Those who keep an eye on my blogroll (I know that’s not very many of you) will have noticed that I recently added one or two new sites to my list of Music blog links. Firstly, Indieful RoK, a new blog of news about the Korean indie rock scene. Its creators are Helikoppter, aka Anna … [Read More]
Month: March 2008 (page 2)
Welcome to The East
Hungry Brits frequenting central London restaurants for their periodic fix of bulgogi and kimchi will probably have noticed, on their way out, a pile or two of the local Korean-language newspapers. The two main newspapers, as far as I am aware, are the Korean Weekly and the Hanin Herald, though sometimes the UK Life, Eurojournal … [Read More]
Good Evening, Ms. Jiyoon Lee!
Matthew Jackson reports from last Thursday’s gallery talk at the KCC I had assumed that the Nam June Paik talk by Jiyoon Lee would take the form of a tour around the gallery itself. The schedule of the evening was fuller than I had expected, and required the setting of the ‘Sejong Room’ on the … [Read More]
Welcome, Korean Artists
For a number of years, Korean artists in the UK have gathered together more or less formally in an Association to speak for their collective needs and promote their collective talents. They have, for example, lobbied over the years for the establishment of the Korean Cultural Centre. The most recent event to have showcased some … [Read More]
2008 Korea trip – the photos
In the past few days I’ve loaded into Flickr some photos from my recent long weekend in Seoul and Busan. Nothing terribly sophisticated, and I rather overdid the pictures of pretty palace rooves, but I had some nice weather. Photos are on my Flickr page: Busan | Changdeokgung | Deoksugung | Namdaemun There are also … [Read More]
Korean publicity: could do better
This post has been simmering in my brain for a while. And it’s been through many versions. The version I choose to publish here is simply a listing of factual observations. The version that would be much more satisfying to write would be the extended rant that speculates as to why it is that Koreans … [Read More]
Art for the People, Art by the People
Beccy Kennedy muses on an unnoticed exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre: Korean Folk Painting on White Porcelain : Kim So Sun (30 January – 28 March 2008) There is another exhibition on at the new Korean Cultural Centre at the moment and it doesn’t involve vociferous video installations by trans-cultural 20th century big wigs. … [Read More]
Around the Clock at I-MYU
Keeping up their hectic pace of a new show every month, Yu Eun-bok and Im Jeong-ae announce their latest exhibition: Around the Clock 7 March– 24 March 2008 Taek Lim / Yutaka Inagawa Tuesday-Saturday 10-6pm or by appointment AROUND THE CLOCK brings together the work of Asian artists Yutaka Inagawa and Taek Lim in an … [Read More]
Ambassador Ja in the House of Lords
In the very same room where, nine months ago, two DPRK defectors told their stories, last night the DPRK ambassador addressed members of both Houses of Parliament and answered questions. It was disappointing that so few MPs were there (1), but their absence made sure there was plenty of room for members of the public … [Read More]
Nam June Paik gallery talk at KCC
Just up on the KCC website – details of a gallery talk by Jiyoon Lee about the Nam June Paik exhibition. 6pm on Thursday 6 March. Details on the KCC website [Read More]
Together we shall open a road to advancement
Here is a translation of Lee Myung-bak’s inaugural address on 25 February, typeset as I received it. Some of the line breaks may be accidental, but most of them seem to be intended. Fellow Koreans, seven million Korean compatriots living abroad, former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun, Kim Dae Jung, Kim Young-sam, and Chun Doo-hwan, President Islam … [Read More]
The Classic (클래식, 2003) review: parallel romances, social change and a star-making performance
The Classic, thanks in part to Son Ye-jin’s masterful dual performance, manages to be better than the sum of its component parts should allow, but it really is a pity that a film as gorgeous as this is prevented by the contrivances and problems present from being as truly memorable as it could so easily have been. [Read More]
Christmas in August (8월의 크리스마스, 1998) review: unspoken love and quiet heartbreak
Hur Jin-ho’s landmark melodrama eschews gushing sentimentality for a delicate, understated exploration of love and mortality. One of his most accessible films, and his most famous, Christmas in August is a heartfelt, poignant and affecting story of love and loss, in which the words “I love you” never need to be said. [Read More]
London Korean Festivals 2008
It’s only early March, and I’ve already noticed that people are googling for “London Korean Festivals” in 2008. So here is a list of all potential Korean events in the London area in 2008 which have “Festival” in their title. This is obviously a work-in-progress post; with luck it will, over time, answer all your … [Read More]
March events 2008
Academia and discussions The last SOAS Centre for Korean Studies Friday seminar is on 7 March – Kevin Gray of Sussex University talks on Democracy, Neoliberalism and the Crisis of the Korean Labour Movement. 5pm, G52, Main Building, SOAS. Former UK ambassador to Seoul Warwick Morris addresses the Korea Discussion Group at Chatham House on … [Read More]