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]
Year: 2009 (page 25)
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]
Concert news: Han-na Chang at the Festival Hall
Lorin Maazel, the man who took the New York Phil to Pyongyang last year, has had a long association with music in London. It’s 50 years since he first conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra, and to celebrate he’s doing a series of three concerts which contain an “emotionally-charged trilogy of concertos” composed by Maazel himself. In … [Read More]
The Gwanghwamun and its many rebirths
When General Yi Song-gye founded the Joseon dynasty and moved Korea’s capital to Seoul, he needed a palace of suitable magnificence. The Gyeongbokgung (경복궁) was carefully sited by the royal geomancers to benefit from the perfect Pung Su (풍수), and at its southernmost point, in direct alignment with the main throne room, the Gwanghwamun (광화문 … [Read More]
Hangul=Spirit: Inspired by Korean Characters
Notice of the upcoming show at the KCC. An Exhibition of Hangul featuring four very different Korean Artists ranging from Fashion to Typography AHN Sang-Soo, CHUN Kyung-Woo, KIM Jong-Won and LIE Sang-Bong 30th March 2009 ~ 16th May 2009 Centred around and inspired by the Korean writing system Hangul, the Korean Cultural Centre is pleased … [Read More]
Kowoon Yang at the Wigmore
The second Wigmore debut by a young Korean artist this week: First prize-winner in the Max Rostal International violin competition in Berlin in 1998 and winner of major prizes in a number of international competitions, Kowoon Yang (양고운) has performed as soloist with orchestras throughout Europe, including the Moscow Philharmonic and the Beijing Central Orchestra. … [Read More]
Upcoming Haenyo film screening
Notice of a screening of a documentary on Cheju Island’s famous haenyeo (해녀) in a double bill of groundbreaking documentaries by celebrated lesbian experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer, as part of the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival: For hundreds of years women on the South Korean island of Jeju-do have sustained themselves by diving to … [Read More]
LKL meets Jasmine Choi
“I’m not used to having my photograph taken without my flute” laughs Jasmine Choi. She decides to fold her arms as I take her picture in the foyer of the Wigmore Hall. We have met to talk a little about her musical career. She is in London briefly for her Wigmore debut – a big … [Read More]