KATE NAM: “KCI IS VERY SPECIAL TO SAN FRANCISCO AND THE BAY AREA”
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
EVERLAST KOREA is proud to present an exclusive interview with Kate Nam, the Executive Director at the Korean Center, Inc. From educational programs to hosting events, KCI offers a variety of non-profit work that brings the San Francisco and the Greater Bay Area community together. With KCI’s own rich history, their work and efforts have evolved in its own way by providing newer services that cater to the community that exists today. With the 4th Annual Bay Area Chuseok Festival coming up, KCI is excited to host this annual event in-person for the first time, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s take a look at what goes on behind-the-scenes at KCI, and gain some insight on the upcoming Chuseok festivities from Executive Director, Kate Nam!
HELLO, I'M KIYOUNG (KATE) NAM
EVERLAST KOREA: Hi Kate, can you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Kate Nam: Hello, I'm Kate Nam. I received a bachelor's degree from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, majoring in Theology, and minoring in Business. I also received an MBA from Cass Business School, which is based in London, UK.
I worked as a CEO and Country Manager for multinational companies, such as Royal Copenhagen, and George Jensen of South Korea. I then moved to the States, and co-founded a blockchain technology company for art, Kbean.com. Now I am the Executive Director at the Korean Center, Inc. in San Francisco.
As a hobby, I learned “Minhwa,” (Korean folk art) and have been practicing it for more than 10 years. It has opened many new opportunities for me, not only as a global business woman, but also as an artist and an ambassador of Minhwa advocates.
EVERLAST KOREA: Can you please provide our readers some insight into your career path? And how did you come to work for the KCI?
Kate Nam: I could summarize my career path as “now and here” and “do my best wherever I am,” but when I was a high school student in Seoul, I admired a global business woman with a briefcase traveling around the world, and dreamed about it. That is why I studied Business Management, and built a career on working for multinational companies, especially in the Northern European region. While I enjoyed and studied Western culture, I learned how to appreciate Korean culture that was embedded into our everyday lifestyle (art, house, food, fashion, and design).
For the past 15 years, I've worked on introducing Korean arts, design, and culture to the Western lifestyle. One area I was passionate about was “Minhwa.” That passion drove me to organize Minhwa exhibitions and workshops in New York and San Francisco. I was later introduced to KCI in 2020, to give online lectures about Korean folk art. That eventually led me to become a Board Member, and I am now honored to serve at KCI as an Executive Director.
EVERLAST KOREA: Since KCI is located in San Francisco, California, what do you like to do during your free time? Are there any places you would recommend visitors to see while they visit the Bay Area?
Kate Nam: San Francisco is a relatively small, but very charming city. This may sound a bit touristy, but I actually enjoy hanging out at the Asian Art Museum and Yerba Buena Center. Their exhibits carry special messages for me. The Palace of Fine Arts is one of my favorite spots for healing, and I also recommend watching SF Opera performances, where Ms. Eunsun Kim is the Music Director. There are many hidden restaurants run by the locals, and I think they are all Michelin quality food.
THE KOREAN CENTER INC.
Video Courtesy: KCI Inc.
EVERLAST KOREA: How would you describe KCI, and the services they provide? And how does your role contribute to the growth of this non-profit organization?
Kate Nam: Before I answer your question, please allow me to briefly talk about KCI's history. In 1974, KCI was founded in San Francisco to support Korean immigrants in the Bay Area. Back then, it was not easy for Koreans, and any other immigrants of Asian descent for that matter, to settle in the United States. We provided not only an English training program, but also real professional skill programs, such as typewriting and using computers. KCI significantly helped immigrants get professional jobs, and provided skilled resources for the community. This was a very respectable mission.
At some point, community interests have shifted. The community no longer needed such services, but new ones emerged. “Korean cultural services” for lack of a better term. It’s a shift from “fitting into the new” to “learning the roots.” New interests are learning Korean language and Korean culture, which includes learning about food, dramas, beauty, and more.
I have 4 strategic programs for our diverse communities: Korean language program, art program, youth program, and K-food program.
EVERLAST KOREA: As the Executive Director, there must be a variety of tasks you complete on a daily basis. What does a typical day look like for you?
Kate Nam: I feel like there is no typical day because there is always something new everyday. However, I do focus on three types of daily tasks - first, building a strong team, second, community outreach, and third, preparing for the upcoming Chuseok Festival.
I do not get to spend enough time on strategic items. Often these may not seem urgent, but are absolutely critical. Some of the strategic items I wish I could spend more time on are collaborative projects with other non-profit organizations, and addressing social policy issues that may have long term effects on our communities. (i.e. hate crimes against Asian-Americans).
