(Lupin Records, December 2006) Review by Jenny Wu Casker consists of vocalist, Lee Yoong Jin, and producer / composer / arranger / DJ Lee Juno. While their previous albums are just as fantastic, I think their third is a lot better-rounded. There’s a heavier concentration on vocals in this album than their previous albums which … [Read More]
Front Page
Five from the archive
Summer cooking with Kiejo
Jennifer Barclay, author of Meeting Mr Kim: Or How I Went to Korea and Learned to Love Kimchi, learns to cook traditional Korean food… Kiejo Sarsfield stands in her Cath Kidston apron in a kitchen stuffed with cookery books in leafy Chalfont St Giles. Having left South Korea thirty years ago and lived all over … [Read More]
Conference Report: Modern Encounters and Mutual Perceptions
Thanks to Grace Koh for organising the joint CKS / BAKS half day at SOAS on Wednesday. An interesting sharing of papers, with UK-based academics presenting papers on the British encounters with Korea, and Seoul based academics providing the opposite view. We started with early views of Western civilization as viewed from Korea through their … [Read More]
Suzannah Clarke’s musical diplomacy
A while ago I posted about Jason Carter’s trip to Pyongyang to participate in the annual Friendship Festival. While in Pyongyang, Carter met up with Middlesborough opera diva Suzannah Clarke, who has been performing at the Friendship Festival every year since 2003. Clarke’s North Korean connection is through football. She’s had a long association with … [Read More]
Petal essay contest Salon des Refusés 2
The LKL Editor contributes his own unsuccessful entry into the “There a Petal Silently Falls” essay contest. Ghosts of Kwangju Ch’oe Yun’s There a petal silently falls is an interesting choice for a first Korean literature essay contest. Elusive in content, obscure in characterisation and insubstantial in length, it encourages a discussion not about the … [Read More]
Recent Posts
December events
The cultural calendar is now starting to enter its customary winter hibernation, though there are still some things to keep you entertained before you finally hunker down for the holiday season. Have a good one. Exhibitions A solo exhibition of JaeJun Lee’s ceramics at Flow Gallery continues into January The KCCUK’s winter exhibition New Gen … [Read More]
Kimchi day in New Malden sees unveiling of new station signage
New Malden celebrated international Kimchi Day (22 November) on Saturday in traditional style – with kimchi making classes in the Methodist Church Hall and with kimchi pancakes in the Malden Centre. In the church hall, participants were given a chance to sample the kimchi made by kimchi master Lee Ha Yeon at the classes held … [Read More]
Spontaneous improvisation, exhilarating energy: Won Il prepares Dionysus Robot for London
LKL meets Won Il, who arrives in London this week to direct what we are expecting to be one of the highlights of the Korean cultural year. The work, Dionysus Robot, is inspired by Nietzsche’s philosophy of Dionysus and pays homage to the legendary media artist Nam June Paik. It brings together traditional Korean and … [Read More]
Two Korean restaurants earn TimeOut accolades
Congratulations to two Korean restaurants for winning some serious recognition from online listings magazine TimeOut. First, in a list published this week (Monday 3 November 2025), Miga in Hackney wins TimeOut Best Restaurant in London 2025. Yes, that’s not best Korean restaurant, it’s the best restaurant, period. Their detailed review can be found here. Miga’s … [Read More]
Rejina Pyo in fashion collaboration with John Lewis
It’s over ten years since Rejina Pyo came to our attention at a fashion exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre. By that time, having received her MA at Central Saint Martins in 2011, she had already launched her own fashion brand (2013) and had some of her designs collected by a Belgian museum. She opened … [Read More]
London Hallyu Festival: the Symposium’s culture panel takes a look at UK Hallyu trends
Seeing that I invested a bit of time in pulling together some discussion material for the culture panel at the Korea Symposium on 29 September I thought I’d share some of the slides together with the gist of what I was trying to say. I was trying to trace, as objectively as possible, what one … [Read More]
For more posts, visit our Featured Content page.
