Events
Alliance Française de Miami
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Alliance Française de Miami
00 N Biscayne Blvd – Suite 2120 Miami, FL 33132
Peruvians , Haitians , Mexicans , French , and Americans filled the auditorium of the Alliance Française de Miami on Wednesday, February 18, to honor our book, The Hard Road Out.
An unexpected question from the audience allowed me to close the presentation with great emotion. Yes, I have always dreamed of following in the footsteps of my father, the diplomat who dedicated his life to serving Korea . I never imagined that it is my encounter with Jihyun Park that would one day allow me to carry on that torch.
Many thanks to Isabelle Leroux, Catherine Tissot, Dominique Scobry, Marie-Anne Duncan, @afmiami, @afsingapore, @afseoul, and @afalmaty for their support.
#booktalk #frenchlanguage #commitmenttopeace
Sky Kong Kong
Monday, December 15, 2025
Bristol, UK
Very humbled to have presented The Hard Road Out alongside Buddhist Chef and Master of Temple Food Jeongkwan Seunim, and Intangible Cultural Heritage Master Artisan of Traditional Jang Kisoondo, in Bristol, UK, on December 15, 2025.
Chef Jeongkwan Seunim demonstrated to us that food plays a fundamental role in the process of establishing human connection.
This resonated deeply with me as when I first met Jihyun Park, discussions around Korean food were indeed instrumental in creating a connection.
Thank you for the enlightenment Jeongkwan Seunim, Master Kisoondo, thank you Wizzy for the opportunity of such creative synergy.
The Hard Road Out: Reflections on Identity, Purpose and Human Connections
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
The Global College / IE University Madrid
An immense thank you to The Global College team for providing me with the opportunity to present The Hard Road Out and facilitating a space for real dialogue, allowing us to pause from our busy lives to think and reflect.
I talked about the privilege we have to live in an environment where human connection is still possible—a concept that North Korea fears the most, as they know it is the most powerful and unique weapon capable of bringing the regime down.Related LinkedIn Posts:
Patricia Herrero García-Ramal
Barry Cooper
Andrew F.Resume: https://vimeo.com/reviews/5c1fb033-af2c-4eb3-9fa3-5f00a6b5a606/videos/1136041707
Full video of the talk: https://vimeo.com/1136082986/cc00ee1df9
Dulwich College Seoul
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Alleyn Theatre
Dulwich College Seoul Korea 06504
Presentation to 120 students aged 15-18 years. Very touched by the following question" We don't talk much about North Korean refugees in South Korea. How can I change that?" I told her she can start by "to be curious".
Dulwich Talk: From Wall Street to Human Rights Advocacy | Dulwich College Seoul
Alliance Francaise Singapore
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
18:30
A Singapour, les grues ne dorment pas la nuit...
In Singapore, the cranes don't sleep at night...
싱가폴 크레인들은 밤에도 일을 하네요...Inspiring, hard working and multilingual environment (English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamul) for my latest talk at @afsingapour on 17.9.25.
50+ French, Korean and English speakers attended the presentation: "the sincerity around a personal approach to the question of humanity" was what they liked the most according to feedback.
Immense thank you to Joanne Teo for organising the event, @jimrogerscom for his opening speech, representatives of @koreanembassy_sg and all my long time friends who made me the honor to attend despite their busy schedules
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Anybody who wants to learn about "Inclusion" should spend a few days in Kazakhstan. They welcome you by making you feel "you are one of them".
Nomadic by nature, they heal the hardship they endured historically by making others feel comfortable when in their country.
Muslims, Christians, Russian Orthodox, 130 different nationalities, diverse ethnicities (Kazakh, mongols, 고려인 Koreans, russians, turks) live peacefully together.
What a lesson of humility. Korea has one thing or two to learn from them.
I was honored to present 가려진 세계를 넘어/Deux Coréennes in Korean at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty Kazakhstan on April 23th, 2025.
