Awardees

Accepted b
Yoon Soo (Gene) Yoon
Chairman of the Board
FILA Holdings Corp. & Acushnet Holdings Corp.

Gene Yoon, also known in Korean as Yoon Soo Yoon, is the Chairman of the Board of Italian sportswear company FILA Holdings Corp. and American golf product company Acushnet Holdings Corp., which owns the Titleist and FootJoy trademarks. He is widely credited with not only introducing FILA to the Korean market in 1991, but also restoring its global popularity, having acquired the global brand trademark in 2007 and reintroduced ‘90s classics like the Disruptor sneaker as vintage-inspired FILA designs have been a hit with younger generations.

Before establishing himself as a businessman in his home country of South Korea, Gene Yoon’s studies took him from Seoul High School to Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, where he majored in political science and diplomacy. His career began in earnest in 1973 with a stint at Korea Shipping Corp., before he joined JCPenney as a Korea-based distributor in 1975 and then took on the position of export director for international trading and shoe company Hwaseung Co. in the early ‘80s.

Gene Yoon’s FILA journey started in 1991 when he led the brand’s entry into South Korea with the foundation of FILA Korea, which grew into the role of global cornerstone for FILA Group. In 2005, it achieved management independence before taking over the global FILA business in 2007.

 

 

 

Accepted by
Seri Pak
CO-CEO of BAZ International
Chairman of SERI PAK Hope Foundation

In 1998, during the IMF crisis when South Koreans were struggling, she won a dramatic victory at the US Women's Open, a major event of the LPGA, with her ‘miracle barefoot shot’, providing courage, hope and comfort to the nation.

Until her retirement, she achieved a total of 25 victories on the LPGA Tour, including 5 major wins, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2007. Inspired by her success in the US, young Korean female golfers, known as "Seri Kids," began their careers, subsequently raising the profile of Korean women's golf on the LPGA Tour.

In 2016, as the coach of the women's golf team at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, held for the first time in 116 years, she led the team to a gold medal, once again moving the nation.

In 2020, Seri Pak received the Bob Jones Award from the USGA, which is considered the Nobel Prize in golf, for her contributions to the sport. This award placed her alongside golf legends like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, as well as former US President George H. W. Bush, who made significant contributions to golf.

In 2024, Seri Pak became the first Korean player to host an LPGA Tour event named after her, the "FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship," providing a new tournament for many golfers around the world to experience.

Additionally, Seri Pak was selected by the American economic magazine "Business Insider" as one of the 36 symbolic figures who contributed to the development of women's sports globally, being the only Asian player on the list. After retirement, she has been active as a businesswoman, promoting the popularization of golf and the development of the sports industry through golf and sports marketing. Through the Seri Pak Hope Foundation, she annually hosts junior golf tournaments in the US and Korea, nurturing junior golfers. Domestically, she is active as a businesswoman, entertainer, and commentator, leading the way in promoting "K-Golf" beyond K-pop, K-beauty, and K-food.

 

 

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SPECIAL REMARKS

Accepted b
Kyung-wha Kang
President and Chief Executive Officer
Asia Society

Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Republic of Korea (2017-2021)

Minister Kyung-wha Kang is President and Chief Executive Officer of Asia Society.

Minister Kang served as the first female Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea, from 2017 to 2021. She is a veteran diplomat in the Korean Foreign Ministry and the United Nations, holding positions in Seoul, New York, and Geneva.Prior to her appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs, she served as Senior Advisor on Policy to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, as well as Chief of his Transition Team. Minister Kang also served as Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs from April 2013 to October 2016, and was Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights from January 2007 to March 2013. Her roles in the UN marked the highest positions held in an international organization by a Korean woman.

Before entering the United Nations, Minister Kang was Director General of International Organizations in the Republic of Korea’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade, becoming the second female Korean diplomat to serve at the director level. She was a Minister in Korea’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations from 2001 to 2005, during which period she chaired the Commission on the Status of Women. Prior to joining the Foreign Ministry in 1998, Minister Kang assisted the Speaker of the National Assembly in the fields of women’s advancement and parliamentary diplomacy. Earlier in her career, she worked for the Korean Broadcasting System’s news bureau and international radio bureau, and lectured in universities both in Korea and in the United States.

Minister Kang graduated from Yonsei University and has an M.A. in mass communication and a Ph.D. in intercultural communication from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She is currently a distinguished professor at the Institute for Global Engagement and Empowerment at Yonsei University in Seoul. She is also a trustee of several Korean and international non-governmental organizations.

 

 

 

Accepted by
Mollie Marcoux Samaan
Commissioner
LPGA

Mollie Marcoux Samaan is the ninth commissioner in the history of the LPGA. A native of upstate New York and a two-sport athlete and cum laude graduate of Princeton University, Marcoux Samaan spent 19 years with Chelsea Piers Management, becoming the executive vice president of its 400,000-square-foot multi-venue complex in Connecticut.

