- Event Gallery
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- Unfolding Koreanness Exhibition
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Join us for Unfolding Koreanness: Exploring Identity in the Age of Migration, a special group exhibition by Georgia-based guest curator Sang Dae Lee, winner of the KCCDC Open Call for Artists, exploring what it means to be Korean through the multidisciplinary practices of six featured artists. The exhibition kicked off with a public opening reception and talk on Friday, March 14, featuring curator Sang Dae Lee and featured artist Robert J. Fouser in person. In a world where migration is increasingly shaped by personal choice rather than economic or political forces, questions of identity and belonging have taken on new urgency. People are not only moving across borders but also navigating the complexities of settling into new cultural contexts, further blurring transnational boundaries. Drawing on Kurt Lewin’s Field Theory and Erik Erikson’s perspectives on identity formation, Unfolding Koreanness investigates the ongoing struggles and negotiations inherent in reconciling one’s origins with the realities of a new environment. The exhibition features six distinct artists from across the United States: Gayageum musician Hwayoung Shon, media artist Inhye Lee, documentary filmmaker Miriam Kim, linguist and photographer Robert J. Fouser, architect Sung Goo Yang, and textile artist Wonju Seo. Each offers a unique interpretation of Koreanness, reflecting on their personal and collective journeys. Key works include an installation utilizing components of the traditional Gayageum zither, textile art reinterpreting traditional Hanbok clothing and Jogakbo patchwork crafts, and a documentary film on belonging and memory. Through these six individuals’ diverse works, Unfolding Koreanness moves beyond static definitions of identity, instead fostering empathy and shared understanding within the Korean diaspora and beyond. It incorporates personal narratives, collective histories, and cross-cultural dialogues as a multidisciplinary showcase to reimagine what it means to belong in an increasingly fluid and interconnected world. This exhibition traces the many experiences of Korean immigrants abroad, exploring how memories of migration, cultural clashes, and shifting values shape their identities in a globalized world. It aims to provide deeper cultural insight not only into the expanding Korean diaspora but also into spaces infused with traces of Korean heritage. Join us to uncover and reconnect the evolving tapestry of identity that derives from migration and discover how stories of the Korean immigrant experience can inspire deeper conversations about culture, memory, and our place in a transnational society.
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- Artist Talk & Mural Creation with Julia Chon
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The Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (KCCDC) was thrilled to welcome beloved mural artist Julia Sunah Chon, better known as Kimchi Juice, for a special Artist Talk about her new KCCDC site-specific mural celebrating Korean culture, identity, and the Lunar New Year! Visitors were able to stop by and witness Chon’s creativity in action through February 28, and then joined Chon to celebrate and discuss the work’s completion on Friday, February 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the KCCDC. Chon’s new outdoor mural incorporated natural elements reflecting the KCCDC bamboo garden, traditional Korean games, and a sense of community, all in a fun and engaging visual. The gate leading to the KCCDC’s iconic bamboo stand also transformed into an entryway guarded by a Korean folk art-style tiger. As Chon transitioned her art from paper to large-scale murals, these intimate portraits took center stage in a dynamic urban environment. In her public works and individual art pieces, Chon often explored the relationship between cultural tradition and its effects on generational identity, informing the decisions Asian Americans made to form their identities. Through artwork that prominently conveyed Korean aesthetics, Chon merged her ancestry and traditions with the contemporary to narrate the nuances of the Korean diaspora. The Artist Talk on February 28 at the KCCDC navigated the story behind Chon’s design and her intentions in combining various Korean icons into a single mural composition. An RSVP was recommended to attend. Visitors also had the chance to observe the live mural creation in advance through February 28 during regular visitor hours. Julia Chon is a Korean-American artist and muralist who has been primarily active in Washington, D.C. and Denver, CO. She participated in DC Walls, the Washington extension of World Wide Walls, the largest outdoor mural festival in the United States. Her murals can be found internationally, and her work has been exhibited in solo and group shows in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New York City. Chon’s past clients and collaborative partners included NASA, Apple, the Phillips Collection, and the Smithsonian Institution, which acquired one of her works into its permanent art collection in 2022. She also completed a 2024 artist residency with the Nicholson Project. Learn more about Julia’s work at www.juliachon.com or @kimchi.juice on Instagram.
