Almost inexplicably, when compared with previous documentary screenings, the KCC’s mini festival of Korean documentaries, spread over two weekends, was over-subscribed, with latecomers for one session needing to sit on the floor. The decision to break out the documentary strand from the main London Korean Film Festival has probably been vindicated, and the strategy of … [Read More]
Front Page
Five from the archive
The Tripitaka Koreana part 2 – the Depository Buildings
Matthew Jackson continues his series of articles on the important treasures from Korea’s past The depository buildings which house the Tripitaka Koreana library are unique in almost every sense. Officially the largest wooden storage complex in the world, they are registered together with the Tripitaka itself as part of the UNESCO World Heritage (http://whc.unesco.org/). The … [Read More]
The Concubine (후궁: 제왕의 첩, 2012) review: power, desire and matriarchal control in Joseon Korea
A sumptuous and erotically-charged period drama, both visually and in terms of narrative content, and playing with themes of patriarchy and a domineering mother as well as a volatile love triangle, ‘The Concubine’ is every bit as gripping as it is intricate; as involving as it is involved. [Read More]
I can’t believe he asked her that
The context was this. It was the Q&A after the 4 April screening at BAFTA of Hong Sang-soo’s Hahaha, attended by the lead actress Moon So-ri, the first featured actor of the KCC’s Year of the Four Actors. Tony Rayns was talking to Moon So-ri about how she got her first screen role. Moon started … [Read More]
The Negotiation (협상, 2018) review: a static game of cat and mouse
The Negotiation begins confidently but its early strength is somewhat marred by the later story requirement to have various seated, static characters talking repeatedly through video calls on immoveable desktop monitors, and though the film does largely succeeds in building tension, tension doesn’t always equate to exhilaration. [Read More]
Recent Posts
June events 2026
If K-pop and club music isn’t your thing, June so far seems to be a reasonably quiet month, which after such a busy May is no bad thing. Exhibitions Architect Byoung Soo Cho has a solo exhibition at the Coronet Theatre until 6 June The KCCUK’s current exhibition Icheon and Beyond — The Space Within … [Read More]
Intelligence with Soul: Dr Seunghye Sun on AI, K-Culture, and the Art of Human Connection
Jennifer Paun, who organised and hosted KCCUK Director Seunghye Sun’s valedictory talk at the University Women’s Club, gives her impressions of the evening. On the evening of Tuesday 24 March 2026, it was a great pleasure for me to welcome Dr Seunghye Sun to the University Women’s Club for her lecture, K-Everything with AI: Rethinking … [Read More]
Hangul Celluloid content is now available on LKL
Three months ago Hangul Celluloid‘s Paul Quinn made the shock announcement that he was going to close down his site, taking it offline today, 23 March. He also extended an invitation: So, for those of you who still feel there’s stuff worth grabbing from there, grab it now… ‘coz when it’s gone, it’s gone… And … [Read More]
What do you think about Korean literature in translation?
Long story, but I find that I have managed to get myself committed to giving a talk on how Korean literature in translation is received by English-speaking readers. It’s a bit of a tall order. And while I can of course articulate the ways in which I personally am drawn to Korean literature, why I … [Read More]
Festival of Korean Dance 2026 – programme details announced
Here’s the official press release for the 2026 Festival of Korean dance. This year, festival returns to the Tramway in Glasgow, as well as touring to Bournemouth, Salford and Newcastle. A Festival of Korean Dance tours five venues in its ninth year 2025 Olivier Award nominee Young-doo Jung presents a new work inspired by the … [Read More]
When life becomes war: a look at Park Chan-wook’s darkly humorous No Other Choice
Park Chan-wook’s latest offering is, as expected of the legendary director, a dark and morally complex exploration of its subject matter – overtly the state of the contemporary job market, and covertly cycles of generational trauma and violence. It is dark and violent, like many Park Chan-wook films, but also at times deeply funny. [Read More]
For more posts, visit our Featured Content page.
