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Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

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Selected publications

  • Booklist: Percussion (9 titles)
    • Jindo Drum Dance Workshop

      This exciting Jindo-Drum Dance Workshop at the KCCUK will be held 14th (3pm-5pm for UCL students) and 15th December (6pm-8pm for everyone). The Jindo Drum Dance is a traditional dance from the third largest island (Jindo) in South Korea, the dance gained popularity and fame by the work of the late Park Byung Cheon. This … [Read More]

      Ollah Life Peace Pilgrimage 2022

      The Korean Christian Bargn Nuri (밝은누리) community return to the UK for three performances of traditional folk music, song and dance on their Ollah Peace Pilgrimage. The Pungmul group 얼라(Ollah) is a group of students and graduates of Samil Haklim in Bargn Nuri community. The name “Ollah” has two main meanings. ‘Ollah’ means a ‘child’ … [Read More]

      Festival Film Review: The Singer

      As is often the case, I was out of town for the London East Asia Film Festival, so I missed the international premiere of the Director’s Cut of Cho Jungrae’s The Singer. I’m not sure if the previously available version has had a formal international premiere – probably not, given the devastation that Covid has … [Read More]

      Interview: Cho Jungrae (The Singer, 2020)

      I watched Cho Jungrae’s 2020 movie The Singer earlier this year online, after being told by a friend of the director that it was available on Amazon Prime. It struck me as a fresh take on the pansori movie genre: instead of telling a pansori tale more or less straight like Im Kwon-taek’s Chunhyang, it … [Read More]

      A review of the Korean cultural year 2019

      A review of some of the highlights and trends in the Korean cultural year, primarily in London but also with half an eye to anything we might have seen elsewhere in the UK. The review is a personal one, inevitably skewed towards the events we managed to get to. Introduction This time last year I … [Read More]

      Korean Sounds annual concert at SOAS

      The Korean Music and Dance Societies at SOAS proudly present their performances they have been preparing for during this academic year. At this annual concert these societies and guest performers will entertain the audience with traditional music. The Korean Drumming Society, Kayageum Society, Korean Dance Society and Sori Society are groups of individuals (students and … [Read More]

      Zadie Xa: A Sojourn Through Saturn and Across the Southern Sea

      Browsing the Kingston School of Art and Stanley Picker Gallery websites today for background on their recent exhibition of Korean-inspired fashion and embroidery, I came across something I wasn’t expecting. In a zone of Kingston University’s website called Cold Protein is a series of podcasts of artists’ sound works, conceived to be experienced in specific … [Read More]

      K-music 2018: Urban Sound, 19 October @Kings Place

      The third gig in this year’s K-music festival features the new group Urban Sound who this year have been performing in interesting spaces such as Brunel’s Tunnel in Rotherhithe: Urban Sound Friday 19 October, 8pm | Buy tickets Kings Place (Hall Two) | 90 York Way | London N1 9AG Urban Sound is a collaboration … [Read More]

      The 2018 K-Music festival: full programme announced

      The schedule for the 2018 K-Music festival has been released in plenty of time, giving everyone the time to plan their diaries. Here is the official press release. Tickets are already on sale. K-Music 2018 2 October – 20 November 2018 Tickets on sale from Friday 6 July – www.serious.org.uk/k-music Find out more at www.k-music.co.uk … [Read More]

      SaaWee Korean Rhythm Project at October Gallery

      An interesting early evening performance coinciding with Art Night. Sanjo Festival NYC presents SAAWEE duo of Korean percussions and contemporary violin incorporating Korean Shaman Rhythm. 7 July 2018, 7-8pm October Gallery | 24 Old Gloucester St | Bloomsbury | London WC1N 3AL Admission free, donations welcome Check for updates on the event’s Facebook page Sita … [Read More]

      KCC July House Concert: Resonanz Duo

      July’s House Concert at the KCC features Hyungi Lee (Percussion): Resonanz Duo Tuesday 24 July 2018, 7pm Korean Cultural Centre | Grand Buildings | 1-3 Strand | London WC2N 5BW (Entrance in Northumberland Avenue) Register via [email protected] Hyungi Lee – Percussion Laura Davis – Flute Debussy: Syrinx Klatzow: Figures In a Landscape Ian Clarke: Hypnosis … [Read More]

      SOAS Korean music and dance society performance

      SOAS Korean music and dance societies present their annual public concert, free and open to all: Korean Sounds Saturday 9 June, 7pm DJAM Lecture Theatre, SOAS main building SOAS London has been a hub for the study and performance of Korean music for many years. Beginning with the Korean Drumming society under Prof. Em. Keith … [Read More]

      Se-mi Hwang with PERC’M in RCM Percussion Showcase

      The first Korea-related concert of the new year features Stuttgart-based percussionist Se-mi Hwang: Percussion Showcase Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall | Royal College of Music | Prince Consort Road | London SW7 2BS 17 January 2018, 7:30pm Tickets £5 | Book here Se-Mi Hwang percussion PERC’M Keiko Abe: The Wave Minoru Miki: Marimba Spiritual JS Bach: … [Read More]

      Zadie Xa with Jihye Kim in Guest Ghost Host Machine! marathon

      Performance artist Zadie Xa with percussionist participate in this year’s marathon at City Hall: Guest Ghost Host Machine! marathon Chamber Room, Level 2, City Hall, London 7 Oct 2017 – 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM BROADCAST LIVE ON SERPENTINE RADIO AT radio.serpentinegalleries.org The 2017 Marathon brought together artists, scientists, activists, engineers, poets, sociologists, philosophers, filmmakers, … [Read More]

      Fringe review: Ensemble SU — The Party

      Ensemble SU is a five-piece fusion group formed in 2010 and led by Jihye “JJ” Hur on 25-string gayageum with Yein Kim on haegeum, Myunghyun Park on cello, Sangjung Lee on keyboard and Deokhwan Kim playing Korean and western percussion (and not to be confused with a similarly named jazz / gugak fusion trio based … [Read More]

      Think Korea 2006 – an introduction

      Think Korea 2006 was an ambitious programme of cultural and other events organised by the Korean Embassy as part of the “Korea-UK Mutual Visit Year”. There was, I believe, a reciprocal series of UK-related events organised in Korea, but I never saw any publicity about it. One event I do know of: the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra … [Read More]