Free virtual session on resources for citizens and legal immigrants
2026-02-22 12:00 - 14:30 (America/Chicago) | MN
A free virtual session entitled The Korean HANA Center: Resources for U.S. Citizens and Legal Immigrants will be held Sunday, February 22, noon to 2 p.m.

This is one in a series of zoom sessions, with local expert speakers, intended for Korean and other Asian adoptees in light of the current Operation Metro Surge, where many legal residents and citizens have been illegally detained by ICE and other Department of Homeland Security troops.

This session will include staff from the HANA Center of Chicago, which reaches out with resources, language learning, citizenship classes, immigration reform advocacy and many other resources for a wide spectrum of immigrants in Chicago.

The sessions are structured to invite conversation and strengthen community during a stressful time.

The series is sponsored by Adoptee Hub, a Twin Cities resource and service organization for Korean and other international adoptees.
Reservations are required on the website in order to receive a link.

Insun Park and the Generals to perform at Cedar Cultural Center
2026-02-25 19:30 - 21:30 | Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, United States
Insun Park and the Generals, a South Korean band that blends rock, Korean traditional music and Korean mask dance (talchum) rhythms, will perform at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis for one show on Wednesday, February 25.
Insun Park stands out as one of the few women who are masters of the Gangnyeong Mask Dance. The talchum tradition has traditionally been dominated by men, but Park has been designated as an National Intangible Cultural Heritage asset of South Korea (Number 34).
She leads a quartet of musicians who perform a unique blended style of ancient performing art and contemporary sound. They include Donghyuk Seo (composer/guitar), Hyunmo Yang (drums), Johyun Kim (taepyeongseo (Korean folk reed instrument) and flute),and Hahyungki Baek (bass guitar).
The band’s approach offers a fresh perspective on Korea’s musical heritage and makes the traditional mask dance accessible to new audiences. Park is a leading force in shaping the future of Korean traditional performing arts.
Headiners Insun Park and the Generals will be joined by Black Widows, a surf-punk-psyche band from Minneapolis. The Black Widows have toured nationally and internationally, and have a full-length album Creatures of the Night, coming out this spring.
The Korean Institute of Minnesota, a Saturday culture and language school for children and adults, located in Minneapolis, is the cultural partner for this event. The Korean American-owned Minneapolis micro-brew pub Arbeiter Brewing is also a partner.
Doors open at the Cedar Cultural Center at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets $27.81 for general admission are available at the link.

AK Connection holds Seollal (Lunar New Year) event
2026-02-28 13:00 - 16:00 | Pearl Park Recreation Center, 414 E. Diamond Lake Road, Minneapolis, MN, 55419, United States
AK Connection, a Minnesota-based organization by and for Korean adoptees, will hold a Seollal (Lunar New Year) event to welcome the year of the Fire Horse. The event will be on Saturday, February. 28, 1 to 4 p.m. at the Pearl Park Rec Center in Minneapolis.
The event will include a Korean lunch, Korean-themed activities, crafts, and games, and a drumming workshop at 3 p.m. by members of Shinparam Korean drum troupe.
Registration encouraged, but walk-ins will be admitted. Tickets are available (pay what you can, or $10). For questions, please email: ev****@**********on.org

Immigration and citizenship rights event set
2026-03-14 08:00 - 17:00 | Arbeiter Brewing Co., 3038 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
A free/pay-what-you-can event, Unite for Adoptees’ Rights with Adoptees United, designed to help adoptees and their families deal with issues of legal documentation and citizenship, will be held Sunday, March 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Arbeiter Brewing Company in Minneapolis.
The event will feature a talk by Greg Luce, a lawyer with a specialty in adoptee citizenship rights. He is the executive director of Adoptees’ United, and also founded his own adoptee-driven practice, the Adoptee Rights Law Center, located in Minneapolis.
All intercountry and domestic adoptees, adoptive families, and allies are welcome, with a livestream available on AK Connection’s YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person. A brunch will be served at the event.
The event is co-sponsored by Adoptees United and AK Connection, an organization of adult Korean adoptees and allies in the Twin Cities.
The attached link is a ticketing site with a description of the event. It includes registration and an opportunity to donate to defray costs.

