A K-Birthday Party
A K-Birthday Party
Story, Art, and Tteok Cupcakes Inspired by A Spoonful of the Sea
Presented by Korean Cultural Center New York
Friday, August 7, 2026, 4:00–5:30 PM
Saturday, August 8, 2026, 3:00–4:30 PM
Korean Cultural Center New York
(122 E. 32nd Street, New York, NY 10016)
Recommended Ages: 6–9 (Drop-off Class)
Spots are limited and may fill up quickly. Early registration is recommended.
Registration Opens July 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM
How do people celebrate birthdays in Korea?
Join us for a special summer program celebrating Korean birthday traditions through story, art, and tteok cupcake making.
Award-winning author and illustrator Hyewon Yum will read her picture book A Spoonful of the Sea (나의 첫 번째 미역국) aloud and share the meaning behind the Korean birthday tradition of eating miyeokguk, or seaweed soup, a dish often served on birthdays to honor mothers. Children will then create their own birthday card inspired by her signature illustration style.
Jennifer Ban of Rice Blossoms will lead a hands-on tteok cupcake making session. In Korean culture, tteok is often shared during celebrations as a symbol of good wishes and togetherness. Each child will decorate two tteok treats with playful toppings drawn from the story.
A book signing with Hyewon Yum will follow the program. Families are welcome to bring their own copy of A Spoonful of the Sea for signing.
@Photography by Jaegeun Park
Allergy Information
Tteok cupcakes contain rice flour, sugar, and bean paste. Decorative toppings may include pine nuts, sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, sesame seeds, crackers (goldfish), and sugar pearls.
This activity may contain or come into contact with nuts, sesame, wheat, and other allergens. Please review ingredients carefully before registering if your child has food allergies.
About the Book
Honoring the tradition of serving miyeokguk on birthdays and inspired by the lives of Korea’s haenyeo, this lovely picture book celebrates the bond between mothers and daughters.
On her birthday, a girl is presented with a bowl of miyeokguk, seaweed soup―instead of the cake she wants. As she stirs her soup, her mother tells her how mothers eat it after giving birth and how it is served on birthdays to honor them; about haenyeo, women who dive into the ocean’s depths to harvest shellfish and seaweed; and how, many mothers ago, a pregnant haenyeo saw a whale eating seaweed after giving birth and tried it after having her own baby―creating a tradition that would continue for generations of daughters to come.
Meet the Guests
Hyewon Yum is a South Korean author and illustrator of several acclaimed books for children, including Saturday is Swimming Day, The Twins' Blanket, Mom, It's My First Day of Kindergarten! and The Ode to a Bad Day. She has received the Boston Globe- Horn Book Honor, the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award, a Charlotte Zolotow Award commendation, and other awards. Born and raised in South Korea, she currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Website: hyewon-yum.squarespace.com, Instagram: @yumhyewon
Jennifer Lee Ban began her journey into Korean dessert-making after becoming a new mom and struggling to find healthy snacks for her daughters. After stepping away from her career as a professional interior designer, she searched for a new creative outlet—one that was both meaningful and hands-on. That journey led her to traditional Korean desserts, where she discovered treats that were wholesome, delicious, and beautifully crafted. She went on to found Rice Blossoms, a brand devoted to reimagining Korean desserts with a modern sensibility, with each piece steamed with love.
Website: riceblossoms.com, Instagram: @rice_blossoms / @riceblossoms_ny