Royal Asiatic Society Korea

LECTURE TITLE:
'The Korean Diaspora in Korea: Koryo-In Communities and Diasporic Identity'

SPEAKER: Nathalie Marver-Kwon

DATE: Wednesday. October 14, 2026. 7:20PM (Seoul)
VENUE: Seoul Public Activities Center (SPAC, 서울시공익활동지원센터). ‘다목적홀’ (For more information, see below.)

SUMMARY:
Drawing on 9 months of ethnographic fieldwork, this presentation will cover the history and diversity of Koryo-In communities in South Korea. Koryo-In are ethnic Koreans from the former Soviet Union, whose native language is Russian. Since the early 2000s, some of their population has chosen to settle in South Korea on coethnic visas. Today, they number over 100,000, largely in Ansan, Incheon, and greater Gyeonggi-do.
The speaker will present a short history of the diaspora followed by a closer look at the social issues they face as permanent residents in South Korea. How do language and geography affect the diaspora’s sense of collective identity? What is the current state of relations between different parts of the Korean diaspora living in Korea? The speaker will then delve into the specifics of her research, which examines the role of churches and schools in transnational migration support networks.

BIO:
Nathalie Marver-Kwon is a visiting researcher at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies who specializes in Korean diaspora history. She arrived in Seoul a year ago on a Fulbright grant to study the return migration of overseas Koreans. Before moving to Korea, she worked as a research consultant at the United States Institute of Peace, in Washington, DC, and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland. Nathalie studied international relations and history in Washington, DC, and Almaty, Kazakhstan, and is professionally proficient in Russian.

ADMISSION (Online & In-person):
Free for RAS Korea Lifetime and Annual Members; W10,000 for Non-members; W5,000 for Non-member students (Student ID requested)

EXCURSION THEME:
'Exploring the History and Environs of Dongdaemun Market'

LEADER: Matt VanVolkenburg

DATE: Saturday. October 17, 2025. 2:00-5:00PM

DESTINATION: Dongdaemun area

COST: W25,000 for RAS Korea Lifetime and Annual Members; W30,000 for Non-members

MEETING POINT: At the top of Exit 1 of Dongdaemun Station (동대문역, Subway Lines No. 1 and 4) at 2:00PM

Dongdaemun Market is one of Seoul’s best-known and largest markets. Founded in 1905, it has a fascinating history, and the surrounding area is packed with markets, vanished pieces of urban infrastructure, and remnants of the Seoul fortress wall and its gates. In addition to Dongdaemun Market, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Jongno Sinjin Market, and Dongmyo Flea Market, there are markets specializing in toys, shoes, and pet birds and fish, while around the Seoul Flea Market you can find almost anything imaginable, from tools and audio and video cassettes to old electronics, LPs, and antiques. The area is also home to a number of distinctive food alleys specializing in dishes such as grilled mackerel and chicken.

This walk will explore these markets and their history, visit surviving sections of Seoul’s fortress wall, and uncover the stories of a vanished railway and elevated highway, as well as long-gone landmarks such as the Dongdaemun Stadium complex. We will also consider the history of the Peace Market, where clothing was produced under sweatshop conditions, and visit the memorial to labor martyr Jeon Tae-il.

Leaving from Dongdaemun Station, we will first take in a view of the area from the city wall before making our way to Jongno Sinjin Market. From there, we will visit the Chun Tae-il statue and Peace Market, followed by the National Medical Center, DDP, the Igansumun water gate, and the Dongdaemun Stadium Museum. We will then explore several markets specializing in shoes, toys, and pets, as well as a food alley, the Samil Apartments, and the Dongmyo Shrine, before ending at the Dongmyo Flea Market.

This walking excursion will set off at 2:00 pm from the top of Exit 1 of Dongdaemun Station (동대문역, Subway Lines No. 1 and 4). The excursion will last until about 5:00 and end near Dongmyo Station (Subway Lines 1 and 6). Participants may join Matt afterwards for a coffee or an early dinner (not included in the excursion fee) nearby. Though the walk is flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended

Note: An earlier and slightly different version of this walk in 2025 was titled ‘Fortress amid Markets.’

LECTURE TITLE:
'Guiding the Dead: Tradition and Transformation in Korean Buddhist Funeral Rites'

SPEAKER: Brian D. Somers

DATE: Tuesday, October 20, 2026. 7:20PM (Seoul)

VENUE: Seoul Public Activities Center (SPAC, 서울시공익활동지원센터). ‘다목적홀’ (For more information, see below.)

SUMMARY:

This presentation examines how Korean Buddhist ritual and cosmology have been reshaped by contact with the modern world. This topic is approached through the lens of Buddhist modernism, examining how reformers and practitioners have reinterpreted Buddhism for a secular age. Building on this foundation, the presentation turns to the Buddhist afterlife, tracing the realms of samsara and the liminal state between death and rebirth into the Pure Land. Next, Korea’s 49-day funeral rites are examined, focusing on the step-by-step procedures involved and how these rituals function. Drawing on two case studies, the presentation highlights the spiritual needs of Koreans with respect to these rituals and how they meet the needs of grieving families today. The talk closes with a look at contemporary adaptations of these rites. Together, these examples reveal how tradition and modernity negotiate one another — and what that negotiation tells us about spiritual life in 2026.

BIO:

Dr. Brian D. Somers is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Buddhist Studies at Dongguk University in Seoul, specializing in Buddhist psychology, meditation, and comparative philosophy. He earned his Ph.D. in Seon (Zen) Studies from Dongguk University and his M.A. in Comparative Philosophy from Brock University. His academic research explores the intersection of traditional Buddhist pedagogy and modern scientific models of the mind, mindfulness meditation, Korean Buddhist funeral traditions, and the adaptation of Buddhism within contemporary spiritual movements.

ADMISSION (Online & In-person):
Free for RAS Korea Lifetime and Annual Members; W10,000 for Non-members; W5,000 for Non-member students (Student ID requested)