Forest of Leaders: Talents and Impacts of UChicago’s Korean International Students

Exhibition Dates: September 3 – December 13, 2024
Exhibition Location: The Joseph Regenstein Library, 1100 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
Associated web exhibit

For over a century, Korean students have traveled to the University of Chicago to study. During an era of hardships and political instability, unfortunately, many were unable to finish their courses of study.

In 1945, imperial Japanese occupation ended in Korea and, in 1950, the Korean War broke out. Political and societal disorder continued for years, and amidst upheaval, Chey Jong-hyon, founder and former Chairman of SK Group, traveled to the US and earned an MA in Economics from UChicago. After graduation, in 1961, he returned to Korea and contributed greatly to the growth of several commercial industries. Today, the late SK Chairman is widely recognized as an innovator who changed the course of Korea’s economic development, and importantly, through his philanthropy, also enabled generations of Korean students to complete advanced degrees.

Based on his belief that young and talented individuals determine Korea’s future, Chey Jong-hyon established the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies (KFAS) to support the educational pursuits of Korea’s top students. At present, KFAS has awarded over 4,000 scholarships, growing Chey Jong-hyon’s hundred-year vision to cultivate a forest of leaders.

This exhibition, celebrating KFAS’ 50th anniversary, follows the footprints left by talented Korean students at UChicago and highlights some of the lasting impacts they have made in various professional and academic fields.

KFAS, SK Group, and the SK Heritage Museum lent photographs, periodicals, books, awards, and medals for this exhibit.

This exhibition is cosponsored by the University of Chicago Library and the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies.

Curators

Jee-Young Park, past Korean Studies Librarian, East Asian Collection, The University of Chicago Library (2011-2024); now Korean Studies Librarian, Stanford University

Chung Hye Min, Program Manager, Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies

Kim Yihyun, Head Manager, Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies

Visitors

This exhibition is free and open to the public. Visitors to the University of Chicago Library may obtain a visitor pass by checking in at Regenstein Library's entry desk. Get more visitor information.

Exhibition Gallery Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 9 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.; Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Media Contact

For more information, contact Rachel Rosenberg at ra-rosenberg@uchicago.edu or 773-834-1519.