Sejong Cultural Society

The Sejong Cultural Society, based in Glenview, IL, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing awareness and understanding of Korea's cultural heritage throughout the United States. Founded in 2004, the organization specializes in engaging younger generations through contemporary creative and fine arts programs that bridge Eastern and Western cultural traditions.

The Sejong Cultural Society offers a comprehensive range of competitive programs and educational initiatives designed to promote Korean culture through multiple artistic disciplines. The organization hosts the Sejong Music Competition, which encourages talented young musicians to explore traditional Korean musical themes and contemporary compositions. Their Writing Competition features two distinct categories: an essay competition introducing students to Korean culture and history through literature, and a sijo competition that brings classical Korean poetry to modern English-speaking audiences. The Music Composition Competition invites composers to incorporate unique elements of traditional Korean music into contemporary pieces for Western instruments.

Beyond competitions, the Sejong Cultural Society provides ongoing educational resources and programming, including online sijo classes for educators, virtual workshops, and the International Sijo Competition open to participants of any nationality. The organization has published educational materials including the "Sijo Reference" book and the award-winning "Sijo: Korea's Poetry Form," which received the 2023 Franklin R. Buchanan Prize for Curricular Materials from the Association for Asian Studies. Serving the Glenview, Illinois community and beyond, the Sejong Cultural Society remains committed to making Korea's rich cultural heritage accessible to people of all ethnicities and nationalities while fostering meaningful cross-cultural understanding.