The Annual Gala is KACF’s biggest event of the year, bringing together nearly 1,000 leaders and philanthropists under one roof to celebrate the impact of our nonprofit partners and extraordinary individuals in our community. Funds raised support the Foundation’s initiatives to strengthen the economic security of under-resourced and underrepresented Korean Americans.

Annual Gala 2023 | Power of Jeong
Recap

Honoree: Joon H. Kim – Partner at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton and Former Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York
Trailblazer Award: Kathleen Kim – Sesame Street Puppeteer (Ji-Young, the first Asian American Muppet)
Trailblazer Award: Teo Yoo – Actor and Star of Past Lives

Annual Gala 2022 | Celebrate • Elevate (20th Anniversary)
Recap

Honoree: Joseph Y. Bae –  Co-CEO of KKR
Honoree: Lee Jung-jae – Actor & Star of Squid Game
Trailblazer Award: Michelle Zauner – Musician & Author of Crying in H Mart

Annual Gala 2021 | Visibility • Voice
Full Recording

Honoree: Daniel Dae Kim – Actor & Producer
Honoree: Youn Yuh-Jung – Actress
Trailblazer Award: Awkwafina – Actress
Special Guest: Marilyn Strickland – U.S. Congresswoman (Washington’s 10th District)

Annual Gala 2020 | Above & Beyond
Full Recording

Honorees: KACF’s 2020 Grantee Partners
Legacy Award: John M. Hong, M.D. – Co-Founder of KACF
Trailblazer Award: Lenzo Yoon – CEO of Global & Business at Big Hit Entertainment
Special Guests: Miky Lee – Vice Chairwoman of CJ Group; BTS

Annual Gala 2019

Honoree: Min Jin Lee – Author of Pachinko
Honoree: Juju Chang, Co-Anchor of ABC News’ Nightline
Special Guest: Caroline Kennedy – Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan

Annual Gala 2018 | Rooted in Community, Giving Rise to a Strong Foundation

Honoree: Miky Lee – Vice Chairwoman of CJ Group
Trailblazer Award: Chloe Kim – Olympic Gold Medalist & 4-Time X Games Gold Medalist

Annual Gala 2017 | Celebrating Resilience (15th Anniversary)

Honoree: Chong-Moon Lee – Chairman & CEO of Ambex Venture Partner; Founder of Diamond Multimedia Systems
Keynote: Marvin Myungwoo Chun – Dean of Yale College & Richard M. Colgate Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science

Annual Gala 2016

Honoree: Jeong H. Kim – Co-Founder of Kiswe Mobile & President Emeritus of Bell Labs
Keynote: Jim Yong Kim – President of World Bank Group

Annual Gala 2015

Honoree: Ken Jeong – Actor, Comedian, Producer & Physician
Keynote: Ban Ki-moon – United Nations Secretary-General

Annual Gala 2014

Honoree: Jin Roy Ryu — Chairman & CEO of Poongsan Group
Keynote: General Colin Powell – Former U.S. Secretary of State

Annual Gala 2013

Honoree: John Kim – Vice Chairman & CIO of New York Life
Martha Choe – CAO of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Annual Gala 2012

Honoree: Yongmaan Park – Chairman & CEO, Doosan Group

Annual Gala 2011

Honoree: Higgin Kim – CEO of Byucksan Engineering

Keynote: Howard Koh – U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health

Annual Gala 2010

Honoree: Sung-Joo Kim – CEO of MCM
Keynote: Paull Shin – Washington State Senator

Annual Gala 2009 |

Honoree: Andrew Kim – Co-Founder of Sit/Kim Int’l Investment
Keynote: Jim Yong Kim – President of Dartmouth College

Annual Gala 2008 |

Honoree: Youngsuk “YS” Chi – Vice Chairman of Elsevier
Honoree: Wonil Cho – Former Korean Consul General to New York

Annual Gala 2007 |

Honoree: William Rhodes – Chairman, President & CEO of Citibank
Keynote Speaker: Jeannie Park – Executive Editor, PEOPLE Magazine
Special Guest: Michael Bloomberg – Mayor of the City of New York

Annual Gala 2006 |

Honoree: Dong-Jin Oh – CEO of Samsung Electronics America
Community Catalyst Awardee: Ford Foundation

Korean American Community Foundation
135 East 64th Street, New York, NY 10065
Phone: 332-265-0508