For those wanting to plan ahead, here is a list of all potential Korean events in the UK in 2009 which have “Festival” in their title. I’ll update this obviously work-in-progress post as I get more information. Clearly, everything’s provisional until the organisers send out their official press release or put details up on their … [Read More]
Month: April 2009 (page 2)
Recent music award winners
March was a month in which a couple of music awards were announced. The awards which appeared from nowhere were AVIMA, the Asian Voice Independent Music Awards. And recognising the impact of Indieful ROK, its mastermind Anna Lindgren was one of the international judges of the awards. Anna was nice enough to mention her LKL … [Read More]
My May is Made: Nah Youn Sun comes to London
The event that I’d been hoping would happen for a very long time is actually going to happen. Nah Youn Sun, the Korean-born Jazz singer who’s based in France, is going to be performing in London. And she has promised LKL an interview. Regular readers will know that LKL rates Nah highly – her 5th … [Read More]
A celebration of young Korean talent
A somewhat ponderous performance of Shostakovich’s Fifth by an international maestro marking a fifty-year association with one of London’s orchestras might seem to be an odd occasion to choose to celebrate young Korean talent. But when the companion piece is the same maestro’s Music for Cello and Orchestra played by the young star cellist Han-na … [Read More]
The divers of Jeju-do
LKL digests Barbara Hammer’s documentary “Diving Women of Jeju-do”, which screened in a recent film festival in London. Barbara Hammer’s brief documentary Diving Women of Jeju-do (2007) provides an intimate portrait of Cheju-do’s famous diving women, the haenyo. Barbara Hammer goes diving with the women, and took trouble to get to know their ways. She … [Read More]
Escaping North Korea – documentary on BBC
A 50-minute documentary currently available on BBC’s iPlayer service for the next few days. Details below, from the BBC website: This World: Escaping North Korea International investigative documentary series. The dramatic stories of North Koreans who are risking everything, including torture and execution, to escape the repression and hunger of their homeland and reach safety … [Read More]
Making History: Part 1 – The Sillok
In the first of three articles, Matthew Jackson looks at the ways that the official history of the Joseon dynasty was written. At most Korean events I have been to, there has generally been a Korean studiously taking photographs throughout, for reasons that were not immediately obvious to me. I once asked, and was told … [Read More]
King and the Clown screens at the KCC
The KCC’s next screening is King and the Clown, on 9 April, Maundy Thursday. As always, preregistration is required. Synopsis below. The story of the film focuses on a pair of clowns who perform comic plays, songs, and acrobatic tricks for aristocrats and commoners during the Joseon Dynasty. Jangsaeng, played by Kam Woo-seong (Spider Forest), … [Read More]
Concert notes: Jasmine Choi’s Wigmore debut
In the first few moments of a concert you can often tell whether the next hour and a half is going to be enthralling or simply pleasant. With Jasmine Choi’s opening notes of Debussy’s Syrinx, you knew it was going to be the former. Being an item for solo flute, the lights could be dimmed … [Read More]
Four Ambassadors – the official photos
Thanks again to Sylvia Park for her efforts in organising the Four Ambassadors event at the Houses of Parliament last week, and to Frank Cook MP for hosting. Here are some photos by the official AKS photographer, reproduced here with permission. For a full write-up of the evening, click here. Committee Room 14: a panorama … [Read More]
April Snow (외출, 2005) review: betrayal, grief and mirrored desire
After discovering their comatose spouses were lovers, two strangers are drawn together by grief, jealousy and damaged self-worth. A melancholy tale of love and betrayal, April Snow may not be as instantly accessible as some of Hur Jin-ho’s other films, but is a worthy addition to his CV, nonetheless. [Read More]
Event report: Four Ambassadors, and not enough Space
Space was the issue at the historic Four Ambassadors event last week in the Houses of Parliament. There wasn’t enough of it. First, because of the popularity of the event, and the size of the available room, people at one point had to be turned away. Fortunately a larger room was made available at the … [Read More]
April events 2009
Here are the April events that I know of. The list will be updated as and when I hear of the KCC’s plans. Classical Music KoWoon Yang makes her Wigmore debut on 3 April Han-na Chang plays at the Festival Hall on 7 April The KNUA String Quartet compete in the London International String Quartet … [Read More]