Sejong Cultural Society free zoom book club
2026-05-14 19:00 - 20:00
The Sejong Book Club is a Zoom-based free series designed for the average adult reader to learn more about Korean literature in translation.
The next meeting will be a discussion of Sky, Wind, Stars, and Poems (by Don-Ju Yun with translation by Jongho Park) on Thursday, May 14, 7 p.m. (Central), moderated by Sarah Petrovic (professor at Emmanuel University, Franklin Springs, Georgia).
Despite the oppressive political climate of his time, Dong-ju Yun fearlessly spoke out against Japanese colonial rule of Korea (which began and 1911 and lasted until the end of World War II in 1945). Yun used his poetry as a powerful tool of resistance. In 1943, he was arrested for his anti-Japanese activities and imprisoned in Fukuoka, Japan. He died at age 27 under mysterious circumstances while in captivity.
Each discussion in the series will include guided reading notes and discussion points. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link and discussion outline. Registration is at this link.
The Sejong Book Club invites readers from around the world to explore Korean literature in English translation. Led by distinguished professors of literature, the online discussions offer a welcoming space to connect through reading, reflection, and cultural exchange.
Each session highlights a major Korean work translated into English, examining its themes, historical background, and artistic vision. Discussions are held several times a year, and all sessions are conducted in English.
The book club is one offering of the Sejong Cultural Society, a Chicago-based non-profit organization that offers annual music and sijo (Korean poetry) competitions for adults and youth, along with other cultural events. Its programs are targeted to a wide audience and designed to teach Korean music, literature and culture through fun and interactive events, workshops and performances.
Future Sejong Book Club meeting dates and titles:
Thursday, July 23 The Plotters by Un-Su Kim
Thursday, September 24 The Vegetarian by Han Kang
Thursday, November 19 Hello Baby by Eui-Kyung Kim
More information on the Sejong Cultural Society is available at the link.

Transnational adoptees' Walk for Health
2026-05-30 10:30 - 13:00 | Long Lake Regional Park, 1500 Old Highway 8, New Brighton, MN, 55112, United States
A Walk for Health will be held for all transnational adoptees on Saturday May 30 at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton.
The walk is to raise awareness about the benefits of regular exercise in improving mood, boosting energy, and relieving stress.
The event, which runs from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., will include an Asian lunch and a free t-shirt. Registration is required, and must be submitted on or before May 17.
The walk is a collaboration of AdopteeHub, Korean Adoptee Ministries, and the Minnesota Department of Health.
For registration and further information, see the registration form at the Adoptee Hub website at this link.

Summer Social for Korean adoptees - AK Connection
2026-06-20 17:00 - 20:00 | Arbeiter Brewing Co., 3038 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States
AK Connection, a Twin Cities based organization of adult Korean adoptees, will hold its Summer Social on June 20 (5 to 8 p.m.) at Arbeiter Brewing in Minneapolis.
Registration is required for this (21-plus) event, and all adoptees (domestic and intercountry) are invited along with their guests.
A suggested donation is $5, to cover food costs and to support the organization. Registration is required at the link below.
The suggested donation is $5 to help cover food costs and support AK Connection. Appetizers will be served, and additional food will be available for purchase from Arbeiter.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Kim Park Nelson, a fellow Korean adoptee and researcher, will host a screening of the film Joy Ride as part of the Screening Adoption: Adoption Film Series and Adoptee Audience Research project. The film screening will be from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at the Hosmer Library, Room L02 (347 E 36th St., Minneapolis)
Attendees will have the option—but never the obligation—to complete a brief, anonymous survey about the film’s adoption content.
AK Connection, a non-profit organization, provides ongoing social, cultural, and educational programming throughout the year. Events are posted on a Facebook page at this link. The general website is at this link.

