Lee Young-ae secretly tied the knot with a Korean-American businessman in the U.S. on 24 August. The wedding was attended only by family and close friends, and was held in the U.S. because the bridegroom’s family lives there. Source: Chosun Ilbo # [Read More]
Year: 2009 (page 14)
North Korean labourers in Russia
North Koreans labouring in Russia's timber camps: the UK connection, on Newsnight tonight: http://bit.ly/3wAaFJ # The full video can now be viewed here http://bit.ly/s6YvM # Note the Hwang Byung-ki soundtrack. And another BBC report from Vladivostok, ten years later [Read More]
A Scoop of Korea at Thames Festival 2009
As Chuseok approaches, it’s time once again for the Thames Festival: 12-13 September. This will be the third year that there has been a significant Korean presence. The amazing Dulsori led the way three years ago; last year the high-profile item was Jump. This year we get the musical essence of contemporary Korea, Sorea: a … [Read More]
A Chuseok dinner with the Anglo Korean Society
I can’t believe that Chuseok is almost upon us already. As last year, the Anglo-Korean Society is holding a Chuseok dinner for members and their guests. Details as follows: Chuseok with the AKS Thursday 17th September 2009, 6.30pm Young Bean Restaurant 2-3 Bassishaw Highwalk, London, EC2V 5DS [Map] (at highwalk level, on the south side … [Read More]
Son, My Enemy screens at the KCC
This Thursday’s film at the KCC is Oh Sang-hoon’s 파송송 계란탁 (2004), variously known as “Son, My Enemy” and “Cracked Eggs and Noodles”. Son, My Enemy (파송송 계란탁) Director: Oh Sang-hun (2004, 107min) Thurday 27th August 2009, 7:00pm, Multi-purpose Hall, KCC Event: Korean noodle with Kimchi, 6:00pm Free Pre-registration is required with the KCC by … [Read More]
Yang Yong-eun’s competition philosophy
Congratulations to Yang Yong-eun on winning the US PGA golf championship http://bit.ly/2Jw6M #. “It’s not like you’re in an octagon where you’re fighting against Tiger and he’s going to bite you, or swing at you with his 9-iron,” Yang said through an interpreter. “The worst that I could do was just lose to Tiger. So … [Read More]
Why North Korea is unlikely ever to produce a Solzhenitsyn
Christian Oliver reviews “Long Road Home: Testimony of a North Korean Camp Survivor” in the weekend FT #. He observes: It is not uncommon for South Korean missionaries to meet defectors as soon as they flee into China, and for memoirs by penal camp survivors to end with the authors turning to Christianity. But Kim’s … [Read More]
Seoul is slacking
Seoul is slacking – beaten into second place by Cairo in hours worked per year according to the 2009 edition of the annual UBS Prices and Earnings report. # People in Seoul worked an average 2,312 hours a year, ranking second among residents of 73 major cities around the world. Cairenes were first with 2,373 … [Read More]
A meeting with Brother Anthony
LKL talks to Brother Anthony on poetry, tea, temple stays and romanisation Wednesday 22 July 2009 On the twelfth floor of an anonymous building in the Sincheon area of Seoul there’s an overcrowded study. From a cassette player in the corner wafts the soothing sounds of kayageum and daegeum sanjo. Books line every available inch … [Read More]
North Korea’s role in Robert Mugabe’s power grab
“Mugabe managed to win … because he had the Fifth North Korean Brigade working for him” Sir Jim Spicer on today’s Saturday Live, 18:02 in http://bit.ly/MAPrC #. And the full quote: “Mugabe managed to win not because of Mugabe but because he had the Fifth North Korean Brigade working for him, who then went on … [Read More]
Paju Book City in the FT
A city dedicated to books and print – Paju Book City is featured in the FT today. What other paper provides such coverage? http://bit.ly/10cwDH #: [Read More]
The rebirth of the sijo?
Sijo poetry form captures Harvard professor’s imagination: The Boston Globe has a feature on David McCann; and a few readers tried their hands at composing: http://bit.ly/ujtqy # With its three lines, sijo resembles haiku, but the sijo poet has more room to develop a theme, narrative, or image before twisting and resolving it in the … [Read More]
Storm Shadow v Saya: Who wins?
Just seen GI Joe; and saw Last Vampire last month. Who wins in the battle of Storm Shadow v Saya? I think Lee Byung-hun wins hands down over Jeon Ji-hyun, despite having less to do. # [Read More]
In pictures: the Kingston Korean Festival 2009
In the past, there’s always been some reason why I couldn’t get to the Korean Festival in Kingston. This year the way things panned out I could only manage to spend an hour there over lunchtime, but it’s a fun day out. A tip: there are two reasons not to go there by car. (1) … [Read More]
The growth of Makgeolli coverage
Makgeolli, Rediscovered in the Korea Times. But why are there so many articles about makgeolli at the moment? Did anyone ever stop drinking it? http://bit.ly/pBOwB #. Plus “Makgeolli exports surge in first half” – JoongAng Daily – and “Makgeolli vs. Matkoli” at The Marmot’s Hole [Read More]
Quentin Tarantino’s K-film watchlist
Three Korean films are among Quentin Tarantino’s top 20. Two by Bong Joon-ho, and not the Park Chan-wook you might expect: #. The full list: Battle Royale | Anything Else | Audition | Tsui Hark’s The Blade | Boogie Nights | Dazed & Confused | Dogville | Fight Club | Fridays | The Host | … [Read More]