First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, who visited New York, USA, to attend the UN General Assembly, enjoyed a warm holiday atmosphere in advance by making songpyeon (rice cakes) with local Korean compatriots. At the event held on the 23rd (local time) at the Korean Cultural Center in New York, the First Lady shared a joke about her songpyeon not taking the right shape, bringing a great deal of laughter. She reminisced about childhood memories of preparing holiday foods with relatives and shared her thoughts on Korean cuisine, which is enjoying immense popularity on the global stage. This gathering served as a precious time to comfort the hearts of compatriots celebrating the holiday abroad and to feel the changed status of Korean culture. The sight of sharing the unique holiday spirit even in a distant foreign land provided a heartwarming touch to many. We hope that through such warm communication, Korean culture and sentiment will permeate even more deeply around the world.
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The Story of Songpyeon Turning into Dumplings in New York: First Lady Kim Hye-kyung’s Chuseok Holiday Scene
1. A New York Holiday Dyed in Yellow Saekdong Aprons
On this day, First Lady Kim Hye-kyung visited the Korean Cultural Center in New York, located in Manhattan, and spent a meaningful time with officials from the New York Family Counseling Center. Upon arriving at the scene, the First Lady, neatly wearing a bright yellow saekdong apron, exchanged warm greetings with the attendees, leading a harmonious atmosphere. Looking at the vibrant colors of the apron, she couldn’t help but exclaim that she felt as if she were wearing a hanbok, adding to the joy of the event. She also emphasized that even without special attire or decorations, a single apron could fill the space with the unique festive mood of the holiday. Although it was a gathering of people from far away in a foreign land, it was a moment that highlighted the effort to recreate the warmth of home.
The attendees also responded to the First Lady’s approachable demeanor with bright smiles, and the venue instantly transformed into a lively festive atmosphere. Unlike her usual solemn diplomatic schedules, her relaxed attire and communication provided great comfort and joy to the compatriots. The appearance of the apron, reminiscent of the delicate colors of hanbok, became a medium that soothed the longing for home for everyone present. This meticulous attention to detail, imbuing even a simple piece of clothing with the meaning of the holiday, further elevated the warmth of the event.
The First Lady appeared wearing a yellow saekdong apron, brightening the holiday atmosphere on site.
2. Heartwarming Conversation Evoking Childhood Memories
Before starting to make songpyeon in earnest, the First Lady sincerely shared cozy memories of preparing for holidays with her family in her childhood with the attendees. She said that wearing a saekdong apron in the heart of New York and facing people made her recall the scene of her mother and relatives gathering in a circle to make songpyeon in the past, like a flash of a movie. It was a part where the warm warmth of that era, when she would sit side by side with her stepmother, ask after each other’s well-being, and share news about the people around them, was fully conveyed. Memories of the whole family gathering the night before the holiday, blooming with laughter, became a wonderful sanctuary for the heart, soothing the loneliness of life in a foreign country.
This sharing of personal memories created a deep sense of empathy among the attending compatriots, prompting each of them to recall their own hometowns and families. Although everyone is living the life of an immigrant, striving hard in their respective places, the holiday served as a medium that allowed their hearts to reach the living room of their home. Stories from childhood that could be empathized with across generations injected warmth into the cold forest of buildings in New York. Conversations mediated by memories created a precious bond that deeply connected hearts, going beyond a simple event.
She shared memories of making songpyeon with relatives in her childhood, forming a deep sense of empathy with the attendees.
3. Laughter Bursting Over Songpyeon That Became Dumplings
As the actual process of kneading the dough and filling it with the songpyeon making began, the scene soon filled with cheerful laughter. While generously adding the sesame filling, the First Lady recalled how difficult it was to clean up when the sesame seeds burst when she was young, drawing empathy from those around her. Looking down at the dough she had carefully shaped, she made a witty joke that her songpyeon had turned into a dumpling when the shape didn’t come out as pretty as intended. This unexpected remark caused everyone on site to clap and burst into laughter, bringing the atmosphere of the event to its peak.
