K-PAI’s 14th Chapter: 2026 New Year Celebration - Reflecting, Connecting, and Celebrating!
posted: 24-Dec-2025 & updated: 29-Dec-2025
Want to share this event? Use this link – https://k-privateai.github.io/event-announcements/14 – to share this celebration!
Invitation
K-PAI Community Members, Friends, and Innovators (and EVERYONE inhabiting or visiting Silicon Valley ☆^^★)!
🎉 RING IN 2026 WITH K-PAI! 🎉
What a year 2025 has been! From celebrating our 10th Forum milestone in August to forging our Historic Perpetual Partnership with KOTRA Silicon Valley in September, to launching our Groundbreaking Strategic Alliance with K•ASIC in November—we’ve journeyed together through 13 transformative chapters of AI innovation, privacy preservation, humanistic leadership, and technological excellence.
Now it’s time to reflect, celebrate, and look forward together!
We are absolutely thrilled to invite you to K-PAI’s 2026 New Year Celebration—our 14th Event and a Festive Gathering unlike any K-PAI forums you’ve experienced before! This is not just another seminar; this is OUR celebration—a community gathering where we honor the incredible journey we’ve shared, recognize outstanding contributions, and collectively envision the exciting possibilities awaiting us in 2026.
- Date: January 14, 2026 (Wednesday)
- Time: 5pm - 8:30pm PST
- Venue: Alaska @ KOTRA
Join us for an evening of music, reflection, inspiration, recognition, fun, and meaningful connections as we transition from an extraordinary 2025 into what promises to be an even more transformative 2026!
- Please RSVP via this link!
- Please visit K-PAI Membership to learn about our K-PAI membership for the qualification and all exclusive perks you can enjoy! and join us at K-PAI Members Kakaotalk Chatroom using this info (if you’re qualified)!
Special thanks to KSWAN and LikeLion for graciously sponsoring our celebration dinner! Your generosity enables our community to gather, connect, and celebrate together.
Donate Your Items For The Auction! 🎁
DONATE YOUR ITEMS FOR THE AUCTION!
We need YOUR treasures! Help make our first K-PAI auction spectacular by donating items for bidding!
What to donate: Technology gadgets, art pieces, collectibles, services (consulting, coaching, lessons), experiences (dinner for two, wine tasting), signed books, vintage items, handmade crafts—anything of value to our community!
What we need from you:
- Item name and description
- Suggested starting bid (we want fair value for your generous contribution!)
- High-quality PHOTO of the item
Where it goes: All donated items will be posted at Auction Page as soon as we receive them—giving attendees advance notice to plan their bidding strategy!
Submit your auction donations to Sunghee via Kakaotalk (Kakao ID: shoptyun) by 07-Jan-2026!Both K-PAI members and non-members are warmly invited to donate! This is your chance to support our community while sharing something special.
Donate Prizes For Awards & Games! 🏆
DONATE PRIZES FOR AWARDS & GAMES!
We also need prizes! Help us celebrate our award winners and game participants with awesome gifts!
What to donate: Gift cards, tech accessories, books, K-PAI branded items, wine/spirits, gourmet food baskets, experience vouchers, subscription services—anything that would delight a winner!
What we need from you:
- Item name and description
- High-quality PHOTO of the item
Where it goes: All donated prizes will be posted at Prizes Page so everyone can see the amazing contributions our community is making!
Submit your auction donations to Sunghee via Kakaotalk (Kakao ID: shoptyun) by 07-Jan-2026!These prizes will honor our outstanding community members and add excitement to our interactive games—your generosity directly enhances everyone’s celebration experience!
Evening Program (5pm ~ 8:30pm)
Opening Reception & Networking (5pm ~ 6pm)
Arrive early to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new community members! Enjoy light refreshments as we gather to celebrate the year’s achievements and welcome 2026 together. This opening reception sets the tone for an evening of celebration, recognition, and joyful connection.
