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Category Archives: Koreatowns

Korean bookshop in New Malden

16-Aug-08

Korean bookshop in New Malden

Thanks to David Gomez for writing in with an answer to a question which lots of people have asked: where to buy Korean books in London. Not books about Korea, not books about how to learn Korean, but books written in Korean. My standard answer is that I haven’t the foggiest idea, but that if you’re lucky you can get a children’s book or two in Grant & Cutler. Undaunted, David did his own research, and discovered Book Village (책 마을) at 115B Burlington Road, New Malden, KT3 4LR, tel 0208 336 5916 [Map]. It’s right above a food store. It’s a snug little room, lined with more books than you can possibly imagine, with a couple of sofas. Kim Hye Sun (below) ...
Also filed in General book news, Koreans in UK, Yellow Pages | Tagged | Comments (1) »

Koreans in New Zealand

17-May-08

Koreans in New Zealand

I had known for a while that New Zealand is a place where Koreans have been travelling – and settling down – for a number of years. At the BFI London Film Festival in 2004 there was a short film entitled Eating Sausage (Zia Mandviwalla, 2004), about Korean immigrants in Auckland; while Bungee Jumping of Their Own (Kim Dae-seung, 2001) features New Zealand as a known tourism destination – at least for adventure sports. Artist Lee Hye Rim lives in Aukland, while the Lonely Planet advises that the work of Oh Seung Yul can be found at the new art gallery there. Since I was in Auckland recently on vacation I thought I’d check out evidence of Koreans in New Zealand’s most ...
Also filed in Auckland, Business, Travel | Tagged | Comments (7) »

Cherry blossom festival in Vancouver

25-Mar-08

Cherry blossom festival in Vancouver

On the first day of Vancouver's Cherry Blossom Festival, Jennifer Barclay reports on a recent visit to the Canadian city's Koreatown Driving around Vancouver makes you hungry. There’s a Vietnamese restaurant next to an Indian next to a Greek next to a Korean. That’s especially on the big roads like Kingsway that lead away from downtown towards suburban areas like Burnaby and Surrey. I’d been driving out there a lot to visit some Fijian Canadians whose wedding I was in town for. But I’d read on the Internet that there was a Koreatown in downtown Vancouver, down in the West End, so one sunny morning when I had nothing to do, I strolled down to check it out. Well, I suspect ...
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Toy Stories at the Korea Society

08-Feb-08

Toy Stories at the Korea Society

Having looked in on the New York Korean Cultural Center last time I paid a visit to visit my co-workers at Head Office, I though that this time I'd use my lunch break to visit the competition: the Korea Society. I've always been a little bit puzzled as to why there should be two competing bodies in Manhattan both promoting Korean culture, and having visited the Korea Society I'm none the wiser. If market forces were allowed to rule, the Korean Cultural Center should probably have closed down years ago and its funding diverted to the Korea Society. One of the constant pleasures of watching things Korean as a hobby, though, is that you are always surprised and puzzled. The Korea ...
Also filed in Events news, New York, Other exhibitions | | Comments (0) »

Where to buy books about Korea in Manhattan

07-Feb-08

Where to buy books about Korea in Manhattan

In my expensive quest for more acquisitions for my collection of Korea-related books I am always on the look-out for stores with decent stock. I have in the past been constantly disappointed by the bookshops in Manhattan. The main Korean bookshop in 32nd Street, Koryo Books, caters to Korean speakers rather than English speakers. The collection of books in English there has shrunk still further since I last visited and to be honest is not really worth a visit any more unless you are interested in books to help you to read Korean. As an aside, I spotted an interestingly specific English language manual for native Korean speakers, providing evidence of a favoured occupation among the community: The book contained Korean and ...
Also filed in General book news, New York | | Comments (0) »

Korean Links in Manchester

06-Feb-08
Beccy Kennedy, PhD candidate in contemporary Asian art at MIRIAD, and LKL's visual arts correspondent, writes to remind us that London is not the only place in the UK to get your fix of Korean culture. If you don't already live here and have ever felt like paying a visit to Britain's birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and Indie/Rave music scene, then this springtime may prove to be an exceptionally fruitful opportunity. There are two major Korean cultural events taking place, which alongside the popular Koreana Restaurant ((40a King St West, Manchester, M3 2WY, 0161 832 4330)), and Seoul Kimchi foodstore ((275 Upper Brook Street , Manchester, M13 0HR, 0161 273 5556)), should be enough to entice you to take a ...
Also filed in Events news, Food & Drink, Manchester, Other exhibitions | | Comments (3) »

New Malden Arts Festival

09-Nov-07
I've just been sent brief details of the New Malden Arts festival which takes place over the next couple of weeks. Korean interest is in the form of mime artist Ko Jae-kyung (right). Also, Francesca Cho will have some works on display. 12 NOV - 17 NOV 2007 Art Exhibitions Venues: Tudor Williams, Café 32, Dae Young Travel, London New Days Gallery, Fonetek 17 NOV 2007, 14.00 - 17.30 Open Performances Venues: Tudor Williams, Bar Malden, Malden Centre, Hobkirk House, Waitrose Square, 17 NOV 2007, 10:00 -17:00 Interactive Arts Project Venues: Hairline, Tudor Williams, Malden Centre 17 NOV 2007, 18:00 Launch Party at Barton Green Celebration of Partnership between Theatre 4 All and Green Theatre Company with music (20min) and mime performances (20min) in Barton Green Theatre. Drinks ...
Also filed in Events news, New Malden Festival 2007, Physical theatre & mime | | Comments (0) »