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- Roundtable on Nobel Laureate Han Kang
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On February 27, 2025, the Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. hosted an exciting roundtable that featured experts and readers exploring the works of Korean author and Nobel Prize in Literature winner Han Kang, coordinated in partnership with George Mason University Assistant Professor Hyun Seon Park. Through expert analysis and reader testimonials, the event introduced the celebrated works of the author, explored Kang’s key themes and inspirations, unpacked the impact of her career culminating in the 2024 Nobel Prize win, and offered a bird’s-eye view of Korean literature on the rise globally. Session I: Readers Roundtable Five readers selected for this portion of the program were invited to share their personal experiences reading their favorite works by Han Kang, including reviews, literary analyses, testimonials on the works’ impact, and other reflections. Session II: Experts Roundtable Three Korean literature experts led an insightful roundtable discussion on a wide range of topics related to Han Kang’s works and career. Participants also had the opportunity to join an open discussion and share their own thoughts on Han Kang’s literary legacy. Featured Experts: Hyun Seon Park, Assistant Professor of Modern and Classical Languages, George Mason University Immanuel Kim, Associate Professor of Korean Literature and Culture Studies, The George Washington University Young A Jung, Assistant Professor of Modern and Classical Languages, George Mason University
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- GongMyoung on the Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center
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The Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (KCCDC) proudly welcomed the wildly innovative Korean percussion collective GongMyoung to the nation’s capital for a series of special events, culminating in a free public performance and livestream on the Millennium Stage in partnership with the Kennedy Center on Feb. 5 at 6:00 p.m. GongMyoung, renowned for its innovative reinterpretations of time-honored Korean music, captivated audiences with a modern jam-session flair, unconventional improvised instruments, and an effortless sense of cool. Formed in 1997, the group showcased its unique ability to recreate and rearrange traditional Korean music, highlighting the versatility and diversity of Korean culture through approachable and engaging performances. Their performances featured their namesake—a distinctive bamboo instrument they created, called the GongMyoung—along with a variety of wind and percussion instruments. As an ensemble, GongMyoung transcended genres, performing across major concerts, stage musicals, plays, dance performances, and film soundtracks. On Feb. 4, in coordination with the KCCDC, GongMyoung conducted music workshops with DC public elementary school students and performed at the International Monetary Fund during its Lunar New Year celebration (both events were closed to the public).The group’s tour in DC culminated in a free public performance on the Kennedy Center’s popular Millennium Stage at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5, presented in partnership with the KCCDC.
-
- Unfolding Koreanness Exhibition
-
Join us for Unfolding Koreanness: Exploring Identity in the Age of Migration, a special group exhibition by Georgia-based guest curator Sang Dae Lee, winner of the KCCDC Open Call for Artists, exploring what it means to be Korean through the multidisciplinary practices of six featured artists. The exhibition kicked off with a public opening reception and talk on Friday, March 14, featuring curator Sang Dae Lee and featured artist Robert J. Fouser in person. In a world where migration is increasingly shaped by personal choice rather than economic or political forces, questions of identity and belonging have taken on new urgency. People are not only moving across borders but also navigating the complexities of settling into new cultural contexts, further blurring transnational boundaries. Drawing on Kurt Lewin’s Field Theory and Erik Erikson’s perspectives on identity formation, Unfolding Koreanness investigates the ongoing struggles and negotiations inherent in reconciling one’s origins with the realities of a new environment. The exhibition features six distinct artists from across the United States: Gayageum musician Hwayoung Shon, media artist Inhye Lee, documentary filmmaker Miriam Kim, linguist and photographer Robert J. Fouser, architect Sung Goo Yang, and textile artist Wonju Seo. Each offers a unique interpretation of Koreanness, reflecting on their personal and collective journeys. Key works include an installation utilizing components of the traditional Gayageum zither, textile art reinterpreting traditional Hanbok clothing and Jogakbo patchwork crafts, and a documentary film on belonging and memory. Through these six individuals’ diverse works, Unfolding Koreanness moves beyond static definitions of identity, instead fostering empathy and shared understanding within the Korean diaspora and beyond. It incorporates personal narratives, collective histories, and cross-cultural dialogues as a multidisciplinary showcase to reimagine what it means to belong in an increasingly fluid and interconnected world. This exhibition traces the many experiences of Korean immigrants abroad, exploring how memories of migration, cultural clashes, and shifting values shape their identities in a globalized world. It aims to provide deeper cultural insight not only into the expanding Korean diaspora but also into spaces infused with traces of Korean heritage. Join us to uncover and reconnect the evolving tapestry of identity that derives from migration and discover how stories of the Korean immigrant experience can inspire deeper conversations about culture, memory, and our place in a transnational society.