The Year in Review - Reflections on 13 Transformative Chapters (6pm ~ 6:15pm)
2025 - A Year of Milestones and Growth
Prof. Jung Hee Cheon will reflect on K-PAI’s remarkable journey through 2025. From our historic partnerships with KOTRA SV and exploring AI’s energy sustainability challenges to examining semiconductor foundations—he’ll weave together the threads connecting our 13 forums into a coherent narrative of community growth and technical evolution.
This isn’t just a chronological recap; it’s a meditation on how K-PAI has matured from technical education into strategic discourse, from event series into genuine community, from local gathering into international bridge between Korean and Silicon Valley AI ecosystems.
Community Voice (Part 1) - The Immigrants Paradox (6:15pm ~ 6:30pm)
Why Korean Engineers Win the Job but Lose the Leadership Story
Sue Kim will address a critical challenge facing our community: why many Korean engineers remain underrecognized in leadership tracks—not due to capability, but due to narrative, visibility, and cultural communication gaps.
Drawing from her 25+ years of experience working closely with U.S. CEOs and executive teams in Silicon Valley’s semiconductor industry, Sue will explore • how technical excellence alone doesn’t guarantee leadership recognition • the role of narrative, storytelling, and executive communication in career advancement • cultural communication gaps that hinder visibility and sponsorship • practical strategies for self-advocacy and building executive presence • the importance of broadening diverse voices within our community.
Sue’s presentation bridges individual career development with K-PAI’s community aspirations—reminding us that our collective success depends on creating pathways where Korean engineers not only excel technically but also lead strategically, shaping the future of technology with their unique perspectives and voices.
This segment naturally flows into broader community aspirations: What does K-PAI need to do to support members’ professional growth? How can we collectively address systemic barriers? What dreams do members harbor for what K-PAI might become?
Community Voice (Part 2) - The Philosophy of Community Recognition (6:30pm ~ 6:45pm)
What Makes Our Community Exceptional
MiSook Chung will share reflections on what defines excellence in our community—the values we celebrate, the contributions that matter, and the spirit that makes K-PAI more than just a professional network. This presentation will frame the evening’s awards ceremony, articulating the philosophy behind how we recognize and honor outstanding community members.
MiSook’s humanistic perspective will remind us that an advanced AI community is defined not by technological sophistication alone, but by how we use innovation to serve humanity with compassion, dignity, and wisdom.
This segment sets the conceptual foundation for understanding why certain contributions deserve celebration, and what we collectively aspire to embody as a community.
Vision 2026 - K-PAI’s Strategic Direction (6:45pm ~ 7pm)
Where We’re Heading - Themes, Partnerships, and Ambitions
Chanik Park will articulate K-PAI’s vision for 2026—the themes we’ll explore, the partnerships we’ll cultivate, the initiatives we’ll launch, and the impact we aspire to create. Building on 2025’s foundation (strategic alliance with KOTRA SV and established presence as Silicon Valley’s premier AI discourse venue), what new frontiers await?
Expect insights into • planned forum themes addressing emerging AI challenges • potential new strategic partnerships expanding K-PAI’s ecosystem • community initiatives deepening member engagement and collaboration • international dimensions connecting global AI innovation hubs • mechanisms for translating K-PAI insights into actionable impact.
This session invites YOUR input! Chanik’s vision provides direction, but K-PAI’s future is collectively shaped. Your participation tonight literally influences what topics we explore, which partnerships we pursue, and how our community evolves.
Holistic Synthesis - The AI Landscape through K-PAI’s Lens (7pm ~ 7:15pm)
13 Forums, One Coherent Vision - Connecting the Dots
What insights emerge when we synthesize 13 forums spanning security, ethics, law, energy, marketing, semiconductors, and more? How do these apparently diverse topics actually interconnect into a coherent understanding of responsible AI development? What patterns become visible when we step back and view the complete landscape?
