities, and trajectories of international sanctions on North Korea and Iran. In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Dr. Brewer discusses evolving UN Security Council sanctions, their utility within larger diplomatic frameworks, their implementation and circumvention, and North Korea and Iran's proliferation and financing strategies for their sanctioned programs. Dr. Brewer was Acting Coordinator of the UN Panel of Experts on North Korea and financial expert of the UN Panel on Iran. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our individual and corporate members.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2160-critical-comparison-sanctions-on-north-korea-vs-iran

New Thinking on Korea's Aging, Shrinking Society with Professor Youngtae Cho Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

June 10, 2026 - Join us for a virtual program exploring new thinking on Korea's aging, shrinking society with Dr. Youngtae Cho, Director of the Population Policy Research Center and professor of demography at the School of Public Health at Seoul National University (SNU). Although South Korea's total fertility rate rebounded slightly to reach 0.8 babies per woman, it remains the lowest in the world and well below the replacement rate of 2.1 needed to maintain the population level. Consequently, Korea's population structure is experiencing a whipsaw demographic shift; by 2050, the working age population is projected to halve, with over 40 percent of the population over 65 years old. This transition will usher in profound social and economic challenges that will require ingenuity and accommodation to address. Professor Cho is one of South Korea's most prominent demographers. His research interests include Korea's low fertility, its fundamental causes and policy reactions, Vietnam's new population policy, business demography, and population profiling. He is best known for his "Population as a Determined Future" thesis, which argues that while demographic shifts are predictable and inevitable, society can mitigate their impact through strategic adaptation. The discussion is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our individual and corporate members.

For the video version of this program including slides, please visit the link below: https://www.youtube.com/live/rQuiuDtkV-c

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2148-aging-society

The Promised Republic: Developmental Society and The Making of Modern Seoul, 1961-1971 May 15, 2026

Show notes

May 14, 2026 - Join us for a discussion with Dr. Russell Burge, author of "The Promised Republic: Developmental Society and the Making of Modern Seoul." In conversation with policy program officer Chelsie Alexandre, Burge delves into the hidden histories of South Korea's rapid urban transformation during South Korea's developmental period under Park Chung Hee. Drawing from a rich archive of memoirs, interviews, photographs, and more, Burge challenges the traditional "miracle on the Han River" narrative by centering the rural migrants who built and inhabited Seoul's shantytowns. He provides a critical lens through which to view the high price of progress and the enduring struggle for a truly inclusive republic. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Kim Koo Foundation.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2150-promised-republic

Assessing North Korea's Developing Nuclear Program May 09, 2026

Show notes

May 7, 2026 - Join us for a discussion with Sarah Laderman, Senior Analyst for Open Nuclear Network, a PAX sapiens programme, on the rollout of a recent series of reports examining North Korea's nuclear program. In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Laderman discusses a myriad of findings on North Korea's nuclear fuel cycle and weaponisation capabilities, including the research project's development of innovative methodologies to assess an otherwise opaque program. The discussion reviews the high-level findings and unpacks implications for verification, monitoring, and diplomacy. More information on the project findings can be found here. This Global Affairs Canada funded research project was led by VERTIC, in partnership with CNS and RUSI, assisted by Open Nuclear Network. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and The Korea Society's individual and corporate members.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2153-north-korea-nuclear

Privileged but Powerless: How North Korean Elite Grievances Reveal the Regime's Greatest Weakness May 08, 2026

Show notes

May 7, 2026 - Join us for a discussion with Dr. Jieun Baek, author of "Privileged but Powerless: How North Korean Elite Grievances Reveal the Regime's Greatest Weakness." In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Baek reveals a world of forbidden information, simmering resentment, and survival-driven masks, based on hundreds of hours of interviews with high-level escapees. Baek argues that this performative loyalty, born of fear and a desire to survive, obscures a critical vulnerability within the regime's core. In other words: the officials who seem most invested in preserving North Korea's status quo may become its most dangerous disruptors, not for ideological reasons but because of simmering resentment and vanishing alternatives. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Kim Koo Foundation.

The book is available for purchase here

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2146-privileged-powerless

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