View Details
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- Artist Talk & Mural Creation with Julia Chon
-
The Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (KCCDC) was thrilled to welcome beloved mural artist Julia Sunah Chon, better known as Kimchi Juice, for a special Artist Talk about her new KCCDC site-specific mural celebrating Korean culture, identity, and the Lunar New Year! Visitors were able to stop by and witness Chon’s creativity in action through February 28, and then joined Chon to celebrate and discuss the work’s completion on Friday, February 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the KCCDC. Chon’s new outdoor mural incorporated natural elements reflecting the KCCDC bamboo garden, traditional Korean games, and a sense of community, all in a fun and engaging visual. The gate leading to the KCCDC’s iconic bamboo stand also transformed into an entryway guarded by a Korean folk art-style tiger. As Chon transitioned her art from paper to large-scale murals, these intimate portraits took center stage in a dynamic urban environment. In her public works and individual art pieces, Chon often explored the relationship between cultural tradition and its effects on generational identity, informing the decisions Asian Americans made to form their identities. Through artwork that prominently conveyed Korean aesthetics, Chon merged her ancestry and traditions with the contemporary to narrate the nuances of the Korean diaspora. The Artist Talk on February 28 at the KCCDC navigated the story behind Chon’s design and her intentions in combining various Korean icons into a single mural composition. An RSVP was recommended to attend. Visitors also had the chance to observe the live mural creation in advance through February 28 during regular visitor hours. Julia Chon is a Korean-American artist and muralist who has been primarily active in Washington, D.C. and Denver, CO. She participated in DC Walls, the Washington extension of World Wide Walls, the largest outdoor mural festival in the United States. Her murals can be found internationally, and her work has been exhibited in solo and group shows in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New York City. Chon’s past clients and collaborative partners included NASA, Apple, the Phillips Collection, and the Smithsonian Institution, which acquired one of her works into its permanent art collection in 2022. She also completed a 2024 artist residency with the Nicholson Project. Learn more about Julia’s work at www.juliachon.com or @kimchi.juice on Instagram.
View Details
-
- Roundtable on Nobel Laureate Han Kang
-
On February 27, 2025, the Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. hosted an exciting roundtable that featured experts and readers exploring the works of Korean author and Nobel Prize in Literature winner Han Kang, coordinated in partnership with George Mason University Assistant Professor Hyun Seon Park. Through expert analysis and reader testimonials, the event introduced the celebrated works of the author, explored Kang’s key themes and inspirations, unpacked the impact of her career culminating in the 2024 Nobel Prize win, and offered a bird’s-eye view of Korean literature on the rise globally. Session I: Readers Roundtable Five readers selected for this portion of the program were invited to share their personal experiences reading their favorite works by Han Kang, including reviews, literary analyses, testimonials on the works’ impact, and other reflections. Session II: Experts Roundtable Three Korean literature experts led an insightful roundtable discussion on a wide range of topics related to Han Kang’s works and career. Participants also had the opportunity to join an open discussion and share their own thoughts on Han Kang’s literary legacy. Featured Experts: Hyun Seon Park, Assistant Professor of Modern and Classical Languages, George Mason University Immanuel Kim, Associate Professor of Korean Literature and Culture Studies, The George Washington University Young A Jung, Assistant Professor of Modern and Classical Languages, George Mason University
View Details
-
- GongMyoung on the Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center
-
The Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (KCCDC) proudly welcomed the wildly innovative Korean percussion collective GongMyoung to the nation’s capital for a series of special events, culminating in a free public performance and livestream on the Millennium Stage in partnership with the Kennedy Center on Feb. 5 at 6:00 p.m. GongMyoung, renowned for its innovative reinterpretations of time-honored Korean music, captivated audiences with a modern jam-session flair, unconventional improvised instruments, and an effortless sense of cool. Formed in 1997, the group showcased its unique ability to recreate and rearrange traditional Korean music, highlighting the versatility and diversity of Korean culture through approachable and engaging performances. Their performances featured their namesake—a distinctive bamboo instrument they created, called the GongMyoung—along with a variety of wind and percussion instruments. As an ensemble, GongMyoung transcended genres, performing across major concerts, stage musicals, plays, dance performances, and film soundtracks. On Feb. 4, in coordination with the KCCDC, GongMyoung conducted music workshops with DC public elementary school students and performed at the International Monetary Fund during its Lunar New Year celebration (both events were closed to the public).The group’s tour in DC culminated in a free public performance on the Kennedy Center’s popular Millennium Stage at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5, presented in partnership with the KCCDC.
View Details
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