The Korea Society

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/

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/

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/

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/

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