K-Diaspora Art Exhibition & Panel Talk: Celebrating K-Culture and Global Connections

The K-Diaspora Art Exhibition & Panel Talk, organized by the K-Diaspora Worldwide Network co-founders: Godowon, Kim Jonggi, Kim Joo Young, Yang Hyang Ja, and Choi Jin Young), was held at LUME Studio (393 Broadway) in New York City from July 20-22. Over 200 Korean Americans and local citizens participated in the event.

Sponsored by Cafe Bom Bom and Linkrux, the event aimed to introduce K-Culture, which is captivating the world, and engage in conversations and interactions not only with Korean Diasporas but also with all global citizens interested in Korean culture. Various programs, such as panel talks, media art exhibitions, and community promotions, were featured.

During the pre-opening on July 20th at 6 p.m., Co-President Godowon stated, "Korea is facing a demographic crisis, a global technological hegemony war, and a climate and environmental crisis. We are responsible for overcoming and solving these challenges," he said. "To do so, we must first stand in solidarity with the 7.5 million Korean Diasporas spread across 193 countries around the world, and work together to connect and nurture the 2 million Korean Diaspora youth and young adults and invite them as future talents to help build the next Korea."

The K-Diaspora Media Art Exhibition showcased the work of Korean artists based in the U.S. and Korea, including Sakiroo, a character artist and illustrator, Eunhye Jung and Namheon Kim of Working House New York known for their outsider art, and other Korean artists such as Hoyoon for Steelduck, NFT artist group "DOCI," Makerspace, and Superchief. The event was deemed meaningful as it introduced young K-diaspora artists to the K-diaspora community and provided them with exhibition opportunities.

On the first day, KSE (CEO Lee Sang-hwa, Korean Startup Entrepreneur), and World OKTA New York Chapter's Next Generation Representative (CEO Lee Yoo-bin) participated in a panel discussion to understand the needs and visions of the K-Diaspora and explore ways to connect with Korea in the future. On the second day, which focused on culture and art, the panelists discussed the issues raised by documentary films on the diaspora, directed by Korean-American film director Joseph Juhn, and artists from Superchief and Makersplace, who talked about the potential and influence of K-Culture in connecting and communicating with global citizens.

Jae Shin, CEO of MOMO BOARD, who organized the event, stated, "The panel talks were filled with a wide range of conversations and discussions, covering not only culture but also economics, industry, and philosophy. To bridge the gap between the Korean and overseas K-Diasporas and foster growth together as one big community, we will continue to plan events where the K-Diaspora can connect and collaborate with a wide range of K-content, embracing not only the Korean diaspora but also mixed-race Koreans and even foreigners who are interested in Korea."

Ko, a representative from Cafe Bom Bom, enriched the event by providing participants with drinks directly from Korea. He stated, "The response to our traditional Korean drinks, such as Sikhye and Yuza ade, which are hard to find in the U.S., was better than expected." He added that it was more meaningful to introduce K-drinks through this event and expressed his desire to continue working to introduce them to more people.