Gateway Korea Foundation

If you're in the KCMO area then celebrate this Saturday, May 8th from 5-6pm as the City of KCMO officially declares May as AAPI Heritage Month! Although the official designation of May as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month has been law in the United States since 1992, to have it be officially recognized in KC for the AAPI community speaks volumes for the growth of our city. This recognition marks the beginning of actively amplifying AAPI voices and making sure t...he beautiful KC AAPI community full of diverse cultures feels seen, heard, and recognized. This family-friendly event meant to uplift AAPI voices and culture will also feature cultural performances by Japanese Drummers from Three Trails Taiko, and the Haka ceremonial dance performed by Pacific Islander Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as many guest speakers. Check out the event link below for more information!

Join The George Washington University Institute for Korean Studies - GWIKS for their signature conference later this month where they will be discussing Korean Kinship, Adoption, and Diaspora. The conference will focus on the complicated and sometimes contradictory experiences of Korean adoptees and Koreans in the diaspora. The conference reflects on how Koreans outside of Korea, and those who have returned to Korea from other nations, resist some forms of identity and seek t...o create new, innovative, alternative forms. The participants will also reflect on the historical roots of Korean transnational adoptions and the concept of Koreanness as a race. When: Fri, April 23, 2021 Time: 12:00 PM 3:30 PM CST Register: http://bit.ly/3ccGrRz

Minari actress Yuh-Jung Youn won Best Supporting Actress at last weekend's Sag Awards and became the first Asian to win in this category and the first Asian woman winner in any individual SAG motion picture category. Yuh-Jung Youn had this to say about how she approached her role as the unconventional grandmother, Soonja, "We were trying to tell the story of, 'What's it like when you wake up and you just are?' which is how I wake up. I don't really wake up being like, 'I...'m a Korean-American person living in a white American world.' I'm just like, 'I'm up now. What do I want to eat?' When we ignored the literal parameters, it unveiled a more truthful humanity: a story about a father, and a mother, and a family, and a son, and a grandmother, and about hardship, and about perseverance, and about faith and hope and what it takes to continue on in this difficult life." Congratulations Yuh-Jung Youn! We're wishing her good luck in the upcoming Academy Awards where she is nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Join CKA, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, Korean American Coalition - Los Angeles, and The Korea Society to discuss the current state of race relations, the rising tide of anti-Asian American hate incidents, and the importance of allyship among communities of color. What more can our communities do to collaborate across racial and ethnic boundaries to address racial tensions? How can we energize AAPI communities to work more in allyship with other communiti...es around other issues like voting rights or education equity? This conversation will explore strategic and practical ways our communities can work together to address the deep-seated racial tensions in the United States. THURSDAY, APRIL 29th 3:00 PM Pacific /5:00pm Central /6:00 PM Eastern For more information, please visit: https://zcu.io/VUsP

Please join LNYF for the youtube premiere of their 2021 Lunar New Year Performance tonight at 7pm CST. The Lunar New Year Festival (LNYF) is an annual event at Washington University celebrating the Lunar New Year and promoting awareness of different aspects of Asian culture. It is a completely student-run production that promotes interaction and unity among the various Asian communities. It enables our communities to explore Asian heritage from a traditional as well as a m...odern perspective through a great variety of exciting performances of acting, dancing, and music. People of all backgrounds can enjoy and celebrate the New Year together. For more information: https://fb.me/e/2h4RxAdpc LNYF Youtube Channel: https://bit.ly/3tYkewl The virtual show is free this year, but they'd appreciate any and all donations to their partner philanthropy, Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition! Head over to their website http://lnyf.wustl.edu/ to donate!

