Returning to the Festival for a fourth year, the Korean Cultural Centre UK present All Eyes on Korea, a celebration of Korean culture in Jubilee Gardens. Leading talents from a wide range of Korean arts and cultural groups have been selected and include extreme dance comedy from Break Out – an energetic extravaganza, returning to [...]

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September events

by Philip Gowman 1 September 2010
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So many highlights this month it’s difficult to know where to start. Film Hong Sang-soo is in town for a complete retrospective of his work at the BFI South Bank. A cut down version of the retrospective will be touring the nation. Q&A on 3 September in London after Ha Ha Ha, and one at [...]

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Nah Youn Sun’s second European release: Same Girl

by Philip Gowman 31 August 2010
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Here at LKL we’re pretty excited about an upcoming CD release from our favourite female singer, Nah Youn Sun, on the ACT label. If you can’t wait for the European release, you can catch the Korean release at YesAsia. Same Girl Released 27th September 2010 At Youn Sun Nah’s 2009 debut in Munich’s Unterfahrt jazz [...]

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Five Royal Tombs. Destination: Seooreung (Goyang)

by Chris Backe 30 August 2010
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A few days ago LKL wrote about a Silla dynasty royal tomb in Sancheong County: the Last King of Kaya. Power K-blogger Chris Backe reports on a visit to five Joseon dynasty royal tombs in Goyang Just across the Seoul border rest some once-royal dead people. UNESCO certified as being significant to world culture, these [...]

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LKL Weekly Tweets, 2010-08-29

by Philip Gowman 29 August 2010
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For those who find @uriminzok incomprehensible, DPRK's @KCNA_KoreanNews is also on Twitter # Love the percussive use of the ancient geomungo 6-string zither in Jambinai's track "나부락" (HT @indiefulrok) http://bit.ly/bWncLw # The flowing lines of hanbok take on a new meaning in underwater fashion show celebrating the opening of the Lotte Department Store at Cheongnyangni [...]

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Another Sun: It’s educational, but it’s not for foreigners

by Philip Gowman 28 August 2010
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I was chatting to my companion during the interval of Another Sun, the big-budget Korean musical, at Sadlers Wells last night. “It’s educational,” she said, “but I don’t think it’s for foreigners.” I pressed her on the educational point. The plot of the musical is said to be based on the Korean foundation myth about [...]

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Bedevilled to screen at Frightfest

by Philip Gowman 28 August 2010
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Frightfest is becoming as much a feature of the August Bank Holiday weekend as the Notting Hill Carnival. Given Korea’s track record in producing scary movies you can usually count on there being a K-film or two. This year it’s Bedevilled, screening on Monday afternoon 30 August. The stills look promising. From the KCC website: [...]

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The Last King of Kaya

by Philip Gowman 27 August 2010
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Korea is rightly proud of its heritage, and submits the most select elements of its long history to UNESCO for inscribing in the list of important world heritage items. One of the most recent items to have been so listed is the Joseon Dynasty Royal Tombs. They are beautifully peaceful places to visit. Perfectly manicured [...]

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Just the right amount of spice … and loads of meat

by Philip Gowman 26 August 2010
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A lunchtime trip to the Old Justice pub in Bermondsey I think I’d just been given the thumbs-up. I had just introduced some of my co-workers to Korean food for the first time. I wouldn’t say it was representative of your regular Korean food experience, but it was certainly popular with the Canary Wharf workers. [...]

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Korea’s Hip Hop heritage

by Bea Lesaca 25 August 2010
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Bea Lesaca of HardKnockRadio traces the origins of Korea’s Hop Hop culture. Do You Know About Hip Hop’s Korean Roots? Hip Hop in Korea has grown so much over the past 20 years. Personally, I believe that a large part of it is thanks to break dancing, which delivered this culture to a larger audience. [...]

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Concert review: Uangel at the KCC

by Saharial 24 August 2010
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When I heard that Uangel (http://uangelvoice.com), a Korean popera group, was going to be performing at the Korean Cultural Centre I jumped at the chance to go. Recently performing at the Edinburgh Fringe and on a humanitarian tour of hospitals, this last minute addition to their tour was a real treat. The hall at the [...]

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The Jirisan Forest Trail

by Philip Gowman 23 August 2010
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Jirisan is the highest peak on the South Korean mainland, and the National Park in which it is set is South Korea’s largest. Most of the park is in Gyeongsangnam-do, but in the west it spills in to Jeollanam-do and Jeollabuk-do. For walkers, the park offers a wide variety of experiences. For the hardened hiker, [...]

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LKL Weekly Tweets, 2010-08-22

by Philip Gowman 22 August 2010
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Never thought there would be an English language forum about making traditional Korean fighting kites, but here it is: http://bit.ly/crTvaZ # Some typically kitsch North Korean artwork at Vienna museum – coverage in the NY Times. Slideshow is worth a look. http://nyti.ms/bGdDbQ # Question from a reader: Does anyone know how to get Korean TV [...]

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Makgeolli, maeuntang and a fashion show

by Philip Gowman 21 August 2010
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We sit outside in a pavilion overlooking the river as the sun goes down over the hamlet of Saengcho in the north of Sancheong County, picnicking on tiny deep-fried fish with the usual kimchi side dishes, all washed down with makgeolli. We are waiting for the rest of our party to arrive. Morgan and Yoseph [...]

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A visit to Sancheong’s finest potter

by Philip Gowman 20 August 2010
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In 1592, Japan invaded Korea. Their ultimate destination was China, but they never got further than Korea, and they wrought havoc there. During their occupation, which lasted on and off until their second invasion in 1598 was repelled by Admiral Yi Sun-shin’s famous turtle ships, they sent back to Japan in their ships a human [...]

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