NEW YORK — First lady Kim Hye-kyung, who is accompanying President Lee Jae-myung on his visit to the United States for the U.N. General Assembly, joined a songpyeon-making event on the 23rd, encouraging Korean women in New York ahead of the Chuseok holiday.
Ahn Gwi-ryeong, deputy presidential spokesperson, said in a written briefing that the first lady attended the "Chuseok Songpyeon-Making Event with the Korean American Family Service Center" held at the Korean Cultural Center New York. The Korean American Family Service Center is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 to prevent domestic violence and support victims, serving as a safety net for the Korean American community.
Kim and other participants wore aprons in traditional multicolored stripes and floral-embroidered sanitary caps as they shaped songpyeon, rice cakes filled with sesame and beans. "It brings back memories of sitting in a circle with my mother and relatives to make songpyeon before the holidays," Kim said. "I made them with my aunt, and I remember her asking, 'Hye-kyung, what have you been up to lately? Is there anyone you're seeing?'" She added, "It's been quite a while since I last made songpyeon, so I was really worried. What if I can't shape them nicely? They're definitely going to be photographed and end up in the news."
Jennifer Lee Van, a chef and creator specializing in Korean rice cakes who joined the event, mentioned the Korean folk saying that "if you shape songpyeon beautifully, you will have a beautiful daughter," adding, "I have two beautiful daughters." Kim shot back, "I have two sons only," drawing laughter from the group.
Also present were Lee Ji-hye, executive director of the Korean American Family Service Center, manager Bae Young-eun, Lee Jung-mi, director of the Korean Cultural Center New York, Lee Jae-sook, spouse of Cha Ji-hoon, ambassador to the United Nations, and Son Jung-hwa, spouse of Kim Sang-ho, consul general in New York. Kim shared songpyeon, jeon savory pancakes and sikhye sweet rice punch with the participants, and listened to the difficulties they had faced in adjusting to life abroad.
Closing the event, Kim said, "I hope you never forget that there are people beside you who give you strength. I will always be cheering for you."
