Charting Entrepreneurial Paths: Curtis Lee, From Luxe to Pinwheel and Beyond
Release Date: 02/29/2024
Hallyu! The Korean Wave - The Curatorial Roundtable
The Korea Society
May 16, 2024 - Today, South Korea is a cultural superpower—a global trendsetter producing award-winning films like Parasite, riveting dramas like Squid Game, and chart-topping music by K-pop groups such as BTS and BLACKPINK. But behind the country’s meteoric rise to the world stage, a phenomenon known as the Korean Wave, or hallyu, is the story of remarkable resilience and innovation. Just a century ago, Korea was in search of a new national identity, following its occupation by Japan and the Korean War. Harnessing cutting-edge technology, the country has rapidly transformed...
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June Hur: A Crane Among Wolves with Ellen Oh
The Korea Society
May 13, 2024 - To save her sister, a teen girl becomes entangled in a political conspiracy with an enigmatic prince in this fiery new YA novel. June Hur, bestselling author of The Red Palace, returns with a devastating and pulse-pounding tale based on a true story from Korean history. is set in 1506 Joseon, where people suffer under the cruel reign of the tyrant King Yeonsan, powerless to stop him from commandeering their land for his recreational use, banning and burning books, and kidnapping and horrifically abusing women and girls as his personal playthings. ...
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A Conversation with Min Jin Lee - Y. T. Hwang Family Foundation Series on Ethics & Common Values
The Korea Society
May 8, 2024 - With the ever-growing need to understand ourselves and humanity as a whole, it is necessary to examine the concepts of morality, ethics and universal values as guiding principles of the human condition. With generous support from Y.T. Hwang Family Foundation, The Korea Society presents a Series on Ethics and Common Values. This series promotes the understanding of central themes of our human existence - morality, ethics, personal responsibility, compassion and civility - through a series of lectures by distinguished speakers and conversation with extraordinary individuals who...
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Quick Take - Changes in US-Korea-China-Taiwan Relations with Sean King and Dr. Dean Chen
The Korea Society
May 2, 2024 - Given heightened tensions and strategic competition in the Indo Pacific, how is South Korea navigating its diplomatic, economic, and security relationships with the US, China, and Taiwan? In a 2023 Joint Statement, US President Joseph Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol “reiterated the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait [and] strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific…” thereby underscoring an uptick in Korean interest and attention to the Taiwan question. Join us for this conversation with...
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Quick Take - North Korea’s New Posture with Dr. Soo Kim
The Korea Society
April 25, 2024 - In 2024, North Korea’s leadership has made a number of striking changes to its foreign policy, including abandoning its goal of unification and declaring South Korea its “principal enemy.” Pyongyang has also doubled down on its relationship with Moscow, shipping artillery and missiles off to Russia for use on the battlefields of Ukraine. Speculation has also risen that Kim Jong Un may have made the strategic decision to go to war, or to engage in provocations against the US-ROK Alliance. What is motivating these policies and what does the future hold? Join us for an...
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Quick Take - South Korea’s New Foreign Policy and Public Opinion with Dr. Kuyoun Chung
The Korea Society
April 19, 2024 - This program examines shifts in South Korea’s foreign policy posture, featuring insights and analysis from Dr. Kuyoun Chung, Assistant professor of the Department of Political Science at the Kangwon National University. The Yoon Suk Yeol administration aims to transform Korea into a “Global Pivotal State.” How has Seoul pursued this objective despite complex geopolitical and economic challenges? How does Korea navigate diplomatic relations in a tense region that is increasingly impacted by strategic competition between autocracies and democracies? Using survey data,...
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Korea: A New History of South and North with Victor Cha and Ramon Pacheco Pardo
The Korea Society
April 18, 2024 - Join us for a book talk with authors Professor Victor Cha and Professor Ramon Pacheco Pardo, who discuss their new book, Korea: A New History of South and North with policy director Jonathan Corrado. The Korea Society is proud to be a stop on the famous pink book tour! This important new work of history draws on “decades of research to explore the history of modern Korea, from the late nineteenth century, Japanese occupation, and Cold War division to the present day. This comprehensive history sheds light on the evolving identities of the two Koreas, explaining the sharp...
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Rapid Reaction: Unpacking the Korean Election
The Korea Society
April 11, 2024 - Join us for a rapid reaction analysis of the Republic of Korea’s high stakes 2024 legislative election, held in South Korea one day prior on April 10. This election could shift the control of power in the National Assembly, resulting in an emboldened electoral mandate for President Yoon Suk Yeol, or else creating a new challenge for his administration’s agenda. In this conversation with Korea Society policy program officer Chelsie Alexandre, Stanford University’s Professor Dr. Gi-Wook Shin explores the implications of the election for: Korea’s...
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Recapturing Lost Ground on North Korean Human Rights, with Ambassador Julie Turner
The Korea Society
April 9, 2024 - Join us for a conversation about recovering lost ground in the international effort to address North Korea’s human rights violations, featuring: Ambassador Julie Turner, U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues, James Heenan, UN Human Rights Office representative in Seoul, Dr. Katrin Katz, Korea Society Van Fleet Senior Fellow, and Sean Chung, CEO of HanVoice, in conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado. The United Nations Human Rights Council published its landmark report of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the...
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The Philosophy of Korean Tea
The Korea Society
April 3, 2024 - Darye–"etiquette for tea" or "tea rite"– has been an integral part of Korean history and culture for over a thousand years. Donghyun Kim, a Korean heritage curator, discusses the history of tea practices and aesthetics in Korea and the landscape of contemporary Korean tea culture. YouTube version with images can be found here: For more information, please visit the link below:
info_outlineFebruary 28, 2024 - Navigating the uncertainties of quitting an established career to venture into entrepreneurship is a common challenge for many aspiring startup founders. The question of when to take that leap adds another layer of complexity to the journey. To shed light on these dilemmas, we invite you to join our conversation with Curtis Lee, a seasoned startup founder, currently serving as the VP of Global Payments and Cash at Microsoft.
Curtis embarked on his entrepreneurial path by founding Luxe, a premium valet and auto-concierge system, in 2013. After Luxe’s successful acquisition to Volvo Group, Curtis returned to the entrepreneurial arena with the launch of Pinwheel, a fintech specializing in payroll API, in 2021. During this discussion, Curtis will share the intricacies of how he charted his entrepreneurial path, strategically navigating tech giants, startups, and investment firms, to fulfill his aspirations. Additionally, Curtis will impart how his firsthand founding experience has transformed him into a more emphatic investor, particularly for early-stage startups in their foundational phases.
Moderated by CeFaan Kim, correspondent for ABC News.
This program is supported by Hanwha Life
For more information, please visit the link below:
https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1781-charting-entrepreneurial-paths-curtis-lee-from-luxe-to-pinwheel-and-beyond