The Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch (RASKB), founded in 1900, is the oldest organization in Korea specially designed to introduce people to the beauty of this land in all its many aspects.

The RASKB, a non-profit organization, aims to help people enhance their understanding of the arts, customs, history and landscapes of Korea through lectures, tours and publications.

Our members are from all walks of life, all nationalities, all ages, all professions, anyone with a sense of adventure and a bit of intellectual curiosity is welcome. Come and join us!

Lectures

About RASKB Lectures

The Royal Asiatic Society – Korea Branch regularly hosts English-language lectures by respected figures on Korean culture and history.

Lectures are held in the Residents’ Lounge on the second floor of the Somerset Palace, Seoul.

Lectures are free for RASKB members, while a 5,000 won donation is asked of non-members.

An archive of past lectures can be viewed here.

Upcoming Lectures

Title	Date	Venue	Lecturer	Admission
Diasporic Art and Why it Matters in Korea	Tuesday, February 14, 2012 – 7:30pm – 9:00pm	Second floor Residents’ Lounge, Somerset Palace	Professor Hijoo Son (Sogang University)	5,000 won (non-member); free for members
The HMS House: Hanok Restoration and Adaptive Re-use – The HMS Memorial Museum of Literature (since 2007)	Tuesday, February 28, 2012 – 7:30pm – 9:00pm	2nd-floor Residents’ Lounge, Somerset Palace	Architect CHO, In-Souk (Principal of DaaRee Architect & Associates)	5,000 won (non-member); free for members
Competition Dilemma: Has Korean Competition Reached Its limit?	Tuesday, March 13, 2012 – 7:30pm – 9:00pm	Second floor Residents’ Lounge, Somerset Palace	Lee Chong-ae (Kristen) (SBS-TV)	5,000 won (non-member); free for members
Traditional Korean Porcelain Culture: The Art and Science of Underglaze Painting	Tuesday, March 27, 2012 – 7:30pm – 9:00pm	Second floor Residents’ Lounge, Somerset Palace	Carolyn K. Koh Choo, Professor Emeritus, Chung-Ang University	5,000 won (non-member); free for members

For lecture description on Diasporic Art and Why It Matters in Korea: http://www.raskb.com/node/212

For lecture description on The HMS House: Hanok Restoration and Adaptive Re-use: http://www.raskb.com/node/227

WINTER BREAK EXCURSION

Date: Sunday, February 26, 2012 – 8:30am – 7:30pm
Destination(s): GWANGNUNG & SANJEONG LAKE
Cost: W46,000 for members and W55,000 for non-members
Tour Leader: Mrs. Sue Ja Bae

A favorite “break the winter blahs” excursion, this will help to cure that feeling of “cabin fever”! The RAS prescrip tion is to get out into the countryside and back in touch with nature. Our excursion will take us to Gwangneung, the tomb of King Sejo and his queen, located in a picturesque National Forest Reserve, and then on to the enchanting Sanjeong Lake.

Amidst the tall and stately pine trees of the National Forest Reserve lie the tombs of King Sejo and his queen. King Sejo, 7th Monarch of the Yi Dynasty, is considered to have reigned quite successfully and is credited for having made many reforms and improvements for the country, if one can overlook the way in which he ascended the throne. He is remembered most for murdering his young nephew Tanjong, the 6th Joseon ruler, in order to become king. This impressive tomb site is considered by many as the most beautiful of all the Yi Dynasty Royal Tombs.

Sanjeong Lake was created artificially as an agricultural reservoir in 1925, and was designated a national tourist attraction in 1977. This snow-covered frozen lake brings to mind images of a winter landscape on a Korean hanging scroll. Along the lakeshore above the dam are shops offering boat rentals in summer, and skates rentals in winter for those wanting to enjoy skating on the frozen lake. There is a wonderful walking path of about 6 kilometers around the lake. Mountains rise steeply from the lake’s edge, and the highest is Myeongseong-san. On the slopes of the mountain are hiking trails and the Jain-sa Temple. The snow brings out the spectacular beauty of the granite mountain. This area, which is north of the 38th Parallel, was part of North Korea when the country was first divided. North Korean strongman Kim Il-sung had a summer home built along the southern perimeter of this lake. The summer home was destroyed as a result of the war. You can taste some popular Korean dishes (maeun-tang, a spicy fish stew, bibimbap and oth ers) on the spot or bring your own lunch. After lunch, we will have the option of ice-skating or hiking around the lake, which takes about one hour. Be sure to dress warmly and bring hiking shoes or skates if you own them.

Please make your reservation by Tuesday, February 21, 2012.