By Eun Byoul Oh
The August issue of KCCNYC Monthly reflects on Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonialism and how that history affects us today.

By Eun Byoul Oh
The folksong 'Arirang' is the epitome of Korean culture, as it encompasses the cultural pain and sorrow that Korea has traversed through millennia, surviving through multiple invasions and war. However, I think Arirang is ultimately a song of perseverance, and a song of solidarity and survival for Koreans. With Arirang roaring across MetLife Stadium, I felt a sense of patriotism – and it was weirdly surreal...

By Sharon Stern

August 15^th marks National Liberation Day in Korea.  It commemorates the day the Korean peninsula was liberated by the Allies at the end of WWII from the occupation of Japan. This month, we are going to take a look at what led up to the Japanese occupation.

By Eun Byoul Oh

KCCNYC is going to Citi Field to celebrate Korean Heritage on Korea’s Independence Day on August 15th! We can’t wait to see all of you there!

By Jon Oaks
August 15 is 광복절, Korea's National Liberation Day, some adoptees may feel deeply connected to this history and others may know very little about it or may not think about it at all. Although there isn’t any one correct way for an adoptee to relate to Gwangbokjeol, for me the holiday brings up some very personal questions about how history continues to shape families and identities.

By Sharon Stern
On July 26, we met to discuss the book Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum and translated by Shanna Tan.

By Sharon Stern
Several of the dramas coming up this month sound complicated and intriguing and they could turn out to be really interesting…but it will all come down to how the stories are told. Dig in and enjoy!

By Josh Kim
This month’s myth tells the story of friendship and sacrifice between man and nature, as told by Kim So-un and Frances Carpenter in their book “Korean Folktales”.

By Eun Byoul Oh
As a New Yorker, this June was a reminder what the world can be when we create a safe and considerate community. We live with different values, thoughts, and culture, but when we respect each other, we become a community where people can be who they are.

By KCCNYC Monthly Team
Viki has uploaded a huge number of movies for your fun summer viewing and as an exclusive offer for KCCNYC newsletter subscribers, they are offering everyone a free month’s subscription to Viki.  Check out all the new releases on Viki here!

By Dana Cunningham
When people ask me why I have spent the last four years studying Korean, the answer is simple: because I wanted to connect.

My journey with Korea actually began long before I ever enrolled in a Korean class…

By Josh Kim
We’re taking a break from myths this July, and instead looking out for those readers interested in trips to Korea and Seoul. Here are four of my favorite things, touristy and non-touristy alike!

By Casey Eckersley
I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Korea for the first time this spring. Although I would still classify myself as a beginner in Korean, thanks to the classes at KCCNYC I was able to communicate with some of the people I met, and it made such a huge difference in our overall experience. I want to highlight a few things that became a little more special in Korean (largely thanks to the incredible patience of the Koreans I met!)

By Bryce Allison
2 years and 2 months. That’s how long I had been waiting since I first made the decision to put a down payment on a trip to South Korea and on April 16^th, 2026 in the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, GA, I found myself staring at the well-known blue/white aircraft representing Korean Air. In my life, I’ve had the fortunate opportunities to travel to countries in Europe and Africa, but this would be my first venture over the Pacific Ocean to Asia.

By Sharon Stern
The Korean War is a subject that Americans know more general details about than many of Korea’s important moments of history…or do we? Dive into the history we never truly learned in school.