About Us
About Us
Our mission at K-talk is to provide a vibrant and immersive in-person Korean language learning experience. We are dedicated to fostering a supportive and engaging environment where students can cultivate language proficiency, cultural understanding, and a lifelong appreciation for Korean heritage.
Through dynamic and interactive teaching methods, we strive to empower our students with the language skills and cultural insights necessary for meaningful cross-cultural communication and connections in our diverse global community.
Joyce Kim founded K-talk Korean Learning Center with the goal of helping her two daughters learn Korean and connect with their cultural heritage. Seeing a need for Korean language education in her community, Joyce was inspired to create a welcoming and engaging space for students of all ages to immerse themselves in the Korean language and culture. With a background in culinary arts and extensive experience as an executive director of learning and development, Joyce blends her passion for education and culture to make K-talk a unique and enjoyable learning experience. She envisions the school as a platform where both children and adults can appreciate and learn the Korean language in a fun and interactive way.
Gilsang Jo is an experienced educator in language instruction. He holds a Master's of Education in Applied Linguistics and TESOL from Columbia University and previously obtained a Master's in the same field from St. Cloud State University. Gilsang has taught at various institutions, including Neungheodae Middle School in Incheon, St. Cloud State University, Hills Learning, CIFLTE at Columbia University, and currently at Democracy Prep Public Schools in New York, specializing in teaching the Korean language. His extensive experience and passion for language education make his classes engaging and enriching for students.
Madeline Yap is a Macaulay Honors CUNY Queens College graduate with a B.A. in East Asian studies and M.A. in Korean Studies - Teaching Korean as a Foreign Language from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea. She has had various experiences studying and working in Korea since 2012 as a USAC exchange student, Fulbright English teacher, National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) Summer Program resident director and Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) graduate student. She has taught Korean language to students of different levels and ages for the Korean Culture Center of New York City (KCC NYC) and Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York (KCS). In addition, she has held the position of Korean language teacher at Democracy Prep Charter High School located in Harlem and is currently an adjunct lecturer at CUNY Queens College.
Yeo Rim Sinclair is a dedicated professional with a rich educational background. She holds a Master of Arts from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea, specializing in Korean-French Translation through the Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation. Her Bachelor of Arts in French Language and Literature is from Hanyang University in Ansan, Korea. Yeo Rim further expanded her cultural and linguistic horizons through an enriching Exchange Student Program at Université Paris 8 in Paris, France. Complementing her linguistic expertise, she is equipped with a Teaching Certificate from the Ministry of Education in Korea, emphasizing her commitment to education and effective instruction.
Esther Sim is an International Studies major with a concentration in East Asian Studies, focusing her scholarship on the historical and contemporary socio-political landscape for diasporic Koreans. She has worked with children both as a teacher's assistant and as a private tutor. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys listening to K-pop and reading poetry.