Recent Event updates
Korea University / SOAS Joint Colloquium on Traditional Korean Studies
The Korea University and SOAS Joint Colloquium on Traditional Korean Studies is a full-day scholarly exchange bringing together researchers from Korea University’s Institute for Global Humanities Research and Collaboration and the SOAS Centre of Korean Studies. The programme features two keynote lectures and two research sessions covering a broad range of topics, including Korean reception … [Read More]
Korean Traditional Painting in Alter-age: Pure and Hybrid
The Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK), in collaboration with Ilmin Museum of Art, is delighted to present Korean Traditional Painting in Alter-age: Pure and Hybrid, an exhibition centring on literati painting as a key strand of Korean traditional art, juxtaposing works from the collections of Ilmin Museum of Art and the Ilmin Cultural Foundation with contemporary Korean … [Read More]
London Hallyu Festival 2026
Get ready to experience Korean culture like never before at London Hallyu Festival 2026. Taking place on 4–5 July 2026 at Beverley Park, New Malden, the festival will bring together the energy of K-POP, authentic Korean street food, fan-participation programmes, Korean products, live entertainment and traditional culture in one outdoor celebration. Held just before the … [Read More]
Clara-Jumi Kang plays Britten at the Cadogan Hall
Tchaikovsky never held back. He asked for his Fifth Symphony to be performed con desiderio e passione – ‘with desire and passion’ – and when guest conductor Ben Glassberg joins the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Cadogan Hall, we can promise exactly that. With its heartfelt melodies and blazing colours, we love playing Tchaikovsky’s Fifth as … [Read More]
SOAS–INALCO Joint Postgraduate Conference: Reframing Contemporary Korea — Language, Culture, and Society
The Centre for Korean Studies (CKS), SOAS University of London, in collaboration with INALCO, warmly invites students, scholars, and members of the public to attend the first SOAS–INALCO Joint Postgraduate Conference, Reframing Contemporary Korea: Language, Culture, and Society, to be held online on Friday, 5 June 2026. This one-day postgraduate conference aims to provide a … [Read More]
Sung Joon: Pop Music in the Gardens
Get ready to enjoy Instagram and TikTok sensation Sung Joon at Pop Music in the Gardens, the ultimate in-person event where great tunes meet fresh air! Bring your friends, soak up the vibes, and enjoy a fantastic lineup of pop hits and original songs in a beautiful outdoor setting. It’s the perfect way to spend … [Read More]
The above events list includes recent updates to events which might have been uploaded some time ago (eg an update confirming venue or ticket link). A chronological listing of all event notices published, most recent first, can be found here. A list of all upcoming events can be found here.
Recent Book updates
Earth Works: Houses by Byoung Cho
Earth Works: Houses by Byoung Cho offers a unique glimpse into the residential buildings of one of Korea’s most influential architects. This visually stunning monograph combines photography, plans, drawings, paintings and models to provide an exclusive overview of this rarely published aspect of Byoung’s work. Focused entirely around fifteen private and rarely seen residences, the … [Read More]
Mukja: Let’s Eat!: Fan-Favorite Recipes from K-Pop, K-Dramas & More [forthcoming]
Celebrate the flavors of hallyu with more than 65 mukbang-worthy recipes inspired by Korean dramas, movies, and music. The Korean Wave, or hallyu, has seen the K-food craze spread globally, spurred by the popularity of cultural exports like K-pop and K-dramas. From dalgona coffee to cheese-filled corndogs, Korean trends are taking over, both on-screen and … [Read More]
The Promised Republic: Developmental Society and the Making of Modern Seoul, 1961-1979
In The Promised Republic, Russell Burge offers a bold new history of South Korea’s rapid development. By focusing on the experience of rural-to-urban migrants who built and lived in Seoul’s shantytowns, Burge historicizes national development as a site of struggle with the urban poor at its center. What would a society of postcolonial abundance look like? … [Read More]
Orange and the Bread Knife [forthcoming]
The thrilling high-concept Korean bestseller about conforming to society’s standards, where one woman decides she has HAD ENOUGH Oh Young-a, a warm-hearted schoolteacher, lives to please – smiling through people’s demands, moulding her hobbies and even her heart to match what others deem to be “right”. But beneath her cheerful facade, the weight of constant … [Read More]
K-Drama School: A Pop Culture Inquiry Into Why We Love Korean Television
From the Emmy Award-winning Squid Game to streaming sensations like The Glory and Crash Landing on You, Korean television has emerged onto the global pop culture scene as compelling television—but what exactly makes these shows so irresistibly bingeable? And what can we learn about our societies and ourselves from watching them? From stand-up comedian and media studies PhD Grace Jung … [Read More]
I’ll Love You Forever: Notes from a K-Pop Fan
Jia Tolentino’s Trick Mirror meets Cathy Park Hong’s Minor Feelings in a meditation that blends memoir and cultural criticism to explore how the author’s love affair with K-pop has shaped her sense of self, charting K-pop’s complex coming-of-age through some of its biggest idols. I’ll Love You Forever: Notes from a K-Pop Fan is a … [Read More]
The above booklist includes recent updates to books which might have been uploaded some time ago (eg an update to reflect a release of cover art, or a new review). A chronological listing of all books uploaded, most recent first, can be found here.