EVERLAST KOREA: What can you tell our readers about the team at KCI, and the community that has been built around it externally? What makes the KCI and its community special?
Kate Nam: The KCI team is currently built to provide Korean language programs, cultural events, workshops, and community outreach. We also have a sister organization providing an ESL program.
KCI is very special to San Francisco and the Bay Area. We are uniquely positioned to reach and connect more diverse communities, and cross-cutting multiple generations and people with different backgrounds. KCI connects them all by sharing and celebrating Korean culture.
4TH ANNUAL BAY AREA CHUSEOK FESTIVAL
Video Courtesy: KCI Inc.
EVERLAST KOREA: What is the meaning behind planning, coordinating, and executing the Annual Bay Area Chuseok Festival? Other than celebrating the holiday with the community?
Kate Nam: This Chuseok Festival is all about coming together and strengthening our communities. For example, there have been ongoing instances of violent acts against the Asian-American community. By coming together here, we improve our strength and resilience.
EVERLAST KOREA: What type of work goes on behind-the-scenes of putting together this festival? How much hard work has gone into planning this in-person event? Especially because it's been a couple of years since this event was held in-person.
Kate Nam: Since it’s our first time being back in-person, after two pandemic years, planning the festival has been challenging. Our team is small and new. So we owe many thanks to all our volunteers from the past and the new ones that are helping us today. They helped us with design, logistics, and everything in between. Based on the number of participants, we are expecting this to be a big event.
We are not able to do this without the help from our communities. Not to mention, our ongoing partnership with the Presidio has been an instrumental part in the success of this event. The Presidio really has been a major help, and has consistently supported KCI in bringing this event to life.
EVERLAST KOREA: KCI has stated that the Chuseok Festival will feature many family-friendly activities, live performances, and more. Can you please tell our readers what you are looking forward to the most?
Kate Nam: We’re just excited to have people come and enjoy all the performances, play the “Red light / Green light” game – also known as ‘무궁화 꽃이 피었습니’” from the popular Netflix series, Squid Game. We are also excited for the Community Art Project called ”Wishes to the Chuseok Moon," the Hanbok Trial Photo Booth, (Hanbok is a traditional Korean outfit) and more. It’s a great opportunity to experience Korean culture for those who are not familiar with it. It’s also a great way for everyone to celebrate together.
LET’S HAVE SOME FUN!
EVERLAST KOREA: What are 3 Korean dishes that you would recommend people to eat besides japchae, Korean BBQ, and bibimbap?
Kate Nam: This is Korean soul food, and they are amazing dishes!
Number one is ramen! Almost every K-Drama has an “eating ramen” scene. Everyone loves ramen. The taste of Korean ramen is different from the ramen from other countries. Depending on ones taste, people can add an egg, add scallion, Kimchi or whatever ones preference is (even leftover rice). The second dish would be tteok-ppok-ki (떡볶이) - a spicy stir-fried rice cake dish with red chili paste. The third dish would be chee-mak (치맥) - the perfect combination of eating fried chicken with beer!
EVERLAST KOREA: What have you personally experienced while celebrating Chuseok?
Kate Nam: I am going to be very real here! I recall family debates. When the whole family and relatives got together, there were debates. For instance, my grandma said to me, “Eat more, eat more,” but my mom would say, “Don’t eat more.”
Then there were all these explanations from both sides about why I should eat more or why I should not. Uncles and aunties preached, “Study hard, get married, and have a child." Then my Grandma would say, “Leave them alone, and eat more.” I am sure other people had similar memories. In retrospect, this was true love - the true love we need more of these days.
EVERLAST KOREA: If you could teach 3 words in Korean to students, what would you like their first 3 words to be?
Kate Nam:
추석 (Chuseok) – Thanksgiving holiday.
안녕하세요 (An-nyung-ha-sae-you) - Hello.
감사합니다 (Gam-sa-hap-ni-da) - Thank you.
We wish those who attend the 4th Annual Bay Area Chuseok Festival to stay safe, have fun, and embrace all the wonderful aspects of Korean culture!
To learn more about the Korean Center, Inc. please visit their website and social media pages for more information by using the links below.
CREDITS
We want to give a big thank you to Donna Mo, Kate Nam, and the Korean Center, Inc. for allowing EVERLAST KOREA to conduct this exclusive interview! The Korean Center, Inc. is a community based non-profit organization with a mission to create spaces for exploring Korean culture and heritage, bridging communities and generations, and collaborating to address the Korean-American communities' needs within the Bay Area. The Korean Center, Inc. also envisions a vibrant and engaged community, where Korean culture and heritage are explored, celebrated, and preserved for future generations.
SOURCE
All photos and videos are credited to the Korean Center, Inc.
