In 2023, KEI has set out on its "Rethinking Korea initiative," which explores the evolution of U.S.-Korea relations, Korea's place in the world, and rapid changes in Korean society itself. The initiative involves both retrospective inquiry as well as prospective analysis about future trends. Today, we will be discussing the growing popularity of K-pop and K-culture within the United States.

KEI’s Director of Communications, Sang Kim, and Operations Manager, Mai Anna Pressley, attended KCON LA in August, and shared their experiences and observations while at the convention. KCON is an annual convention held globally, organized by CJ E&M as a celebration of the Korean Wave. In addition to their conversation, snippets of interviews with convention attendees are included throughout the podcast.