In 2014, Marcoux Samaan was recruited back to her alma mater where she became Princeton’s Ford Family Director of Athletics. During her tenure, Princeton won 65 Ivy League Championships. And in 2020-2021 she was named Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of College Directors of Athletics.

With a partner-centered, team approach, the total prize fund across the LPGA Tour, which spans 35 events across 10 countries, now exceeds $125 million for the first time in history, representing a more than 75% increase over her tenure.

She has become a leader for all of women’s sports, assuming the spokeswoman mantel on issues related to equality and inclusion. She is a leading advocate for increasing investments and growing opportunities for women in girls in every field of sports and entertainment.

She and her husband, Andrew Samaan, reside in Florida and are the parents of Maddie, Catie and Drew

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VIRTUAL REMARKS

Accepted b
The Honorable Andy Kim
Congressman
U.S. Representative
New Jersey
3rd Congressional District

Congressman Andy Kim represents the Third Congressional District of New Jersey. Congressman Kim has dedicated his life to serving the country. He worked as a career public servant under both Democrats and Republicans, having served at USAID, the Pentagon, the State Department, the White House National Security Council, and in Afghanistan as an advisor to Generals Petraeus and Allen.

In the House of Representatives, Congressman Kim is working on an agenda to bring this country together and strengthen its national and economic security. He supports strong measures that boost our economy by investing in small businesses and innovation, creating fairness and opportunities for working families, and honoring America’s promises to military families and veterans.

Congressman Kim and his wife are currently raising two little boys down the street from where he grew up.

 

 

 

Accepted by
The Honorable Marilyn Strickland
Congresswoman
U.S. Representative
Washington
10th Congressional District

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland represents Washington’s 10th Congressional District, which covers parts of Pierce and Thurston Counties. Born in Seoul, she is the first African-American to represent Washington State at the federal level, and one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress in its history.

She earned her B.A. from the University of Washington and holds an MBA from Clark Atlanta University. Prior to her election to Congress, Strickland was the President and CEO of the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce. She served two terms as mayor of Tacoma from 2010-2017, where she championed education, infrastructure, and job growth. A firm believer that there is dignity in all work, Strickland led successful efforts to raise the minimum wage and pass paid sick leave, paving the way for statewide action. By making education a civic priority, she led efforts to raise Tacoma’s high school graduation rate from 55% to 89%.

In the 118th Congress, Strickland sits on the House Armed Services Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She serves as whip for the Congressional Black Caucus and is a member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, the Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities Caucus, and the New Democrat Coalition. She is co-chair of the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus and a member of the Pro-choice Caucus.

Congresswoman Strickland resides in the district with her husband Patrick Erwin.

 

 

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PERFORMANCE

 

 

Julia Riew
Composer-lyricist, librettist, and novelist

Julia Riew is a Korean-American composer-lyricist, librettist, and novelist from St. Louis and NYC. She is best known for her viral hit Dive, which is being developed into a stage musical with Tony-Award winning director Diane Paulus and GLAAD-Award winning playwright Diana Son. Other upcoming projects include her musical ENDLESS (dir. by Zi Alikhan, premiering in Seoul, Korea), her YA fantasy novel The Last Tiger (co-written with brother Brad Riew, publishing with Penguin Random House in Aug 2025), and her Middle Grade fantasy novel Shimcheong (publishing with HarperCollins summer 2026). In addition to being the 18th Annual Fred Ebb Award winner, Julia has been Playbill’s Featured Songwriter of the Month, a Woman to Watch on Broadway, a Princess Grace Award Honoraria recipient, and the recipient of the Harvardwood Artist Launch Fellowship.

Julia’s work has been performed at the American Repertory Theater, South Coast Repertory, Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, 54 Below, Greenroom 42, Summerstock Austin Texas, The Coterie in Kansas City, Harvard University’s Farkas Hall and Agassiz Theater, AMAS Musical Theater, The UNC-Greensboro School of Theater, Nora Theater Company at Central Square Theater, Cipriani Wall Street, The Harvard Art Lab, University of Missouri, The Community Music School of Webster University, John Burroughs High School, and many more.

Julia graduated magna cum laude and a member of Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard University in May 2022. There, Julia co-founded the Harvard College Asian Student Arts Project (ASAP), a club to provide the resources and community for Asian student artists. She co-wrote their first production, a musical called The East Side and later performed as “Paulette” in ASAP’s all-Asian production of Legally Blonde: The Musical, which received national recognition in fall 2021.

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Master of Ceremonies

 

 

Vivian Lee
TV journalist & Correspondent
Asian American Life

Vivian Lee (she/her) is an Emmy-winning TV journalist, public speaker, moderator and director/producer in New York. Currently a correspondent for the magazine show Asian American Life o. CUNY-TV, Vivian garnered her third Emmy nomination this year for producing and hosting CUNY-TV’s special on the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice. She also co-hosts the podcast The 5 Of Us, which examines career and life issues affecting women at work.

