From Artist to Leader: Building a Cultural Legacy in America
In this presentation, Dr. Aedeok Lee Cho shares her journey from a Korean traditional dance artist to a cultural leader in the United States, guided by one central question: How can Korean culture move beyond one-time performances and truly take root in America?
When Dr. Cho began her work in the United States, Korean traditional arts were still not widely understood, and opportunities to experience them authentically were limited. Rather than relying only on artists brought from Korea for one-time performances, she believed that building a strong local foundation—artists, educators, organizations, and resources—was essential for Korean culture to be represented with authenticity and artistic excellence over time.
Since founding the Chicago Korean Dance Company in 2009, Dr. Cho has grown the organization from five dancers into a community of more than 50 artists and students. Her work has expanded beyond performance to teaching and mentoring, developing cultural resources, building community partnerships, and creating opportunities for the next generation. Recognizing the lack of accessible English-language resources on Korean traditional arts, she also helped develop bilingual Korean-English educational materials and shared them with libraries and communities in the United States.
Through her own challenges, turning points, and lessons learned, Dr. Cho will explore what it takes to build a sustainable cultural organization in America. Her story invites participants to think beyond simply showing Korean culture and toward building the people, organizations, and resources that allow it to take root, grow, and be carried forward by future generations.
How should the session run?
Presentation
Preferred language
Korean
Who is this for?
Artists, cultural leaders, educators, and community organizers who are passionate about sharing Korean culture in the United States and beyond. This session is especially for those asking how we can move beyond one-time cultural events and build a sustainable foundation for presenting Korean culture with authenticity, quality, and continuity.
Why the host can lead this
When I began my work in the United States, one of my biggest questions was how to present Korean traditional culture authentically in a place where it was still not widely understood. I wanted to go beyond bringing artists from Korea for one-time performances. My goal was to build something here—a professional community that could represent Korean culture with authenticity and artistic excellence over time. As founder and artistic director of the Chicago Korean Dance Company, I brought together and developed artists, built an organization, created educational resources, and expanded opportunities for performance, education, and cultural exchange. Through this journey, I learned what is truly needed to introduce Korean culture to American audiences—not only talented artists, but also leadership, education, organization, community relationships, and a long-term vision.
What you will take away
Participants will gain practical insights into what it takes to introduce Korean culture authentically and sustainably in the United States. I will share lessons from building a Korean traditional arts organization from the ground up—how to find and develop the right people, build an organization, connect with local communities, educate audiences, and create opportunities for the next generation. Most importantly, participants will be encouraged to think beyond simply “showing” Korean culture and toward building the people, organizations, and systems that allow it to take root and grow.