The scene became even more lively as the traditional saying that “if you shape songpyeon beautifully, you will have a beautiful daughter” came up for discussion. When the chef leading the event boasted that she had two beautiful daughters, the First Lady wittily retorted that she had only two sons, providing great laughter. She also showed a friendly side by not sparing praise, saying that people with daughters are indeed skilled, while looking at the beautifully shaped dough made by others. The songpyeon, which were not perfect but rather endearing in their shape, bloomed smiles on the faces of people enjoying the holiday.
She brought great laughter to the scene with a joke that her songpyeon had become a dumpling because the shape didn’t come out as intended.
4. Amazing Korean Food That Captured the Palates of the World
The harmonious conversation naturally led to the hot status of Korean food, which is currently causing a fierce storm globally. The First Lady vividly conveyed the amazing changes she had directly witnessed during overseas visits and diplomatic schedules, expressing pride. She said that she was always surprised to see foreign heads of state skillfully using chopsticks and enjoying kimchi very naturally whenever she met them. She highly evaluated the resilience of Korean culture, which has now captured not only music and cosmetics but also the most primal sense of taste of people.
She added that in the past, Americans did not easily come into contact with rice cakes or kimbap, but now seeing them skillfully eat not only whole kimbap but also tteokbokki gives a sense of how much things have changed. She emphasized that the true power of our food lies in its addictive nature, which, once one is hooked, one can never escape. Korean food, which has conquered the palates of people around the world beyond language and cultural barriers, has now established itself as a core national asset. She stated that every time she directly faced scenes of such passionate love on the global stage, she felt a renewed pride in being a citizen of the Republic of Korea.
She introduced the change in status where foreign heads of state and locals skillfully enjoy chopsticks and Korean food.
5. Creative Attempts at Blending with Local Ingredients
Practical concerns about spreading Korean food to the world more widely and her own unique cooking secrets were also revealed without reservation. She mentioned that she recently tried to make japchae in Korea, but used spaghetti noodles instead of glass noodles, which are hard to find locally abroad. She shared the wisdom that using ingredients familiar to locals is much more advantageous in lowering the barrier than insisting on the unique method perfectly from the start. She analyzed that if the Korean taste is naturally spread through fusion methods, people around the world will be able to accept our food with less resistance.
She also expressed deep empathy for the pure function of cooking that soothes and comforts people’s complex hearts through food. She shared a small tip that when one’s mind is troubled or complicated, doing simple tasks that use a lot of handwork, such as making dumplings, miraculously calms the mind. This emphasized that the process of creating something by hand with sincerity can be the best healing and rest for modern people. This time of making and sharing food with compatriots met in a foreign land was also a warm healing process that comforted each other’s hearts.
She shared creative cooking dissemination methods using local ingredients, such as making japchae with spaghetti noodles.
6. Holiday Event Concluded by Sharing Warm Sentiment
This songpyeon making event in New York became a precious occasion to strengthen the unity of the compatriot community, going beyond simply making holiday food. It was a time to confirm that although their bodies are far from their homeland, their hearts are always in the warm embrace of home. The First Lady made eye contact with all attendees until the end of the event, sparing no encouragement and well-wishes, and sharing a warm atmosphere. For compatriots who may feel lonely in a distant foreign land, this holiday celebration will be remembered as an unforgettable beautiful memory and great comfort.
We hope that such sincere communication and exchange will continue to provide great strength to our compatriots scattered around the world. We support the good influence of K-food and Korean culture to take deep root in the lives of people around the world, going beyond a temporary trend. We sincerely hope that the upcoming holiday will be a bountiful Chuseok where every home is filled with laughter and happy times are shared with precious people. Even if the shape was a bit squashed like a dumpling, the sincerity and love contained within were the most perfect songpyeon in the world.
The holiday event with New York compatriots became an opportunity to soothe the loneliness of life abroad and share warm sentiment.
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