Vivian anchored, reported and hosted for NY1 Spectrum News between 2008 and 2020, covering stories of national and international importance, including the pandemic, social justice protests, and the 2020 general election. She was on the ground reporting for New Yorkers on the devastation and recovery from Hurricane Sandy, and on Pope Francis’ historic election in Rome.

Vivian also hosted Spotlight New York, a weekly magazine show exploring the arts landscape of the five boroughs of NYC. She was awarded an Emmy in 2020 for her story on Manhattan’s iconic Joe’s Pub.

Vivian’s career in New York started at WNBC Newschannel 4 in 2002, where she was a general assignment reporter. Prior to that she was CityTV Toronto's parliamentary correspondent and federal affairs reporter in Ottawa, Canada.

She began reporting while completing her journalism degree at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Vivian has reported for ATV-ASN News Halifax, and A Channel Calgary, where she also co-anchored the award-winning “A Channel News@Night.”

Vivian has received numerous awards recognizing her industry and community contributions, including a Telly Award this year, the New York Women’s Foundation’s 2021 “Pillars of Courage” award, and KAFSC’s 2019 Lifetime Engagement Award. A featured speaker on numerous panels and workshops discussing ageism, gender discrimination and Asian American identity.

Vivian currently serves as co-chair of KoreanAmericanStory.org and lives in New York with her husband and two daughters.

Table Sponsorship and Individual Ticket

DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM


DINNER COMMITTEE

LEADER - $100,000
• Recognition from the podium as Dinner Committee
• 10 guests for VIP reception; 10 guests for general reception
• 10 guests for dinner in premium seating; 10 guests for dinner in preferred seating
• Full-page Acknowledgment; corporate profile with photo and bio of corporate representative in the dinner program book

BENEFACTOR - $50,000
• Recognition from the podium as Dinner Committee
• 10 guests for VIP reception
• 10 guests in priority seating
• Full-page Acknowledgment; corporate profile with photo and bio of corporate representative in the dinner program book

PATRON - $30,000
• Recognition from the podium as Dinner Committee
• 4 guests for VIP reception; 6 guests for general reception
• 10 guests in preferred seating
• Full-page Acknowledgment; corporate profile with photo and bio of corporate representative in the dinner program book


In addition to above benefits, Dinner Committees will receive
• recognition by level on the event webpage, promotional emails, social media, and a large screen aside the stage in the event room.
• Year-round recognition in the Korea Society’s Annual Report

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TABLE SPONSORSHIP

SPONSOR - $20,000
• 2 guests for VIP reception; 8 guests for general reception
• 10 guests for dinner
• Half-page Acknowledgment; corporate profile with photo of corporate representative in the dinner program book

DONOR - $15,000
• 10 guests for general reception and dinner
• Half-page Acknowledgment; corporate profile in the dinner program book

ALL SPONSORS BENEFITS INCLUDE:
• Recognition by level on event webpage, promotional emails, social media, and a large screen aside the stage in the event room.
• Year-round recognition in the Korea Society’s Annual Report

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INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT AND TICKETS

PATRON COUPLE - $6,000
• 2 tickets for VIP reception and preferred seating
• Acknowledgement on our website and in the dinner program book

PATRON - $3,500
• 1 ticket for VIP reception and preferred seating
• Acknowledgement on our website and in the dinner program book

CONTRIBUTOR - $1,000
• 1 ticket for general reception and dinner

 

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Full-page in the dinner program book - $10,000
Half-page in the dinner program book - $6,000

Table Sponsorship and Individual Patron ticket registrations must be confirmed by September 6, 2024 to be acknowledged in the dinner program. Cancellations after September 10, 2024 will not be accepted.

The Korea Society is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The non-tax-deductible amount is $450 per ticket.

For further information on sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets, please contact Jamie Joo or by phone at (646) 439-4009.  

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SUPPORTERS

 

2024 Annual Dinner Sponsors
(as of  September 16, 2024) 

 

 

Chair
Benefactor
Patron
Sponsor
Cynthia and Anthony Kim
Matthew D. and Katherine H. Lee Foundation
Donor
Dr. Ho Youn Kim Chairman of Binggrae Corporation Ltd. Founder of the Kim Koo Foundation
Special Acknowledgement
Yoonie Kim Director of Business Development Foreign Direct Investment & Economic Development AtkinsRéalis
Theo Kwon Partner Apollo Global Management
Jacob Lee Senior Project Manager Global Commerce Georgia Department of Economic Development
Mark Lundstrom, PhD Chief Semiconductor Officer Purdue University
Paul Namkun Paik Public Relations Manager Hyundai of Paramus
General (Ret.) Skip and Joanne Sharp Former Commander of the United Nations Command, ROK-US Combined Forces Command, and U.S Forces Korea

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