The response from students was overwhelming and the questions had to be cut short due to time constraint. The head of the East Asian history department thanked me profusely for providing the missing piece in their department: knowledge about North Korea.
Huge thanks to:
the Korean Consulate in Almaty, professor Byungjo Lee at the Far East Division of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, professor Abagan Ekerke at the Faculty of Oriental Studies.
Zhambyl City Youth Library in Almaty
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Francophonie 2025, Alliance Française Almaty and Embassy of France in Kazakhstan, thank you for hosting Deux Coréennes. The book is now available for anybody to read at 5 different public libraries in Almaty.
The booktalk was delivered at Zhambyl City Youth Library on April 23, a vibrant and energetic space, opened to students 24 hours!
Hopefully, the 5 books I left behind will continue to nourish the mind of those brights young Kazakhs. Perhaps, will it be a timely reminder that communism must never return.
Grateful to:
Zhambyl City Youth Library for welcoming me with open arms
Vivien Fouquet, Director of Alliance Almaty and his team members including Dariga and Zhanar (translation French-> Russian), for organising and sponsoring the booktalk.
Booktalk at The University of Sheffield
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Very touched by the thorough questions prepared by professor Sarah Son as part of the booktalk at The University of Sheffield on April 3rd 2025. They included:
- the role of the double narratives and the usage of the pronoun "I" for both Ji Hyun Park_박지현 -hyun Park and myself as symbol of "micro-reunification"
- the writing process (unexpected circumstances -> rejection-> guilt-> moral responsibilities -> artistic stimulation -> writing)
- multilinguism (Korean, French, English) involved in the process of writing.
Thank you to the department of Korean Studies @university of sheffield Jinah Kwon Sarah Son for the warm welcome and precious moments of sharing.
Dutch Version of Deux Coréennes
Monday, March 31, 2025
Leiden University
As Korea faces one of its worse political turmoil, Twee Koreanen, dutch version of Deux Coréennes, hit the shelves. Could not be a better timed reminder, to think about what the return of communism would mean to all of us.
"It was my dream to publish a book like this; my dream to share these sort of stories with the rest of the world."
Ties Rotteveel's opening words, on behalf of Hetboekhandeltje publishers Universiteit Leiden University in Amsterdam on 3.31.25.
Surround yourself with people who are in the conscious action, especially in turbulent times like this. Keep your head down, and do what you have to do.
One of the students formulated a 6 parts question️...that we only managed to address partially due to time constraints. "What can I do the help" was from another student. Our work seems to continue to inspire and I could not be more grateful.
Deux Coréennes is going from strenght to strength, and the recent addition in dutch was an icing (litterally) on the cake.
My heartfelt thanks to Remco Breuker, Casper van der Veen, Sean William Valerio, Kim Jeong-Seok from Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Ji Hyun Park_박지현
Credits go to Sean William Valerio for the photographies.
Twee Koreanen Book Launch
Monday, March 31, 2025
Leiden University
Amsterdam
Book launch at Leiden University in Amsterdam on March 31, 2025 with Professor Remco Breuker.
Dutch publisher: Hetboekhandeltje
Director: Ties Rotteveel
5th Intervention: Francophonie 2025
Friday, March 14, 2025
Alliance Francaise Hoehyeon, Seoul
Mr. Yoo Yeeul, education coordinator at AF, shared that when he was attending high school, a 10% quota was applied in favor of North Korean Refugees students at most high-schools in Korea: what a heartwarming insight! I hope it is still the case today
Multilinguism (KR words used as such in the middle of FR sentences) was again at the center of our discussions with questions on translation challenges.
Very grateful for an incredible Francophonie week in Korea with the most generous welcome from Philippe Bertoux, Pierre MORCOS, Yohann Le Tallec, Marguerite BICKEL, Kim Sanhui, Clémence Dethoo,r Manon Hennequin, Ambassade de France en République de Corée, Yoo Yeeul, Ji Hyun Park_박지현