Sunghee Yun will provide a holistic meta-analysis drawing connections across • technical layers - from algorithms and applications down through semiconductors to energy infrastructure • disciplinary domains - how legal frameworks, ethical principles, business models, and technical architectures mutually constrain and enable each other • temporal dimensions - how 2025’s explorations lay groundwork for 2026’s inquiries • geopolitical contexts - Korea-US partnerships as model for international AI cooperation • human dimensions - agency, dignity, privacy, and human flourishing as through-lines across all forums.
This synthesis demonstrates that K-PAI’s true value lies not in individual forums but in cumulative understanding—building systems-level comprehension where each new perspective enriches appreciation of all others.
Expect frameworks, mental models, and conceptual architectures that help organize and integrate the rich knowledge we’ve collectively absorbed throughout 2025.
The First Annual K-PAI Community Awards! 🏆 (7:15pm ~ 7:30pm)
Recognizing Excellence, Contribution, and Community Spirit
For the first time in K-PAI history, we’re instituting community awards recognizing outstanding contributions! These aren’t just acknowledgments—they’re celebrations of the qualities that make our community exceptional.
Award Categories
- The Best Ownership Award 🎭 recognizing Outstanding Member Participation and Engagement – K-PAI members who take ownership—recommending readings, sharing resources, contributing expertise—elevate the entire community; This award honors the member demonstrating exceptional ownership of K-PAI’s collective success through sustained, meaningful participation.
- The Bridge Builder Award 🌉 recognizing Outstanding Networking and Community Connection – K-PAI thrives on genuine connections between diverse professionals. This award honors the member who most exemplifies the spirit of bringing people together—introducing connections, facilitating collaborations, and strengthening community bonds; The recipient has made K-PAI warmer, more connected, and more collaborative through their networking excellence.
- The “Always There” Award 💪 recognizing Most Consistent and Reliable Community Presence – Consistency matters. This award honors the member who has reliably attended forums, consistently engaged with content, and dependably contributed to discussions—providing the stable foundation upon which vibrant communities are built; The recipient embodies commitment and reliability.
Award Selection Process
Winners have been selected by the K-PAI Committee based on 2025 forum participation, contribution quality, and community impact. The committee carefully evaluated each member’s engagement throughout the year to identify those who best embody K-PAI’s values of intellectual curiosity, generous collaboration, and community building.
Before presenting the awards, Sunghee Yun and MiSook Chung will share a statement explaining the philosophy behind these awards and what they represent for our community’s spirit and aspirations.
While we can’t recognize everyone deserving acknowledgment, these awards represent the spirit and excellence we all aspire to embody—celebrating the diverse ways members contribute to making K-PAI exceptional!
The K-PAI Community Auction! 🎨 (7:30pm ~ 8pm)
Supporting Our Community While Having Fun
Here’s something completely new and exciting—a community auction featuring items donated by K-PAI members themselves!
How It Works
For Donors
- Members contribute items (technology, art, experiences, services, collectibles—anything!)
- All donations support K-PAI’s operations, events, and community initiatives
For Bidders
- Discover unique items you won’t find elsewhere
- Support fellow community members
- Contribute to K-PAI’s sustainability
- Have fun competing for interesting offerings!
This auction embodies K-PAI’s communal spirit—members supporting each other while building our collective resources. It’s fundraising, but it’s also community building through playful interaction and shared generosity.
Games, Networking & Closing Reception 🎮 (8pm ~ 8:30pm)
End the Evening with Laughter and Connection
We’ll close with interactive games designed to spark connections, generate laughter, and create memorable moments! Expect icebreakers, trivia, team challenges, and networking activities that mix fun with meaningful interaction.
Previous K-PAI networking sessions have been legendary for conversations that refuse to end—tonight we’re structuring space for both spontaneous connection AND facilitated interaction ensuring everyone leaves having made new friends and meaningful contacts.
Why You Can’t Miss This!
