Category: Business & Economics

The Korea Society and EnoB, with the generous support of the Korean Consulate General in New York, are thrilled to return with the 2025 Korean American Next-Generation Networking Event.

This year’s event will be held in-person at The Korea Society and feature distinguished speaker, Prof. Jeongki Lim, Associate Professor of Strategic Design and Management at Parsons School of Design, who will share his experiences and perspectives on professional growth, leadership, and navigating the evolving landscape of AI.

Participants will connect with peers across diverse industries through an event-filled program with opportunities for professional development, networking, dinner and drinks, and more.

This is an invitation-only event.

Korean American Next-Generation Networking Event

Friday, December 5, 2025 | 6:00 PM (EST)

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Jeongki Lim is Associate Professor of Strategic Design and Management. He serves as Dean of School of Design Strategies and Associate Dean of Parsons School of Design. His practice spans from launching strategic initiatives in private and public sectors to researching and teaching at the intersection of design and science. His latest works examine artificial intelligence (AI) as instrumental and relational artifacts in creative learning and develop AI-enabled methods and systems that can meaningfully integrate with the art and design pedagogical practices. He has secured and leads the multi-year academic research collaboration with LG AI Research. His works have been published in major peer-reviewed conferences and journals like Digital Creativity. His pedagogy focuses on making complex and pertinent subjects accessible and inclusive for diverse perspectives to participate and affect its development trajectory. His teaching explores evolving existing curricula with emerging topics and methods from complexity science, metaverse, design fiction, computational thinking, and posthumanism. Jeongki has served as an elected member of the University Faculty Senate, the Director and Interim Director of the Parsons BBA in Strategic Design Management Program at SDS and MPS in Fashion Management Program at the School of Fashion, respectively. He holds a B.A. in Individualized Studies and an M.S. in Applied Urban Science and Informatics, both from New York University, United States, and a Doctor of Arts in New Media from Aalto University, Finland.

Join us for a conversation with Tae Kim, author of The Nvidia Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant. Now as the world’s leading AI chipmaker, Nvidia offers a fascinating window into the new era of global entrepreneurship vis-à-vis its partnership with Korea; Nvidia’s commitment to provide 260,000 GPUs to South Korean companies redefines the strength of innovative cooperation across mobility, manufacturing, and robotics. This conversation will take you inside the forces shaping our AI-powered future and offer fresh insights into the culture, strategy, and leadership behind Nvidia’s rise as a global technology leader.

Purchase the book here.

Author signing available at the event.

The Nvidia Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant with Tae Kim

Thursday, December 4, 2025 | 6:30 PM (EST)

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

About the Speaker:

Photo: Helena Hong

Tae Kim, Senior Technology Writer at Barron’s and Author of The Nvidia Way, is a senior technology writer at Barron’s. He previously was the U.S. technology columnist at Bloomberg Opinion and also worked as an investing journalist for CNBC. Earlier in his career, he was an equity analyst at hedge funds and an investment analyst at a fund of funds.

The United States and Korea are entering a pivotal phase of maritime cooperation. Since the start of the Trump 2.0 administration, South Korean shipbuilders have been courted as key partners in reviving the U.S. shipbuilding industry, with Seoul pledging $150 billion under the “Make America Shipbuilding Great Again” initiative to modernize naval capacity, expand commercial shipyards, and strengthen allied supply chains.

Join us for a timely conversation with Colin Grabow (Cato Institute) as we explore how to steer this new bilateral framework toward mutual maritime and economic prosperity. At the heart of the discussion is the Jones Act, the 1920 law mandating domestically built and owned vessels for U.S. coastal trade. Together, we will consider whether reforms to the Act—or innovative partnership models—can unlock the full potential of U.S.–Korea maritime collaboration. This conversation will be moderated by Thomas Byrne, President and CEO of The Korea Society.

Revisiting the Jones Act: From Protectionism to Partnership

Wednesday, October 8, 2025 | 6 PM (EDT)

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

About the Speaker

Colin Grabow is an Associate Director at the Cato Institute’s Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies where his research focuses on domestic forms of trade protectionism such as the Jones Act and the U.S. sugar program.

His writings have been published in a number of outlets, including USA Today, The Hill, National Review, and the Wall Street Journal.

Prior to joining the Cato Institute, he performed political and economic analysis for a Japan-based trading and investment firm and published research and analysis for an international affairs consulting firm with a focus on U.S.-Asia relations.

Grabow holds a BA in international affairs from James Madison University and an MA in international trade and investment policy from George Washington University.

As part of the New York Korean Financial Forum, The Korea Society, Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in New York co-hosted the Alternative Investments LP–GP Network Forum on September 29, 2025, at The Korea Society in New York.

The forum welcomed nearly 90 Korean and Korean-American professionals in the investment field, offering a valuable platform to strengthen LP–GP networks and communication in alternative investments.