Join Cornell East Asia Program on Monday April 26th for Feminist Futures and Ecological Sense in South Korea. In this webinar, Kimberly Chung will examine the interrelationship of feminism, ecological sense, and art practice in the context of contemporary South Korea. Since 2018, the Me Too movement has brought systemic gendered discrimination in all areas of South Korean political, cultural, and social life into focus, with books, like Kim Ji-Young, Born 1982, becoming a cu...ltural touchstone for a generation of women who came into adulthood at the turn of the 21st century. While most discussions about South Korean feminism have had an anthropocentric focus, this discussion focuses on the productive and often fraught relationship between feminism and ecological movements in South Korea, best exemplified by writers, artists, and art collectives who interrogate capitalist patriarchalism and patriarchal urban planning through employment of ecological sense. Monday, April 26th 3:30 PM CDT Register Link: cornell.zoom.us https://www.facebook.com/events/519367349234617/

One of GKF's Founding Members and former Board Member, Han Ko, has been working hard to try and help Asian American members of Missouri to be able to register for the Covid-19 vaccine. Much of Missouri's vaccine information and registration portals are not available in languages that members of the Asian American community speak making it hard for them, especially elderly members, to find information and register for the vaccine. Seeing the need for vaccine information to b...e translated Ko and other members of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce are doing the same in Chinese, Hindi, Telugu, Nepali, and other languages on various social media platforms and group chats. We’re trying to support Asian communities as a whole, Ko said. We’re trying to kind of join forces to share resources and also information, and then also support each other. For Caroline Fan, founder, and president of the Missouri Asian American Youth Foundation, having to recruit volunteers to translate vaccine information reveals disparities in the local public health system, where Asians in the region are often overlooked. https://bit.ly/3spfn7m

Join Korean Cultural Center Brussels for their 'Seoul, the soul of Asia' webinar series. Tuesday, April 27th We as Self: "Ouri" in Korean This lecture concerns the Philosophical Question. A philosopher, Hye Young Kim, who was born and raised in Korea and studied philosophy in Europe, raises the question: Is Korean philosophy possible? As in many European countries, Korea also has a long history of philosophical tradition. Is there a philosophy in Korea that can be disting...uished from that of other regions or countries? To answer this question, Hye Young Kim pays special attention to the Korean language, which, like any language, is a tool of thought. In everyday Korean, the use of the collective subject we is more significant than that of the subject I. This is a question that concerns not only the way of thinking of Koreans but also brings up a universal philosophical question. How do we understand and accept the we? This philosophy lecture will guide us to the world of thought beyond my space in this time of confinement and pandemic. Tuesday, April 27th 18:00 (Belgian time) > 11am CDT Registration form: https://forms.gle/KK8veBHTLKLiAR9f8 https://www.facebook.com/events/490911841940917/

More than two dozen elected officials and civic leaders, including our own Board Member Liz Lenivy, gathered in City Hall to mourn the mass shooting in Atlanta that killed eight people, six of them women of Asian descent. After 27 years growing up in the U.S., Liz Lenivy said she felt fear for her family’s safety. Up until last year I have never truly felt unsafe living in the United States, Four of the women killed in the Atlanta area were of Korean descent women who f...it the same description as my mother, who, for the first time in the 27 years we have lived here, told me she feels afraid to leave her house. Thank you Liz for speaking out and adding your voice to this incredibly important conversation. https://bit.ly/2QBJZEw

Did you miss last night's webinar about the Peace Corps in South Korea? Don't worry! You can watch the replay of yesterday's webinar right here (webinar begins around 18:19): https://bit.ly/3uTKpow We truly appreciate your interest in our April webinar! A huge thank you to our special guests Kathianne Crane and Richard Stevenson who gave a great presentation! Mark your calendars for next month's webinar on MAY 20TH about the beginning of Korean immigration to the United States in the early 1900s.

Last night's webinar with Sang Kim and Amanda Carr of The University of Missouri Asian Affairs Center was extremely informative as they walked us through the differences in cultural communication styles between America and East Asian countries. It's a truly beneficial webinar to watch for all people interested in traveling or doing business abroad. If you missed it, don't worry! You can watch the replay of yesterday's webinar right here (webinar begins around 37:54): http...://bit.ly/3dxNSUi We truly appreciate your interest in yesterday's webinar! A huge thank you to our special guests and our moderator Tom Ray who gave a great presentation! Mark your calendars for next month's webinar on MARCH 18th about Korean modern history. http://bit.ly/3dxNSUi

Join MU Institute for Korean Studies for their next IKS Invited Speaker Series with Professor Erin Aeran Chung of the Department of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University this Friday! Prof. Chung will be giving a book talk based on her newest book from Cambridge University Press: Immigrant Incorporation in East Asian Democracies. Friday, February 19th at 2-3pm CST... Register for the Zoom Link: http://bit.ly/3oVkVUA More information: http://bit.ly/3oVkVUA See more

