'Korean Wave' Brings Hansik Dinner to Consul General's L.A. Residence
LOS ANGELES, November 17, 2011 — Influential entertainment leaders and other notables gathered at the Korean Consul General Residence's house here to celebrate and promote Asia Society Korea Center's Korean Wave Initiative by introducing key elements of the culture through a hosted traditional dinner, Hanbok fashion show and awards ceremony.
The dinner took place as the finale of the Korean Wave Initiative events in the residence of Hon. Yeon-Sung Shin, the Korean Consul General in Los Angeles. Approximately 140 guests, including several members of the Asia Society family, attended the dinner, which was designed and centered on the eight-course menu — including Sinseollo, Jabchai, Bibimbap, and pumpkin porridge — catered by Bruce Byung-Woo Lee, the Lotte Hotel Seoul's Master Chef and his team, who traveled from Korea to cater the Los Angelese event. Guests were openly fascinated by food that was "very different" from what they're used to having in LA. In addition, Asia Society Korea Center prepared and brought 140 silver vessels from Korea to serve Sinseollo especially for the dinner. The fascinating dish and its texture caught many guests’ attention and further stimulated their interests in Korean food.
Each course was introduced by our Asia Society family members and friends, including Asia Society Southern California Chairman Thomas McLain; David Kang, Director of the Korean Studies Institute at the University of Southern California; Richard Drobnick and Bruce Pickering of Asia Society Northern California; Asia 21 member Jinah Kim; and more. In addition, Asia 21 Fellow Seagull Song introduced the LAsia 21 Young Leaders Initiative and Asia Society Vice President for Education Tony Jackson explained the new Global Cities Network Initiative to the guests.
During the dinner, the Korea Center acknowledged two exceptional Korean-American women with special awards. Sujin Nam, a composer and a pianist, received the Cultural Ambassador Award and Michelle Park Steel, vice chair of Board of Equalization, received the Women Leader Award.
As ASSC Chairman Tom McLain remarked, "the Korea Center have laid the foundation for excellent collaboration between our two centers for the future and have helped the ASSC develop much needed, important inroads into the local Korean Community which are important for us to pursue and develop." The Korean Wave Initiative successfully exposed the best of Korean culture, both traditional and pop, and truly established the stepping stone for further developing Korean culture around the world.
PARTIAL GUEST LIST
Mark Rydell, Academy Award-winning producer
James Ragan, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
Randall Cox, ASSC committee member; President, RogueLife
Ben Silverman, former chairman of NBC Entertainment; CEO, Electus
Monica Macer, writer and producer, 24, Lost, Prison Break
Albert Kim, writer and producer, Nikita
Jinah Kim, NBC correspondent, Asia 21
David Kang, Director, Korean Studies Institute, USC
Michelle Park Steel, Vice Chair, Board of Equalization
Sujin Nam, pianist, composer
Korean Consul General Shin Yeon-Sung
Mayor Sukhee Kang, Mayor of Irvine, CA
Im Kwon-taek, legendary Korean filmmaker
James Kyson, actor, Heroes
C.S. Lee, actor, Dexter, The Sopranos
Christine Yoo, filmmaker
Jae Min Chang, Chairman, The Korea Times USA
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