Recent Event updates
Twice: “This is for” tour in London
TWICE are pushing the envelope yet again, as the nine-member superstar group returns with TWICE “THIS IS FOR” WORLD TOUR, heading to The O2 on Wednesday 3 June 2026 for a two-night residency. For the first time ever, the group will perform on a 360-degree stage, transforming the arena into immersive experiences where fans can … [Read More]
2025 OneUs World Tour in London
London! K-pop boy group ONEUS is coming to the UK on their tour titled “2025 ONEUS WORLD TOUR ‘H_OUR, US’”. See them live on Saturday 13 December at indigo at The O2 – don’t miss it! ONEUS (원어스) is a South Korean boy group that debuted in 2019 under RBW. The group is known for … [Read More]
JustB: Aqua Halo tour in London
Europe, get ready! Justb is coming for their first-ever European tour, bringing explosive energy, flawless choreography, and unforgettable performances. Fans can expect exclusive stage moments, surprises, and a chance to sing and dance along with the boys. This isn’t just a concert—it’s a one-of-a-kind experience you’ll remember forever. Whether you’ve followed them from the start … [Read More]
KINO “Free Kino” tour in London
KINO, a multifaceted artist and member of the acclaimed K-pop group PENTAGON, has forged his own path with a sound that bridges art and emotion. Recognized for his expressive voice, striking choreography, and fearless creativity, he continues to redefine what it means to be free. With his latest album ‘EVERYBODY’S GUILTY, BUT NO ONE’S TO … [Read More]
[Manchester / Preston] K-QUEER: Intimacies of the Invisible
![Thumbnail for post: [Manchester / Preston] K-QUEER: Intimacies of the Invisible](https://i0.wp.com/londonkoreanlinks.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/k-queer-hero.jpg?resize=120%2C120&ssl=1)
In collaboration with Seoul International Pride Film Festival, this special film showcase explores queer narratives from Korea through screenings and discussions with a director and programmer. The film programme centres on Kim-Jho Gwangsoo, widely regarded as South Korea’s most prominent queer film director. In 2013, Kim-Jho and his partner, David Kim Seung-hwan, a film distributor … [Read More]
Lee Minhyuk: “Hook – Who : King” tour in London
Lee Minhyuk — better known as HUTA — is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, and a core member of the boy group BTOB. He’s also an established solo artist known for his powerful performance style and athletic stage presence. HUTA is embarking on a five‑city European tour in February 2026. This marks his … [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
Everyday Life in Joseon-Era Korea: Economy and Society
Winner of the 2014 Choice Outstanding Academic Title Award Everyday Life in Joseon-Era Korea shows how the momentous changes of the time transformed the lives of the common people. In twenty-three concise chapters, the book covers topics ranging from agriculture, commerce, and mining to education, marriage, and food culture. It examines how both the spread of … [Read More]
The History of Korean Popular Culture
This book is a seminal example of historical writing on Korean popular culture, based on solid data that integrates historical facts and cultural symbols within a broader analytical framework, offering insightful critical interpretation. It explores the history of Korean popular culture that has grown and developed on the foundation of modern history. The history of … [Read More]
I Heard Life Calling Me
Yi Song-bok has been hailed as one of the most important contemporary South Korean poets. His first collection of poems, When Does a Rolling Stone Awaken, published in 1980, is a trenchant critique of the state of mind of Koreans and of the social and political conditions in the country at the time. His second … [Read More]
Ah, Mouthless Things
From the publisher’s website: Born in Sangju, Korea in 1952, Lee Seong-bok earned his Ph.D. in French Language and Literature at Seoul National University, then taught French Literature at Keimyung University in the city of Daegu. Since his first poem, “At a Familiar Brothel,” was published in 1977, he has impressed readers with his opulent … [Read More]
That Summer’s End: Poems [forthcoming]
One hundred and six poems of self-reflection and exquisite beauty—an intoxicating blend of Seon Buddhism and French symbolism, and the first poetry collection from this essential South Korean author to appear in English That summer I stood in the centers of storms That summer my despair burst out into crimson but still I weathered the … [Read More]
Teddy Bears Never Die [forthcoming]
A young girl teams up with a hatchet-wielding teddy bear to solve the mystery of her mother’s murder and get her revenge in this campy slasher from Cho Yeeun, a rising star in Korean horror. Hwa-young never believed that her mother was murdered in a mass-cyanide attack at the luxury apartment complex where she worked. … [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.