Do you have an interest in international business? Have you ever wanted to learn more about business communication in East Asia? To learn more, join us THIS THURSDAY for our February Webinar where we're talking all about cross-cultural communication in business with East Asia featuring our expert guests:... Featuring Sang Kim, Director of the MU Asian Affairs Center, Missouri International Training Institute, and as director of the MU Confucius Institute. Featuring Amanda Carr, The Head of Curriculum and Program Development, Asian Affairs Center at the University of Missouri. Moderated by Tom Ray, Former GKF Board Member and First Vice President at CBRE Group. Make sure to register to receive the webinar link! Make sure to register to receive the webinar link! https://www.gateway-korea.org/webinar Eventbrite: http://bit.ly/2YnmCio Join us for this conversation with live Q&A on THURSDAY, FEB. 18TH FROM 7PM-8PM CST Register now: http://bit.ly/2YnmCio GKF Webinars are presented by Gateway Korea Foundation in partnership with the University of Missouri Asian Affairs Center and The Institute of Korean Studies, University of Missouri-Columbia.

It's Lunar New Year today!!! Happy (Seollal) everyone! 2021 is the year of the Ox. The year of the ox is considered a year that brings strength and stability something we could all really use right now. The ox denotes the hard work, positivity, and honesty that will be manifested in all of us in the coming 12 months. On Lunar New Year you greet people by saying: !... (Say-hey Bok Mah-ni Ba-du-say-yo) May the new year bring you luck! and ! (Soul-nal jal bo-nay-say-yo) Have a good Seollal! (new year) All of us here at GKF wish you a wonderful new year of the Ox with continued health and safety. We also hope all of you get to enjoy a delicious bowl of Tteok-guk (Rice cake soup) for the new year!

The film industry is all abuzz about A24's Minari which has been named American Film Institute's top 10 films of the year and is predicted to be nominated for Best Picture at the upcoming Oscars. Minari tells the story of what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the ins...tability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home. "One of the best movies of the year. Thoughtfully directed, vividly written, and beautifully acted, it's a hopeful film, universally appealing despite - or perhaps because of - just how very Korean American it is." Slate, Karen Han Minari will be released in limited theatres on February 12 and we're hoping for a wider release or digital release to come. We're certainly rooting for Minari and its success in this year's awards season! #A24 #Minari #minarimovie https://bit.ly/3j8ACpR

Lunar New Year is this month and GKF is celebrating with a free music premiere featuring The Eine Ensemble on our youtube channel! Due to the ongoing global pandemic, many familiesboth in Korea and abroadmay be unable to enjoy the holiday together this year. So, the Eine Ensemble has prepared a special Lunar New Year performance, titled Unity: The Beauty of Motion and Emotion, in hopes that families might be united through music, emotions, and motion. This special pro...gram will include the world premiere of Wha (Unity), rondo for flute, ajaeng, percussion, and piano. Inspired by the work of world-renowned sculptor Moon Shin, this song was composed based on the Semanchi rhythm, which combines Eastern and Western music styles and instruments while harmonizing various tones. This piece aims to express through music the concepts of change, balance, and unification in the form of the fundamental principle of symmetry, which Moon Shin also explored through his artwork. Find out more on the Facebook Event Page here: http://bit.ly/3rcfqlU Or our Eventbrite: http://bit.ly/3rdqLlu

Did you join us this past Sunday for Passport to Korea at the STL Art Museum? We had such a GREAT turn out this year and are so happy so many of you were able to come celebrate Chuseok and learn about Korean culture with us. A special thank you again to our lovely volunteers from SLU Korean Student Association - KSA and Saint Louis Art Museum and the awesome performances from Pyro of Park's Yong In Martial Arts A big to all of you! We already can't wait for next year'...s Chuseok events! #gkfstl #gatewaykoreastl #chuseokstl2018 #passporttokorea