This isn’t just another K-PAI event—it’s a celebration of everything we’ve built together. You’ll experience:
- 📚 Comprehensive synthesis of 2025’s transformative journey
- 🔮 Strategic vision for K-PAI’s exciting 2026 direction
- 🧠 Holistic integration connecting 13 forums into coherent understanding
- 💭 Community voice shaping K-PAI’s future
- 🏆 Recognition and celebration of outstanding contributions
- 🎨 Unique auction supporting our community
- 🎮 Games and networking creating lasting connections
Most importantly, you’ll celebrate with the remarkable people who make K-PAI special—researchers, entrepreneurs, engineers, investors, leaders, journalists, lawyers, public servants, and innovators who together form Silicon Valley’s most vibrant AI community.
Why This Celebration Matters
The past 13 months have witnessed K-PAI’s evolution from a technical seminar series into a genuine professional community that bridges disciplines, nations, and institutions. We’ve explored everything from AI security to humanistic leadership, from renewable energy infrastructure to AI-powered marketing, from semiconductor innovation to privacy-preserving techniques—building holistic understanding of AI’s responsible development across technical, ethical, legal, and societal dimensions.
But beyond the content, we’ve created something even more valuable: a community where genuine connections emerge, where diverse perspectives enrich understanding, where collaboration happens naturally, and where innovation thrives at disciplinary intersections. This celebration honors not just our technical achievements but the human connections that make K-PAI truly special.
So this evening is not about presentations—it’s about US. About recognizing each other’s contributions. About strengthening bonds. About laughing together. About envisioning our collective future. About celebrating what we’ve built and what we’ll create together.
Continued Partnership Excellence
🎉 OUR KOTRA SILICON VALLEY PARTNERSHIP CONTINUES! 🎉
As part of our Strategic Alliance between K-PAI and KOTRA Silicon Valley, we are delighted to host this celebration at the prestigious Alaska venue—a space that has become synonymous with K-PAI’s warmth, hospitality, and community spirit!
The KOTRA partnership continues enabling the world-class experiences you’ve come to expect from K-PAI events: exceptional venues, premium hospitality, and seamless logistics that allow us to focus on what matters most—content, connections, and community. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to KOTRA Silicon Valley for their unwavering support in making K-PAI’s continued success possible, and for providing the perfect setting for this special celebration.
Beyond Forums - A Community Coming Alive!
While our 13 forums provided the intellectual foundation, the real magic of 2025 happened in the spaces between—in the spontaneous group meetings, the strategic partnerships, the personal transformations, and the exponential community growth that turned K-PAI from an event series into a living, breathing ecosystem!
Strategic Activities & Partnerships
K-PAI Activities demonstrates our expanding influence beyond monthly forums:
🏛️ Silicon Valley Expert Roundtable with Korean National Assembly Members (October 7, 2025) - COMPLETED
K-PAI mobilized our community’s expertise for high-level policy dialogue! As part of our strategic alliance with KOTRA Silicon Valley, we recruited and coordinated Silicon Valley experts across multiple disciplines to engage with four National Assembly members focused on AI policy, the AI-specialized consul, and representatives from major tech companies. This exemplifies K-PAI’s unique ability to bridge Silicon Valley technical excellence with Korean policymaking—creating tangible impact beyond academic discourse.
🤝 SNU College of Engineering Strategic Partnership Initiative (Kick-off: January 9, 2026) - IN PROGRESS
K-PAI is developing a formal strategic partnership with Seoul National University College of Engineering through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Dean Young-Oh Kim will meet with K-PAI members during his Silicon Valley visit to discuss comprehensive collaboration across faculty recruitment & exchange, student exchange programs, startup ecosystem connection, joint research initiatives, and professional development programs. This represents K-PAI’s evolution from event organizer to institutional partner capable of creating systematic pathways between Silicon Valley’s Korean professional community and Korea’s premier academic institutions.
🔬 KAIST Silicon Valley Roundtable (January 22, 2026) - SCHEDULED
Professor Sungwon Lim, former Ministry of Science and ICT official and current visiting professor at KAIST School of Electrical Engineering, is conducting field research to understand the real needs and challenges faced by Korean scientists and engineers in Silicon Valley. K-PAI will facilitate an intimate roundtable connecting 5-6 highly qualified Korean professionals from industry with KAIST leadership, enabling candid dialogue that will directly inform government programs supporting overseas Korean talent and strengthening bilateral collaboration. This exemplifies K-PAI’s expanding role as strategic connector between practitioners and policymakers.
