London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Forget-me-not at I-MYU

I-MYU Projects present their third exhibition since opening near Old Street towards the end of last year. One thing I like about the I-MYU gallery is the quality of their press releases. For someone as unversed in art appreciation as me, their materials always seem both intelligent and intelligible, informative without being too high-brow, and … [Read More]

Suju confirmed as LKL’s top drawer

I’ve been trawling the 2007 website statistics for interesting trends. Search terms, popular pages and the like. I wish I had something earth-shattering to report, but the trends in terms of readers’ interests stay pretty consistent. The thing I notice on a daily basis is that the same old (and I mean old) posts keep … [Read More]

The top 30 LKL pictures of 2007 – part 2

Here’s #11-20, in reverse order: #20: Tottenham Hotspur’s Lee Young-pyo: #19: 1970s Seoul: #18: The first appearance of top K-pop star BoA, in her campaign for Olympus: #17: Shinhan Bank’s Manchester United Credit Card: #16: The cover image from Kyung-Hyun Kim’s heavyweight book on Korean Cinema — a still from Peppermint Candy: #15: Robot Taekwon … [Read More]

The top 30 LKL pictures of 2007

Part 1: #21-30 Inspired by the cheap TV programmes which seem to have taken over the evening schedules in the UK, simply recycling clips from other TV programmes (The 100 most embarrassing celebrity moments, and the like), here’s a chance to sample again the pictures most viewed on this site during 2007, according to AWstats. … [Read More]

Welcome down the local any day

A still to go with this current TV commercial: The rather unrefined drinking mannerism brings to mind the classic Boddingtons commercial from the 1990s: and while we’re on the subject, the one featuring Melanie Sykes: Of course, it’s the spokesmodel rather than the product that would be welcome in the local boozer. The general consensus … [Read More]

Kim Soo-hee comes to London

In a top-secret event known only to selected members of the New Malden Korean community, Trot star Kim Soo-hee (below) is coming to London. She will be performing at St John’s Smith Square on 26 January at 7:30pm. The event is sponsored by one of the local Korean newspapers. The event is so secret that … [Read More]

Books to look forward to in 2008

Here’s some of the books I’ll be looking out for in 2008. First, Mark James Russell’s Pop Goes Korea From kim chee to kim chic! South Korea came from nowhere in the 1990s to become one of the biggest producers of pop content (movies, music, comic books, TV dramas, online gaming) in Asia-and the West. … [Read More]

Discussion: The South Korean class struggle

As a conservative prepares to take over in Seoul, in London a Marxist provides some commentary on the class struggle in South Korea. At the slightly anti-social time of 6pm on Saturday evening at Housman’s bookshop near Kings Cross, Loren Goldner will speak as follows: From Mass Strike to Casualization and Retreat: The Korean Working … [Read More]

North Korea – New Approaches

Received from Chatham House: North Korea: NEW APPROACHES The 8th International Conference on North Korean Human Rights & Refugees January 22, 2008 – London, UK Venue: Chatham House — The Royal Institute of International Affairs 10 St James’s Square, London SW1Y4LE AGENDA Language of proceedings: Korean/English Tuesday, 22 January, 2008 09:00 Registration (Chatham House, 10 … [Read More]

The redemptive power of Lee Young-ae

As we all know, Jewel in the Palace is a hit in many countries. It’s watched all around the world. Including in Indian jails. A convict in India has sent a letter of gratitude to a top Korean network for airing the historical drama “Jewel in the Palace,” or “Daejanggeum” in Korean. Narendra Kumar Sharma, … [Read More]

Francesca Cho’s January shows

Korean-born artist Francesca Cho is exhibiting work in two group shows, in London and Bergamo, this month. The London show, Sacred, in the Novas Contemporary Urban Centre London Bridge (73-81 Southwark Bridge Road, SE1 ONQ [map]) near the Financial Times offices in Southwark Bridge Road — two minutes’ walk from Tate Modern — is to … [Read More]

Spring term SOAS free seminars

The event schedule for the SOAS Centre of Korean Studies has just been announced for the current term Fridays, 5pm Room G52, Ground Floor, Main Building SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG (except where otherwise stated) For further details contact: Rahima Begum (rb41 AT soas DOT ac DOT uk) All Welcome These Seminars … [Read More]

Woyzeck comes to London from Edinburgh

As part of the London Mime Festival 2008, one of the hits of last year’s Edinburgh Fringe will be coming to the Queen Elizabeth Hall, 24-26 January. Sadari Movement Laboratory – Woyzeck Thursday 24 January 2008 – Saturday 26 January 2008 George Buchner’s Woyzeck, based on the true story of a poor German soldier driven … [Read More]