First lady joins Korean diaspora in making songpyeon for chuseok, jokes her rice cakes 'turned into mandu'

Kim Hye-kyung, the first lady accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on his trip to the United States for the UN General Assembly, attended a chuseok songpyeon-making event at the Korean Cultural Center New York on Wednesday morning (local time), Deputy Cheong Wa Dae Press Secretary Ahn Gwi-ryeong said.

The Korean American Family Service Center, which co-hosted the event, is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 to prevent domestic violence and support survivors. It operates a range of programs — including counseling, legal aid, residential support and job training — serving as a safety net for the Korean diaspora community.

Meeting with attendees, Kim said the gathering brought back childhood memories. "Seeing everyone here in New York wearing colorful aprons reminds me of the holidays when I was young, sitting in a circle with my mother and relatives making songpyeon together," she said.

As she shaped the rice cakes, Kim drew laughs by joking that hers had "turned into mandu — what a disaster." The group exchanged encouragement and good-natured commentary, with remarks like "that one turned out well" and "this is harder than I expected" as they compared their handiwork.

"When your mind is troubled, working with your hands — like making mandu — helps you forget your worries for a moment and brings a sense of calm," Kim said, drawing nods of agreement from those around her.

One attendee shared that life as a single mother had brought considerable hardship, but that participating in programs run by the Korean American Family Service Center had given her great comfort in knowing she was not alone.

Closing the event, Kim said she hoped the time together had been "not just about making songpyeon, but about sharing warmth." She added, "I hope you never forget that there are people around you who will reach out and be a source of strength — I will always be cheering you on."

Meanwhile, Kim had also visited a domestic violence shelter in South Korea on Friday ahead of the chuseok holiday, offering words of comfort to survivors and encouragement to shelter workers.