LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - VOL. 20

KCCNYC Monthly - January 2026

By Eun Byoul Oh

Sunrise on January 1st from Dokdo, Korea. Koreans watch the sunrise to celebrate the new year. 

Happy new year everybody! 새해 복 많이 받으세요!

I hope you feel rested after the long holiday and begin the year with delightedness. 

I sincerely hope that 2026 will bring the world tranquility and peace. I personally need a really good Korean drama, and I am crossing fingers for my students for their idol comebacks and tours! We have prepared our January edition to celebrate Korean-American history and culture 🇰🇷🇺🇸

January 13 is designated as Korean-American Day. I think it is important to remember and celebrate those trailblazing pioneer Koreans who opened the first chapter of Korean-American history. Further, we remember Korean-Americans who are doing outstanding work in their fields. 

KCCNYC has always had great support from our Korean-American students, and the students have told me that learning Korean or becoming part of the KCCNYC community has brought them closer to their Koreaness. At KCCNYC, we see many students with diverse backgrounds among those who identify as Korean-Americans, and we feel honored that we can be part of their journey to what it means to be Korean-Americans.

KCCNYC also has many families and spouses of Korean-Americans who are learning Korean to become closer to their loved ones. I remember seeing an older Korean gentleman hugging Priscilla, our Founder and President, at an event, saying, “My daughter did not grow up speaking Korean, so I have never imagined Sean, my American son-in-law, would speak to me in Korean.”  And recently, our student Nicolette Shin told me that her Korean grandfather was a little shocked at hearing her call him 할아버지 (harabeoji).

As I said in my previous editor’s notes, language learning enhances compassion and the willingness to understand the world in different ways.  We also see that families and friends become closer to each other with their efforts to learn Korean!

It has been truly our joy to witness the growth and closeness that our students experience in our community.

These little memories of accomplishments and gratefulness have been the fuel that enabled us to carry on with the mission we believe in. KCCNYC will continue to grow in 2026 with our community members of all backgrounds.

There are many things happening in 2026 and the KCCNYC team is giving our best in preparing for the upcoming events:

• There is a new semester kick off on January 26 – the classes are open to anyone who wants to learn Korean and Korean culture. Registration is open now, and we hope to see you in classes for 2026!

• Our monthly book club, Dosan Hakdang, is continuing in 2026, and we are starting our 2026 with an epic fantasy novel titled Blood of Old Kings. The book club meeting will be held on January 25, 2026. RSVP here. Our monthly book club is open to everyone within and outside of KCCNYC, as long as you love Korean literature!

• Finally, KCCNYC is getting ready for our first Gala on February 19. The event features a DJ dance party, Live Jazz, Kpop performances, Art Gallery of Korean Artists and a silent auction, K-food and drink + more! (We’ve got some really exciting silent auction items!) Our team hopes that everyone can join us for this sure-to-be incredible night! The event is open to anyone who wants to celebrate Korean culture and Lunar New Year with us.

Thank you for reading our newsletter every month, and KCCNYC thanks the KCCNYC Monthly team for making this newsletter possible. 

Follow us on instagram to keep up to date with the exciting journey ahead of us. 

새해에도 잘 부탁드립니다!

(Lit. Please take care of us for the new year.)


With gratitude, 

Eun Byoul Oh