Here are the events I know about for October
Exhibitions
- Forwards and Upwards, the story of the Republic of Korea after 60 years, runs 6 – 13 October at the KCC
- I’m told that there’s an exhibition about slavery in the Festival Hall ballroom area, including photos of Korean comfort women
- Sun Kim (ceramicist) participates in the London Craft Fair in Somerset House, 7 – 19 October.
- The KCC’s exhibition of international photographers – Blight and Hope: Poverty Seen Through the Lens – commences on 21 October
Visual Arts
- I-MYU’s show of Zinoo Park’s work, Beautiful Fake, continues until 4 October
- New Days Gallery in New Malden hosts Seeing & Hiding by Hea Yun Jung, 4-23 October
- The Fantasy Studio project continues at the Liverpool Biennial
- Jaeran Won’s show commences at the Alphabet Bar on 7 October
- Union Teesdale hosts Family in Disguise till 1 November
- No fewer that 40 Korean artists participate in a group show on the South Bank, 16-19 October.
Films
- One of the top ten Korean films of the past few years, Memories of Murder, screens at the KCC on 9 October. The Host screens on 23 October. Both of them are essential viewing.
- The Chaser will linger in cinemas for a few days at the beginning of October. Seriously worth catching.
- A Bloody Aria opens at the ICA on 24 October
- BFI London Film Festival features The Good, the Bad, the Weird (apparently those in the know call it Nom Nom Nom), Hansel & Gretel, plus the latest Hong Sang Soo. And Bong Joon-ho contributes part of an omnibus film, Tokyo.
- The KCC features some animation screenings on Saturday 18 and Monday 20 October
- Saturday documentary screenings continue at the KCC throughout October
Meetups
- The Korean language meetup convenes on Saturday 11 and Tuesday 21 October.
Talks
- Ha-joon Chang talks at LSE on 14 October on the subject of Economic Agendas in a Global Context: Reflections on the Role of Korea.
- SOAS Centre For Korean Studies talks will be starting up with lectures on 17 and 31 October.
- Aidan Foster Carter leads the Korea Discussion Group on 17 October: Two Koreas, Four Crises?
Further afield
- In Belgium, there’s an enormous feast of Korean culture starting in the second week of October and going on into 2009. The centrepiece is an exhibition of Buddhist Art, but lots of contemporary stuff as well including photographer Bae Bien-u and video artist Nam June Paik. If you can get to Brussels on 8 October, the National Orchestra of Korea will be performing a range of traditional works. More details at Bozar.be.
- In Berlin, there’s an exhibition of North Korean Art until 25 October at Art Center Berlin.
- In Massachusetts, there’s a rare opportunity to purchase a Park Soo-keun painting on 16 October.
Further ahead
- Don’t forget to fill out your application form for the Anglo-Korean Society annual House of Commons dinner on 6 November
- And make sure you’re planning to be in London 6-12 November for the London Korean Film Festival at the Barbican. The opening gala clashes with the Anglo Korean Society dinner, but the same film is being screened on 7 November as well.
Let me know what I’ve missed.