🎓 Korea University Business School (KUBS) Partnership Initiative - UNDER DEVELOPMENT
Following Sunghee’s AI seminar series at KUBS, we’re developing an innovative online roundtable series connecting KUBS professors with K-PAI members. The opportunity: bridging academic rigor with Silicon Valley’s practical AI implementation know-how. KUBS brings theoretical frameworks and organizational studies; K-PAI brings data-driven methodologies and real-world applications. This interdisciplinary collaboration opens doors for members to engage meaningfully in industry-academia joint projects!
🎮 Joint Hackathon with Krafton (PUBG Developers) - UNDER DEVELOPMENT
An exciting collaboration emerging from serendipitous connections! Krafton’s 100+ AI/ML PhD team is planning a Silicon Valley visit, and preliminary discussions point toward a co-hosted hackathon. Imagine: Krafton’s game development AI expertise + K-PAI’s AI knowledge + Silicon Valley’s collaborative innovation culture = breakthrough solutions at the intersection of gaming, AI, and technology innovation!
Organic Group Meetings - Community Self-Organization
K-PAI Groups showcases something truly special—members spontaneously organizing their own gatherings! This organic growth signals genuine community vitality:
- November 4th: The FIRST K-PAI Bio/Medical/Data group meeting in Mountain View (Chanik, Insuk, Mitch, Minha, Sunghee)
- November 10th: K-PAI meets KABANC in Palo Alto (Daniel, Hayden, Jeff, Sunghee)
- November 14th: Interdisciplinary gathering in Berkeley—lawyers, judges, engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs!
- November 15th: K-PAI + Institute for Information Communication Technology Planning and Evaluation (IITP) in Morgan Hill
- November 27th: Early morning breakfast in Seoul (June Hee, Chanik, Sunghee)
- December 5th: Flash meetup in Santa Clara (Jae Chul, Goonho, Wonpyo, Sunghee)
Personal Transformations: Individual Impact Stories
To Me, K-PAI is… captures profound personal journeys enabled by our community:
These aren’t just networking success stories—they’re life trajectory changes enabled by a community that genuinely cares about human flourishing alongside technical excellence.
Explosive Committee Growth: 4 → 20! 🚀
Perhaps the most tangible evidence of K-PAI’s evolution: our committee has quintupled from 4 original organizers to 20 dedicated members ★^^★
Twenty people dedicating their time and expertise to make [K-PAI](/) exceptional—that's not just organizational growth, that's a movement!The Compound Effect
When you combine:
- 13 transformative forums covering AI’s complete landscape
- Strategic partnerships with KOTRA SV, K•ASIC, KUBS, Krafton
- High-level policy engagement (National Assembly roundtables)
- Organic group meetings self-organizing across specializations
- Individual member transformations (students → professionals, professionals → entrepreneurs)
- Committee scaling 5x (4 → 20 dedicated volunteers)
- Membership structure formalizing community tiers and benefits
So when you attend the New Year Party, you’re not just celebrating what K-PAI did in 2025—you’re celebrating what K-PAI has BECOME, and the infinite possibilities that emergence creates for 2026 and beyond!
Target Audience
Everyone who is or wants to be part of the K-PAI community!
- Current K-PAI members (you’re the guests of honor!)
- Past forum attendees (welcome back!)
- Anyone interested in joining our community
- Friends and colleagues of K-PAI members
- Technology professionals across all domains
- Anyone passionate about responsible AI development
- People who value genuine professional community
Best regards,
K-PAI Committee
P.S. — Seriously, don’t miss this. When’s the last time you attended a New Year celebration featuring kids’ orchestra, strategic vision presentations, community awards, AND a fun auction? Plus, you know K-PAI’s networking is legendary. This is where you want to be on January 14th. - Sunghee