For those of you who still have your copy of the FT weekend magazine from 27/28 May hanging about (or who are spendthrift enough to subscribe to ft.com), there’s details of two new novels in English with a Korean flavour — one just published, and one coming up later this year. Firstly, the one reviewed … [Read More]
Month: May 2006
Seoul’s redevelopment and the erosion of Gahoedong
At the London Korean Festival we’ve been treated to images of the revitalisation and greening of central Seoul, with displays of the Chonggyecheon reconstruction. However, there is an all-too-familiar flipside to modern construction projects: my attention has just been drawn to a website which catalogues the demolition of Seoul’s last few streets of traditional housing … [Read More]
Christ’s tomb maintained by Japanese yoghurt profits
An off-topic post, but this story is too good to pass up. Today’s (London) Times is a bit of a mess. Its leader column, trying to say something witty about our comedy deputy prime minister having an afternoon playing croquet with his aides (why that’s a resignation issue is beyond me – it’s not as … [Read More]
Exhibition news: Roh Sook-ja – the Flower Painter, at Cat Hill Gallery
Roh Sook-ja is known as the “flower painter” in Korea for her life-long dedication to painting flowers. Her first UK show at Cat Hill Gallery in London features exquisite paintings of Korean wild flowers. These stunning works are painted in a pigment mixed with stone powder which catches the light and creates the most amazing … [Read More]
Festival film review: Love is a Crazy Thing (연애)
I dreamt last night that I was interviewed about my reactions upon seeing Love is a Crazy Thing (OH Seok-geun, 2005) which screened yesterday evening at the Korean Film festival 2006. Well, actually, it was more of a nightmare. This is how the interview went. CJ Entertainment: Did this film entertain you? Me: No Sorry? … [Read More]
Korean Ceramics – Traditional Yet Contemporary
One of the highlights of this year’s Korean festival is likely to be the exhibition at Air Gallery, 32 Dover Street, London W1S 4NE, 29 May 2006 – 3 June 2006 — juxtaposing the work of contemporary British potters with the work of modern Korean ceramic artists. Stephanie Seungmin Kim, curator of the show, explains. … [Read More]
Korean Ceramics: Arts and Techniques. Or, Why don’t people talk to each other?
KOREAN CERAMICS: ARTS AND TECHNIQUES TALK BY DAUPHINE SCALBERT Thursday 25 May 2006, 6.30-7.30pm at Asia House Dauphine Scalbert is a distinguished French potter who, having spent 6 years studying pottery and restoring antique ceramics in Korea, has Korean pots in her blood. Her copiously illustrated talk at Asia House last night was an interesting … [Read More]
Festival film Review: Lost in Love (사랑을 놓치다)
Dir: Chu Chang-min 2006. Stars: Sol Kyung-gu Thu 25 May 2006, 8:50pm, Prince Charles Cinema “Dull, dull, dull” is how I thought this review would read as I watched the first half of this film last night. It got better, but not much. This is a story about a non-relationship. There were some great observations … [Read More]
The world’s biggest bibimbap?
From the Chosun Ilbo: Students make Korean traditional dish bibimbap, an assortment of vegetables and rice, for 1,000 people during a spring festival at Ewha Womans University, which marked its 120th anniversary on Wednesday. [Read More]
Korean driving
Anyone who has been in a taxi in Busan will understand completely how Korea can be second in the OECD car accident rankings. (The mystery is: why only second, and how come there are any cars left on the road?) It must be something in the blood. Thanks to Tom Coyner for circulating this image … [Read More]
Football fever grips Seoul
With the world cup kicking off in Germany on 9 June, South Koreans are hoping for a repeat of their 2002 success: An image from the BBC’s website (above) and one from the Chosun Ilbo (below). [Read More]
Amazing photos of early 20th century Korea
I paste below the text of an email just received from the curator of the Korean Heritage Library at the University of Southern California. Well worth a look. I am pleased to announce the publication of some RARE images of Korea on the Korean Heritage Library’s Website. The most complete captions currently available for these … [Read More]
Two Koreas’ Top Brass Resort to Racist Mudslinging
A continuation of the ongoing theme on racial purity spurred by the visit of Korean-American Dan Hines to Korea. The more extreme position taken by the representative from the North chimes in well with this harrowing story in Time. The full story is in the Chosun Ilbo here. [Read More]
Bong Joon-ho’s The Host acclaimed at Cannes
Breaking news, but I hear Bong Joon-ho’s film The Host has met with great critical acclaim at Cannes, receiving a standing ovation (which doesn’t surprise me, as Bong’s previous film, Memories of Murder, is the only film I can think of where I felt like applauding at the end). Here’s a quote from the New … [Read More]
Festival film Review: Princess Aurora (오로라 공주) (18)
A whydunnit rather than a whodunnit. From the start, the perpetrator of these rather fun and sometimes gruesome murders is not in doubt, and the film sustains interest by drawing you into why the murders are committed. At first you think the motivation is a rather extreme vigilantism, but as the film progresses the motive … [Read More]
Gig review: Crying Nut play the Mean Fiddler
What can one say about Crying Nut? Anarchic, mad, joyous. They opened the 2006 London Korean Festival last night in great style. While most of the audience was Korean, it was good to see some unaccompanied westerners at the gig, who seemed to be enjoying the show. Maybe they were there to support the backup … [Read More]