Gateway Korea Foundation presents our last webinar of 2020! WRITING EMPATHY: A CONVERSATION WITH AUTHOR CHO HAEJIN AND TRANSLATOR JI-EUN LEE Part of our monthly educational web series. This month we're diving into Korean contemporary literature. Korean literature has received unprecedented attention from international readers and critics in recent years, and this conversation with author Cho Haejin and translator Ji-Eun Lee offers a chance to explore this vibrant literary ...field with one of its major figures. Make sure to register to receive the webinar link! https://www.gateway-korea.org/webinar Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/32HjTDp I Met Loh Kiwan ( , 2011, trans. 2019), winner of the 2013 Shin Dong-yup Prize for Literature, is a poignant novel following North Korean refugee Loh Kiwan to Brussels, Belgium, a place where he doesn't speak the language or understand the customs. His story of hardship and determination is gradually revealed in flashbacks by the narrator, Kim, a writer from South Korea who, while tracing Loh's progress from North Korea to Brussels to London, turns this journey into her own search for the meaning of life amidst tremendous loss and despair. Kim's encounters with Pak, a doctor who helps Loh and Kim on their journeys, adds further depth to these issues through gradual revelations about life and death decisions he faced with his patients and the remorse they caused. Cho Haejin weaves details of these characters into a story of hope and trust that asks basic questions about what it means to be human and humane. Featuring Author Cho Haejin: Author of the Book "I met Loh Kiwan. " Featuring Translator Ji-Eun Lee: Associate Professor in the East Asian Languages and Cultures Department at Washington University. Join us for this conversation with live Q&A on THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH FROM 7PM-8PM CDT Register now: https://bit.ly/32HjTDp GKF Webinars are presented by Gateway Korea Foundation in partnership with the University of Missouri Asian Affairs Center and The Institute of Korean Studies, University of Missouri-Columbia.

Gateway Korea Foundation presents our October Webinar: The Making Of Modern Korean & The Future Of Language In A Divided Land Part of our monthly educational web series. This month we're diving into the development of the Korean language and its future. In October, Koreans celebrate Hangul Day, a day that commemorates the proclamation of the Korean alphabet in 1444 by the benevolent King Sejong the Great. In honor of this day, October's webinar examines the evolution of wr...iting in Korea, from pre-alphabetic modes of writing to the invention of hangul and the controversy surrounding it, as well as the emergence of various vernacular forms of literature over the centuries. We then delve into the rise of language and script nationalism in the late 19th century as various Korean language reformers sought to champion the once disparaged script as a symbol of a proud, independent, and modern Korea. The webinar concludes with a consideration of the increasingly divergent North and South Korean language varieties, and the implications for possible reunification. Featuring our expert guest speaker: Dr. Daniel Pieper, Lecturer in the East Asian Languages and Literatures Department at Washington University Moderated by: Dr. Taewoong Kim, Lecturer in the East Asian Languages and Literatures Department at Washington University Join us for this conversation with live Q&A on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15TH FROM 7PM-8PM CDT Register now: https://bit.ly/2GTc6de GKF Webinars are presented by Gateway Korea Foundation in partnership with the University of Missouri Asian Affairs Center and The Institute of Korean Studies, University of Missouri-Columbia.

Today is Chuseok! A time to gather with and celebrate the fall harvest with all your loved ones! How will you be celebrating Chuseok today? We'll be eating delicious Korean food and rewatching our Chuseok Festival 2020 videos~! You can join us too and relive all the fun! You can still find information about all 3 days of our Chuseok Festival on our website and watch all the videos on youtube!... Day 1, Korean Music Performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzyB7Z_Qo-o Day 2, Crafts, Games, and Stories: https://www.youtube.com/watch Day 3, Dance, Martial Arts, and Korean Drums : K:ODE- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0XXMnKNdZQ Y.S.Rho Martial Arts- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOXGpLTDT_g WashU Samulnori Drums- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er28twFGTb0 From all of us at The Gateway Korea Foundation, we thank you for your constant support and wish you all a wonderful Chuseok Holiday! !

Some of you may recognize a familiar face from this week's Feast Magazine - Midwest article! Not only is Kimchi Guys our favorite Korean fried chicken place in STL but the President & CEO, Munsok So, is one of our amazing GKF board members! You may be familiar with him if you watched our July Webinar about Korean Jang sauces. Check the article for a delicious recipe on Spicy Pork Rib and Tofu Stew that you can make at home! Perfect food for the chilly fall weather!