A guide to Los Angeles Koreatown

23-Jul-07
For a good description of Los Angeles Koreatown, pay LAist a visit. Some good pictures, and also a 5 minute video right at the bottom of the post. See if you can work out how to cook a kimchi chigae from the edited version in the video. One day I'll persuade someone to do a similar project on New Malden. Any volunteers? Links: Neighborhood Project: Koreatown - LAist, 19 July 2007
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Tripe, black pudding and a communal sing-song…

17-Jul-07
...but this is no East-End boozer. Jennifer Barclay reports from Saturday's Korean Food Festival The softly spoken Mr Kim tells me he thinks Korean food is the most highly developed in the world, while standing over the searing hot barbecue cooking galbi, beef marinated in 17 different ingredients. His white t-shirt somehow manages to remain immaculate, although he is slinging steaks onto the grill all day. 'French food is seen as the best in the world. The French, they have 170 different cuts of the cow, of beef. Koreans, we have more than 200. Close to 300.' An impressive fact, although I wonder privately if it is a good thing to eat that many parts of a cow. The thinly sliced meat tastes ...
Also filed in Food & Drink, Food Festival 2007, Koreans in UK | | Comments (0) »

A listing of Korean food stores

25-Jun-07

A listing of Korean food stores

Sitting at the counter when I ordered my lunchtime chicken katsu curry bento box at my local Japanese takeaway the other day was a copy of Eat-Japan magazine - a brochure promoting all the Japanese restaurants and food shops in London. The brochure also has a directory of some more general oriental food stores. I list below the ones which look like they do Korean groceries, and I'll update the list as people tell me of more (thanks for the Manchester one, Beccy). In London / New Malden Centre Point Food Store 20-21 St Giles High Street London WC2H 8LN Tel 020 7836 9860 Tube Tottenham Court Road www.cpfs.co.uk Hanna Supermarket 41 Store Street London WC1E 7DB Tel 020 7636 4118 Tube Tottenham Court Road, Goodge Street Jin Mi Food 127 Kingston Road New Malden Surrey KT3 3NX Tel 020 8336 ...
Also filed in Food & Drink, Koreans in UK, Yellow Pages | Tagged | Comments (6) »

New Year in New Malden

17-Feb-07
The lunar new year came to a girls school in New Malden yesterday with more than a few bangs. Samulnori percussion group Dulsori visited Coombe Girls School in Clarence Avenue for a spectacular one hour concert in front of an enthusiastic audience of pupils and visitors -- including the mayor of Kingston. The audience didn't need much persuasion to cheer, clap and generally provide encouragement to the performers: as ever, the energy of Dulsori was catching, and the atmosphere was probably helped along by half-term high spirits. The applause reached its climax when the group's leader took off his top to reveal a well-honed torso to rival Rain's. The afternoon started with Dulsori members parading into the school hall in their full ...
Also filed in Dulsori, Event reports and reviews, Korean traditional music | | Comments (0) »

Things Korean in London / New Malden

13-Jan-07

Things Korean in London / New Malden

Prompted by another query from a visitor, I thought I'd catalogue all the things which people seem to want to know about in London and about which there is no information on this site. Do please let me know if these are available anywhere in central London or New Malden: A Korean public bath-house / sauna A Noraebang A tea shop Korean cookery lessons Korean dating agency Leave a comment below, or send me an email via the contact form.
Also filed in Ask an expert, Koreans in UK, Yellow Pages | | Comments (6) »

A visit to New York Koreatown

15-Dec-06

A visit to New York Koreatown

On the rare occasions when I have to travel to New York to see my US co-workers I always try to pay a visit to 32nd Street. The two places I make sure to visit are Koryo Books and AM Records -- and I also scout round to see if I like the look of a different restaurant. Since I last visited about 18 months ago, Koryo Books has started up a largish VHS and DVD rental operation. And it's also expanded its collection of Korean literature in translation. The rest of its English-language collection (right) remains focused on language tuition, while the top shelf is has a racy assortment of tomes on shamanism and a Who's Who of Korean Americans. ...
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A visit to the New York Korean Cultural Centre

14-Dec-06

A visit to the New York Korean Cultural Centre

The New York Korean Cultural Centre fits well into the chaotic streets of mid-town Manhattan. They're both full of good things, a bit bewildering to the outsider, in need of a facelift, and short of space. I paid a visit at lunchtime yesterday, walking the 10 blocks from my boss's office to the Centre at 460 Park Avenue, just north of 57th Street, braving the depressing drizzle and poorly disciplined traffic. Past a sign which asks you to show your security pass or ring for someone to collect you, you ask the security guard which floor the Cultural Centre is on, and you simply get directed up to the 6th Floor. Turn one way for visas, the other way for the Cultural ...
Also filed in New York | | Comments (0) »