Virtual Korean poetry workshop set
2026-06-25 09:00 - 17:00 | MN
A day-long virtual workshop on Korean traditional poetry, targeted to teachers of poetry and literature, will be held by the Sejong Cultural Society on Thursday, June 25.
Entitled Virtual Sijo Workshop: Verses from Korea, China, and Japan, registration for the free workshop (required) will be open until June 20. Upon registration, participants will receive a pre-reading list and a Zoom link. Registration is limited.
Participants will engage in an in-depth exploration of sijo and other East Asian poetic forms through expert-led sessions and scholarly discussions. They will learn how to write sijo in English and how to teach it effectively as a classroom topic.
All participants must attend the full session, complete homework, and complete a program evaluation to receive a complimentary copy of the reference book, Sijo: Korea’s Poetry Form. A U.S. postal address is needed to be eligible for this offer.
All educators (K-12, employed in U.S. schools) who attend all the sessions, complete the homework, and submit a program evaluation will receive seven hours of professional development credit, a reference book, and a $100 stipend.
Registration and a program schedule for the day is available at this link.
The Sejong Cultural Society is a non-profit organization in Chicago dedicated to promoting and educating teachers, students and the general public about Korean literature and music. General questions can be sent to the email: Se*******************@***il.com

Sejong Cultural Society free virtual book club series
2026-07-23 19:00 - 20:00 | MN
The Sejong Book Club is a Zoom-based free series designed for the average adult reader to learn more about Korean literature in translation.
The upcoming meeting will be a discussion of Un-Su Kim’s novel The Plotters (translated by Sora Kim-Russell) to be held Thursday, July 23, 7 p.m. (Central). The novel describes a dystopian Seoul where asassination guilds compete for dominance. Kim blends descriptions of the workings of a criminal underworld with dark comedy and psychology in a persuasive alternative reality.
Each session in the series will include guided reading notes and discussion points. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link and discussion outline. Registration is at this link.
The Sejong Book Club invites readers from around the world to explore Korean literature in English translation. Led by distinguished professors of literature, the online discussions offer a welcoming space to connect through reading, reflection, and cultural exchange.
Each session highlights a major Korean work translated into English, examining its themes, historical background, and artistic vision. Discussions are held several times a year, and all sessions are conducted in English.
The book club is one offering of the Sejong Cultural Society, a Chicago-based non-profit organization that offers annual music and sijo (Korean poetry) competitions for adults and youth, along with other cultural events. Its programs are targeted to a wide audience and designed to teach Korean music, literature and culture through fun and interactive events, workshops and performances.
Future Sejong Book Club meeting dates and titles:
Thursday, September 24 The Vegetarian by Han Kang
Thursday, November 19 Hello Baby by Eui-Kyung Kim
More information on the Sejong Cultural Society is available at the link.

Free virtual book club explores Korean fiction in translation
2026-09-24 19:00 - 20:00 | MN
The Sejong Book Club is a Zoom-based free series designed for the average adult reader to learn more about Korean literature in translation.
The upcoming meeting will be a discussion of Han Kang’s novel The Vegetarian, to be held Thursday, September 24, 7 p.m. (Central).
Originally published in 2007, The Vegetarian was translated by British translator Deborah Smith in 2015, and then received international acclaim. It won the Man Booker Prize for Literature in 2016. Author Han Kang was conferred the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2024.
The three-part novel tells the story of a young woman, Yeong-hye, who lives in modern day Seoul. After a nightmare about the depths of human cruelty, she decides to stop eating meat, which causes devastating consequences in her personal and professional life. The novel is allegorical, and represents womens’ quest for autonomy, psychologically and bodily, and what happens when those on the margins challenge the power structures of society.
Each session in the series will include guided reading notes and discussion points. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link and discussion outline. Registration is at this link.
The Sejong Book Club invites readers from around the world to explore Korean literature in English translation. Led by distinguished professors of literature, the online discussions offer a welcoming space to connect through reading, reflection, and cultural exchange.
Each session highlights a major Korean work translated into English, examining its themes, historical background, and artistic vision. Discussions are held several times a year, and all sessions are conducted in English.
The book club is one offering of the Sejong Cultural Society, a Chicago-based non-profit organization that offers annual music and sijo (Korean poetry) competitions for adults and youth, along with other cultural events. Its programs are targeted to a wide audience and designed to teach Korean music, literature and culture through fun and interactive events, workshops and performances.
Future Sejong Book Club meeting dates and titles:
Thursday, November 19 Hello Baby by Eui-Kyung Kim
More information on the Sejong Cultural Society is available at the link.