Speakers included:

•     ♦  Chanwoong Park: Head of Americas PE Team, National Pension Service

•     ♦  Jeff Chang: Managing Director, NYU Endowment

•     ♦  Young Lee: Co-President, Audax

•     ♦  Michel Choe: CEO, Charlesbank

The panel discussion highlighted the importance of transparency, collaboration, and partner engagement in LP–GP relationships, along with strategies to strengthen them. Following the panel, participants joined a networking session, sharing meaningful conversations and forging new connections that further advanced the goals of the New York Korean Financial Forum.

Alternative Investments LP–GP Network Forum

Monday, September 29, 2025

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

This edition of Startup Scene will explore one of venture capital’s most elusive forces: momentum. As the landscape rapidly shifts—from the rise and retreat of web3 and blockchain to today’s explosive AI wave—both founders and investors face a critical question: how do you tell the difference between short-lived hype and the kind of transformative momentum that drives lasting impact?

Join us for an exclusive presentation featuring three distinguished investors – Bryan Kim (Andreessen Horowitz), Mike Kim (Third Prime), and Karen Moon (Node Innovation Ventures) – as they each share their distinct investment philosophies and portfolio strategies. Together, their talk will offer a wide range of views into today’s ever-evolving startup landscape: from AI emerging technologies, to cross-border investments, and to innovations in consumer platforms. 

The conversation will be moderated by Danny Crichton (Lux Capital). 

This program is supported by Hanwha Life

Riding the Momentum: How VCs Navigate Hype and Sustainable Growth

Wednesday, September 3, 2025 | 6 PM (EDT)

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

About the Speakers:

Bryan Kim (“BK”) is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, where he invests primarily in consumer AI applications. He is particularly interested in how AI is reshaping consumer experiences across core themes such as productivity (ElevenLabs, Cluely, Raspberry), consumer health (Function Health, Slingshot AI), creation (Captions, Civit.ai, Glif, Viggle), and connection (BeReal, Partiful). He is also actively exploring new categories and behaviors emerging at the frontier of consumer AI. BK serves on the boards of Captions and Partiful, and as a board observer at ElevenLabs and Function Health. Prior to joining a16z, BK spent several years at Snap, where he helped scale the company through its hyper-growth and IPO. He built and led the growth and product operations teams, driving user expansion globally. He also scaled the finance team from zero to 70+ people and led several key milestones, including the IPO. As a founding member of the strategy team, he sourced and integrated major acquisitions such as Looksery (which powers Snap AR Lenses) and Bitmoji. Earlier in his career, Bryan was CFO at Bungalow and a founding General Partner at Uncommon Projects, an operator-led seed fund. He began his career in investment banking at Credit Suisse, advising technology companies on M&A and capital markets transactions. He holds a BA in Economics and International Relations from Carleton College and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Mike Kim is a General Partner at Third Prime, where he primarily invests in vertical AI applications. He is particularly interested in the intersection of AI and various physical industries and has led investments across aerospace (Moonware), energy (Everstar), and advanced manufacturing (First Resonance). Prior to joining Third Prime, Mike was a partner and senior investment professional at Valinor Management, a multi-billion-dollar “Tiger Cub” investment firm, where he led investment activities across a number of industries including industrial technology. Prior to Valinor, Mike was a partner and senior investment professional at other leading, multi-billion-dollar, investment firms including UBS O’Connor, Suvretta Capital Management, and Trian Partners, originating and underwriting investments in public and private companies with a research-intensive, long-term orientation. Mike started his career as an investment banker in the Technology M&A group at Bank of America in New York, where he advised both public and private companies in the technology industry. Mike received his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University.

Karen Moon is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with over 20 years of experience across retail and technology. Her expertise is at the intersection of data-driven consumer insights, AI, and human-centered design. She is currently founding CCO at Spangle AI, an agentic AI startup optimizing shopping journeys for brands and retailers. Karen also co-founded, scaled, and sold a predictive analytics startup Trendalytics, which served industry-leading clients such as Revolve, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Shinsegae, Gap Inc., J.Crew, Levi’s, Urban Outfitters, Target, Ulta, Stitch Fix, Estée Lauder Companies, Zappos, and more. The company was also a Google Machine Learning Competition Finalist. Karen has several years of experience as an investor and advisor in consumer brands and technology through Suttona Capital, Node, and Goode Partners. As an active advisor and investor, she has supported founders on go-to-market strategy, fundraising, hiring, and strategic partnerships. Her corporate advisory work with corporate executive teams and boards includes digital transformation and new business expansion opportunities. She began her career in Goldman Sachs’ TMT investment banking group, followed by roles in corporate strategy and new business development at Gap Inc. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from UCLA, where she graduated summa cum laude.

About the Moderator:

Danny Crichton analyzes science, technology, finance and the human condition as Partner, Research at Lux Capital, a venture capital firm investing in emerging and growth-stage science and technology ventures. Previously, he was managing editor at TechCrunch as well as a foreign correspondent based in Seoul, South Korea. He’s a Fellow at the Manhattan Institute in New York. For several years, he was an early-stage VC investor with General Catalyst in Palo Alto and Charles River Ventures in Boston and New York. After graduating Stanford with honors in Mathematical and Computational Sciences, he was awarded a Fulbright research scholarship to South Korea, where he investigated the country’s modern industrial policy for startup innovation. Danny is based in Brooklyn.

