In the final part of our look back at 2011, we summarise some of the news stories which caught our eye. China This year the region’s biggest economy continued flexing its muscles: it conducted the first test flight of its new stealth fighter, announced that it had deployed stealth missile speedboats in the East China … [Read More]
Month: December 2011
A look back at 2011 – part 2
In the second of our articles we look at stories relating to Sports, Tourism, and national branding and marketing. And K-pop and celebrities are never far away when talking of Brand Korea. Sports and Tourism Jeju was provisionally listed as one of the worlds New 7 Wonders, after a multi-month international marketing campaign. Celebrities ranging … [Read More]
Season’s Greetings
Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to readers, supporters, contributors and fellow bloggers past present and future. Here’s hoping for a brighter 2012. [Read More]
A look back at 2011 – part 1
LKL’s annual look back at the stories and events of the last 12 months; this year, a multi-part piece, starting with some heritage, film, and the development of Korean food among world cuisines. Heritage The Ilsungrok (diaries of the daily lives of Joseon kings) and the written and visual logs of the pro-democracy movement in … [Read More]
KCNA on the death of Kim Jong-il
The death of Kim Jong-il has provided many Korea-watchers the opportunity to write retrospective assessments of Kim’s life, and speculations about the future. But it is a commonplace that not much can be known for certain about North Korea. The official government mouthpiece is the Korean Central News Agency. It has reported the ice on … [Read More]
London Korean Film Festival round-up and Ryu Seung-wan’s The Unjust
The 2011 London Korean Film Festival gave the London audience a chance to assess, and in my case reassess, the work of Ryu Seung-wan. Ryu has had several of his films released in the UK on DVD, but he is not as well-known to the viewing public as the likes of Park Chan-wook and Bong … [Read More]
North Koreans mourn the death of Kim Jong-il
Bewildering sights and sounds of North Koreans mourning the death of the Dear Leader – videos on the KCNA website http://t.co/pRK5edK1 [Read More]
KCC wins award for SNS marketing
Congratulations to the KCCUK for winning the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade ‘Minister’s Award’ for Best Performance in relation to PR & marketing on social networking sites. http://on.fb.me/rFO3wK [Read More]
A very different portrait of North Korea — Film Review: A State of Mind
On the day that news reaches us of Kim Jong-il’s death, new contributor Hong Nguyen discusses the documentary A State of Mind, directed by Daniel Gordon (VeryMuchSo Productions, 2004) Relatively little is known about the daily lives of North Korean people, exempting the glimpses into a cruel reality of famine and poverty under the late … [Read More]
London Korean Catholics in their own building at last
Congratulations to the London Korean Catholic community. After 20 years, this morning is their first Mass in their own building, down in Sutton. Till now, they’ve had to borrow buildings. [Read More]
Muse London: media art focus at the KCC
The group exhibition by Korean artists who have made their home in the UK has just finished; now its time for the annual exhibition of selected students and recent graduates: MUSE LONDON Participating artists: Eemyun KANG, Seokyeong KANG, EE, Wonwoo LEE, Sean ROH and Kiwoun SHIN From 16 December 2011 to 21 January 2012 the … [Read More]
Boundaries at C99 Art Project
News of a group show including two Korean artists in Kensal Rise: Boundaries Farid Rasulov | Hyo Myoung Kim | Jane McAdam Freud | Littlewhitehead | Yoonjin Jung C99 Art Project, 99 Chamberlayne Road, Kensal Rise, London NW10 3DN December 2011 – January 2012 Boundaries is a collaboration between Gazelli Art House and C99 Art … [Read More]
Thomas the Tank engine wins Korean hearts
Thomas the Tank engine is second only to Pororo the Penguin in the hearts of Korean kiddies, according to a survey: http://t.co/BGeJONhD. There’s even an exhibition in Seoul right now. [Read More]
Sena Gu’s ceramics on show in Canary Wharf
Nice to see Sena Gu‘s ceramics in Canary Wharf. I spotted her work at 100% Design London this year, and now I pass it on the way to work every morning, at least until 4 January 2012. Pretty and imaginative. [Read More]
Serenade – A letter to the other side
News of a varied concert this weekend in Notting Hill: Serenade – A letter to the other side Saturday 17th December 2011, 7pm St. Peters Church Kensington Park Road London W11 2PN Free Admission Charity collection Serenade – A letter to the other side follows on from the successful classical evening Serenade – Songs to … [Read More]
London joins in global protest against DPRK rights abuses
Last Friday was a global day of protest against North Korean human rights abuses. 9 December 2012 was the 63rd anniversary of the adoption of the U.N. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, to which North Korea acceded in 1989. For many people in the West, the human rights abuses … [Read More]