Keep an eye on the Korea Society’s list of events. While many of their live webcasts are not in a UK-friendly timezone, the events are online to watch thereafter. Highlight this month is a discussion on the novel Friend by North Korean author Paek Nam-Nyong. The discussion will be led by the novel’s translator, Immanuel […]
Journey Man: an interview with ceramic artist Jaejun Lee
Determination, dedication, precision, humbleness, outstanding results. These are some of the words that come to mind when thinking about the artworks Jaejun Lee (b.1987) creates in his studio after hours and hours spent on the wheel and with his tools. Counting ten thousand followers on Instagram, artist Lee is a young and talented ceramic artist […]
Bang Bang Con: The Live – a joyous celebration of BTS and ARMY
As promised at the end of BTS’ April streaming marathon, the boys were “back in ARMY’s rooms” this weekend, wrapping up their annual birthday celebrations with a live-streamed concert that was watched by over 750,000 viewers worldwide. ‘Bang Bang Con: The Live’ followed the end of this year’s Festa, an event of special daily content […]
The 2020 Korean Literature Essay Contest
I don’t think we’ve had an essay contest since 2017. It’s good to see it return, organised by UCLan for LTI Korea. The contest is open to readers in the UK. 2020 UCLan IKSU Book Essay Contest The International Institute of Korean Studies (IKSU) at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is hosting the “2020 […]
V+A Korean programme receives boost from MCST
Great news for the V&A’s programme of Korean activities and gallery: V&A announces landmark partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism 17 June 2020: The V&A has today announced a new five-year partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Korea. This major grant will enable the redevelopment of the museum’s […]
Book review: Jeong You-jeong – Seven Years of Darkness
Jeong You-jeong: Seven Years of Darkness Translated by Kim Chi-young Penguin / Little, Brown 2020 Originally published as 7년의 밤, EunHaeng NaMu Publishing Co, Seoul 2011 It felt like a long wait. We’d seen the movie adaptation a few years ago (Choo Chang-min’s Seven Years of Night, which screened at the London Korean Film Festival […]
The generosity of art in the fight against the pandemic: six UK-based Korean artists join charity art auction
In these times of unprecedented global health crisis, art can be a source of relief and precious help to go through such a hard time. This is true even more so when over a hundred artists and art professionals from all over the world come together to join forces and help those in need. Among […]
Cereal Magazine: special Korean edition
Cereal is a biannual travel and style magazine based in the UK. Each issue focuses on a select number of destinations, alongside interviews and stories on design, art, and fashion. The current edition (#19) for the summer of 2020 focuses on Korea. The volume covers the architecture of Itami Jun, the photography of Koo Bohnchang, […]
The mysteries of the Abies Koreana
Around 17 years ago, on a trip to Ashwood Nurseries in the West Midlands with the in-laws, I sneaked an unauthorised plant onto the trolley, much as a child might sneak a bag of sweets into the shopping cart on a trip to the supermarket. On my stroll around the nursery grounds, I had seen […]
Rendered Reality: an interview with Joonhong Min and Shinuk Suh
New contributor Federica Ionta meets the artists behind Rendered Reality, the exhibition currently in suspended animation at the KCCUK. Thinking of Korean art, one might recall, for instance, pottery of exquisite quality, such as the iconic moon jars, or beautiful ink paintings. However, not all Korean artists stick to traditional shapes, materials and techniques. Artists […]
June 2020 online activities
Here are some of the new things to enjoy online in June. Many of the items from my May and April posts still remain relevant. Let me know what I’ve missed. Online performance The KCC’s Home Theatre series moves from piano music to chamber music. On 4 June the Sejong Soloists play Mendelssohn’s Octet. Screenings […]
Sky Castle: would you believe, the first K-drama I’ve ever watched. And what fun it is!
People might find it strange that, despite the fact that I’ve been following Korean culture for 20 years now, I’ve never watched a complete TV Drama series. There have been several reasons for this, but basically it boils down to lack of time, and the prohibitive cost of the DVD boxed sets. I made the […]
Gwangju, 40 years on
Brother Anthony is using the time of social distancing to good effect, updating his website with many valuable materials. In readiness for the 40th anniversary of the Gwangju uprising, he has “translated some poems about the victims in Gwangju, written by a poet whose work nobody dares publish” any more. You can find these on […]
BTS provide virtual entertainment for fans with ‘Bang Bang Con’
Over the weekend of 18th-19th April, millions of BTS fans around the world enjoyed a 24-hour concert streaming marathon entitled ‘Bang Bang Con’. The title was derived from the first syllable of the group’s full name (방탄소년단 / Bangtan Sonyeondan) and the Korean word for ‘room’ (방 / bang) and the event was thus advertised […]
May 2020 activities
Live events are going to be pretty few and far between in the coming weeks and maybe months. So make sure you get on the RASKB and Korea Economic Institute of America mailing lists for news of their online events. Here are the talks I’m aware of this month, along with other online opportunities in […]
Mi-ae Seo: The Only Child
Seo Miae’s The Only Child is the latest thriller to come out of Korea, following on the heels of Jeong You-jeong’s Good Son and Kim Un-su’s The Plotters. Seo debuted in 1994 with the short story 30 Ways to Kill Your Husband and won the GrandPrize for Korean detective fiction with the Dolls Garden. She […]
8 Netflix K-Dramas for people who don’t like zombies
With the extra time spent at home, the lockdown is the perfect time for many of us to catch up on television dramas. Besides being a great way to pass the time without leaving the home, dramas can provide us all with a little escapism, giving a much-needed break from the often overwhelming news cycle. […]