Located in proximity to Los Angeles’ historic Koreatown, KSI sponsors and organizes academic and cultural events that are aimed at advancing the public’s understanding of the Korean American experience. Our faculty offer courses that explore a range of subjects, including the oral history of Koreans in Southern California, Koreatown’s role as a hub of culture and identity, and Korean American literature, film, and arts.
In addition, the institute collaborates with USC’s Korean Heritage Library, supporting its mission to collect, preserve, and promote the historical records of the Korean community in Los Angeles and the surrounding region. Through these efforts, KSI not only fosters academic inquiry but also actively contributes to the preservation and appreciation of Korean heritage in contemporary society.
Upcoming Events
Steps into History: An Immersive Walk through USC’s Korean Heritage!
🕗 Date TBD, in Spring of 2026
📍 USC Libraries Korean Heritage Library (DML 110C)
This annual program is designed to visit and discuss notable spaces related to Korean heritage at USC campus and surrounding areas. The walking tour will start with the USC Korean Heritage Library which showcases unique collections on Korean American history, media studies and other Korean language sources. Other sites include the University Club, Ahn House, USC Dive Tower, Korean National Association Memorial Foundation, Hung Sa Dahn and Florence Sherman’s Church. See Daily Trojan’s report on the event from last April. Open to all students with priority given to students taking Korean language and other Korean subject courses as well as students majoring or minoring in East Asia. To participate in this signature USC experience, please RSVP by November 1st.
The K-trail is more than just a walking tour — it is an immersive historical journey rooted in the rich, carefully curated resources of the Korean Heritage Library (KHL). From rare archival photographs and oral histories to community newspapers and government documents, the KHL’s collections provide a vivid window into the Korean American experience. These unique materials form the foundation of this program, allowing us to connect physical spaces with the remarkable stories, struggles, and contributions of the Korean American community across generations.
Past Events
Tuesday, October 7, 2025. 5:00-6:30 pm
School of Cinematic Arts, SCA 112. Albert & Dana Broccoli Theater
KSI hosted the screening and the creative team of Wylde Pak, Nickelodeon’s 2D-animated series about a blended, multigenerational Korean American family. Inspired by the real-life experiences of co-creators and executive producers Paul Watling and Kyle Marshall, the 26-episode series follows half-siblings Lily and Jack as they adjust to life under one roof. Check out the event highlight video!
The event featured a behind-the-scenes conversation with the show’s creative team and cast. Moderated by Professor Esther K. Chae, the discussion explored creative collaboration, cultural authenticity, and representation in children’s animation. Here is the link to the bios of the speakers – Link to the Bios
Students, faculty, and community members discovered how Wylde Pak brings vibrant and relatable characters to life for audiences everywhere.
Margaret Juhae Lee – Across the Ocean: Digging the Archives and Remembering the Korean Past
🕗 October 16, 2024
📍 Doheny Memorial Library (DML), 240
In Starry Field: A Memoir of Lost History, former The Nation editor Margaret Juhae Lee recounts her travels in Korea in search of the lost traces of her grandfather Lee Chul Ha. While the elder Lee was an important historical figure—an anticolonial activist and a prisoner of Imperial Japan—Lee’s journey eventually opens her up to a recollection of the events, the generations, and the history of her entire Korean family. It is an experience of self-discovery that, in heartfelt prose, offers a rare account of the Korean past as it is seen, remembered, and imagined today from across the sea.
Introducing and framing Lee’s discussion of Starry Field will be a presentation of the print collections and the digital archives that are held at USC’s Korean Heritage Library. Part of Lee’s journey was completed through this library. And it will again be from this library that new generations of historians, researchers, and regular citizens will move to discover their Korean heritage along with the richness and depth of the Korean-American experience.
Continuing Programs
Korean American Digital Archive
KSI collaborates with USC’s Korean Heritage Library to digitize and maintain the documentary record of Korean experiences in America. The Korean American Digital Archive (KADA) brings more than 13,000 pages of documents, over 1,900 photographs, and about 180 sound files together in one searchable collection that documents the Korean American community during the period of resistance to Japanese rule in Korea and reveal the organizational and private experience of Koreans in America between 1903 and 1965.
Steps into History: An Immersive Walk through USC’s Korean Heritage!
This annual program is designed to visit and discuss notable spaces related to Korean heritage at USC campus and surrounding areas. The walking tour will start with the USC Korean Heritage Library which showcases unique collections on Korean American history, media studies and other Korean language sources. Other sites include the University Club, Ahn House, USC Dive Tower, Korean National Association Memorial Foundation, Hung Sa Dahn and Florence Sherman’s Church. Open to all students with priority given to students taking Korean language and other Korean subject courses as well as students majoring or minoring in East Asia. Stay tuned for RSVP details.
Heroes and Legends
KSI collaborates with Dir. Christopher HK Lee (CARE Projects) and the Korean Heritage Library to host a special lecture series honoring our Heroes and Legends for their lifetime achievements, service, and generosity in making a positive impact on our youth and future generations within the Korean American community.
This series also serves to preserve and highlight the vital oral and visual history of our Korean American legacy. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet, listen to, and engage with remarkable individuals, drawing inspiration from their stories and deepening our connection to a shared heritage — all while advancing research into the rich history of Korean Americans.