This edition of Startup Scene will explore one of venture capital’s most elusive forces: momentum. As the landscape rapidly shifts—from the rise and retreat of web3 and blockchain to today’s explosive AI wave—both founders and investors face a critical question: how do you tell the difference between short-lived hype and the kind of transformative momentum that drives lasting impact?

Join us for an exclusive presentation featuring three distinguished investors – Bryan Kim (Andreessen Horowitz), Mike Kim (Third Prime), and Karen Moon (Node Innovation Ventures) – as they each share their distinct investment philosophies and portfolio strategies. Together, their talk will offer a wide range of views into today’s ever-evolving startup landscape: from AI emerging technologies, to cross-border investments, and to innovations in consumer platforms. 

The conversation will be moderated by Danny Crichton (Lux Capital). 

This program is supported by Hanwha Life

Riding the Momentum: How VCs Navigate Hype and Sustainable Growth

Wednesday, September 3, 2025 | 6 PM (EDT)

The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017

About the Speakers:

Bryan Kim (“BK”) is a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, where he invests primarily in consumer AI applications. He is particularly interested in how AI is reshaping consumer experiences across core themes such as productivity (ElevenLabs, Cluely, Raspberry), consumer health (Function Health, Slingshot AI), creation (Captions, Civit.ai, Glif, Viggle), and connection (BeReal, Partiful). He is also actively exploring new categories and behaviors emerging at the frontier of consumer AI. BK serves on the boards of Captions and Partiful, and as a board observer at ElevenLabs and Function Health. Prior to joining a16z, BK spent several years at Snap, where he helped scale the company through its hyper-growth and IPO. He built and led the growth and product operations teams, driving user expansion globally. He also scaled the finance team from zero to 70+ people and led several key milestones, including the IPO. As a founding member of the strategy team, he sourced and integrated major acquisitions such as Looksery (which powers Snap AR Lenses) and Bitmoji. Earlier in his career, Bryan was CFO at Bungalow and a founding General Partner at Uncommon Projects, an operator-led seed fund. He began his career in investment banking at Credit Suisse, advising technology companies on M&A and capital markets transactions. He holds a BA in Economics and International Relations from Carleton College and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Mike Kim is a General Partner at Third Prime, where he primarily invests in vertical AI applications. He is particularly interested in the intersection of AI and various physical industries and has led investments across aerospace (Moonware), energy (Everstar), and advanced manufacturing (First Resonance). Prior to joining Third Prime, Mike was a partner and senior investment professional at Valinor Management, a multi-billion-dollar “Tiger Cub” investment firm, where he led investment activities across a number of industries including industrial technology. Prior to Valinor, Mike was a partner and senior investment professional at other leading, multi-billion-dollar, investment firms including UBS O’Connor, Suvretta Capital Management, and Trian Partners, originating and underwriting investments in public and private companies with a research-intensive, long-term orientation. Mike started his career as an investment banker in the Technology M&A group at Bank of America in New York, where he advised both public and private companies in the technology industry. Mike received his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Georgetown University.

Karen Moon is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with over 20 years of experience across retail and technology. Her expertise is at the intersection of data-driven consumer insights, AI, and human-centered design. She is currently founding CCO at Spangle AI, an agentic AI startup optimizing shopping journeys for brands and retailers. Karen also co-founded, scaled, and sold a predictive analytics startup Trendalytics, which served industry-leading clients such as Revolve, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Shinsegae, Gap Inc., J.Crew, Levi’s, Urban Outfitters, Target, Ulta, Stitch Fix, Estée Lauder Companies, Zappos, and more. The company was also a Google Machine Learning Competition Finalist. Karen has several years of experience as an investor and advisor in consumer brands and technology through Suttona Capital, Node, and Goode Partners. As an active advisor and investor, she has supported founders on go-to-market strategy, fundraising, hiring, and strategic partnerships. Her corporate advisory work with corporate executive teams and boards includes digital transformation and new business expansion opportunities. She began her career in Goldman Sachs’ TMT investment banking group, followed by roles in corporate strategy and new business development at Gap Inc. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from UCLA, where she graduated summa cum laude.

About the Moderator:

Danny Crichton analyzes science, technology, finance and the human condition as Partner, Research at Lux Capital, a venture capital firm investing in emerging and growth-stage science and technology ventures. Previously, he was managing editor at TechCrunch as well as a foreign correspondent based in Seoul, South Korea. He’s a Fellow at the Manhattan Institute in New York. For several years, he was an early-stage VC investor with General Catalyst in Palo Alto and Charles River Ventures in Boston and New York. After graduating Stanford with honors in Mathematical and Computational Sciences, he was awarded a Fulbright research scholarship to South Korea, where he investigated the country’s modern industrial policy for startup innovation. Danny is based in Brooklyn.