More Than a Meal: Celebrating Korean Food and Community

Join the New York Public Library for the World Literature and Arts Festival at the 53rd Street Library for a celebration of Korean food culture in New York City! 

This panel features moderator and freelance journalist Hannah Bae, Chef Jae Jung, and food writer James Park as they dive into the history of Korean food and its impact on New York. The Koreatown neighborhood has humble origins dating back to the 1980s and now dominates 32nd Street in midtown from 6th Avenue all the way to Madison Avenue. This neighborhood has served as the cultural epicenter for Korean culture to spread throughout New York. As much as Korean culture has affected New York, New York culture has done the same in kind. This can be seen  in how Korean food has been popularized in NYC. This panel will explore the impacts of these collaborating cultures, and the ways they are different, unique, complimentary, and contradictory.

We can’t wait to see you for this celebration! 

Plus, pick up a free copy of Chili Crisp by James Park! Giveaway books will be available while supplies last. All giveaways are first come, first served and limited to one per person. 

To join in person | Please be sure to register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins.

For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. If you register for multiple tickets, please provide the name of each person who will be attending the event or arrive with your entire party present. Only registered patrons will be granted entry into the event space. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or suspect you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, please stay home.

To join online | On the day of the event, registrants will receive a Zoom link to join the program. To receive an email reminder shortly in advance of the event, please be sure to register!

The online event will be streamed on Zoom. You must register with your email address in order to receive the link to participate. Please check your email shortly before the event to receive the link. Captions for this event will be provided.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

The New York Public Library’s World Literature & Arts Festival (April 14–30, 2025) brings together trailblazers from diverse disciplines and backgrounds to celebrate storytelling and spotlight NYC’s vibrant communities. Join us for free events, programs, book recommendations, and resources for all ages.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS 

Hannah Bae is a Korean American freelance journalist, nonfiction writer and illustrator who is at work on a memoir. She was a 2024 grantee in literature for the New York State Council on the Arts, a 2024 juror in nonfiction for The Kirkus Prize, and a 2021 and 2022 Peter Taylor Fellow for The Kenyon Review Writers Workshops. She writes frequently for outlets such as The San Francisco Chronicle, Kirkus Reviews and Asian American Writers' Workshop's The Margins, and you can follow her work via her website at hannahbae.com.

Chef Jae Jung Born and raised in Seoul, Chef Jae Jung moved to the United States to attend culinary school in 2009. After a four-year stint working in New Orleans, Chef Jae moved to New York to continue her culinary career. She is the chef and owner of KJUN, a Korean-Cajun fusion restaurant in Midtown, Manhattan. 

James Park is a Brooklyn-based cookbook author, culinary producer, and food content creator. Trained at the International Culinary Center, he has worked with brands like The Kitchn, Eater, Food52, and BuzzFeed. He shares his love and passion for Korean cuisine and culture, fried chicken, and chili crisp. His first cookbook, Chili Crisp, came out in August 2023, and you can find him eating and cooking his feelings at @jamesyworld on social media.

BOOKS AND MORE

If you have a NYPL library card, you can borrow books related this event with our e-reader app SimplyE, available for iOS and Android devices.

Don't have a New York Public Library card? Get one here!

ACCESSIBILITY

In-Person

• You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org.


• This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.

Online

• Live captioning will be provided.


• You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org.

CONNECT

For general questions, please email adultprogramming@nypl.org.

Please submit all press inquiries at least 48 hours before the event: email press@nypl.org.