Darren Southcott reports from the SOAS seminar given by Dr Martine Robbeets on 20 November: “Korean and the Transeurasian languages: similarities that make a difference”. With additional material from Peter Corbishley Korean and the Transeurasian languages was not the title of a talk designed to bring in the crowds. But slowly SOAS room G50 filled … [Read More]
Year: 2009 (page 3)
LKL featured in Weekly Donga
LKL was featured in a one-page interview in the Donga Weekly dated 1 December 2009. I had a quick email interview with a reporter based in Glasgow about my views on Korean film, Korean food, and the promotion of Korean culture abroad, plus the normal questions about how I got mixed up with Korean stuff … [Read More]
S Korea v Serbia: interviews with Kim Nam Il and Lee Chung Yong
Aashish Gadhvi gets up close and personal with Kim Nam Il and Lee Chung Yong South Korea were recently in London to play Serbia, and thanks to the help of many people who I am very grateful to, I was able to interview two members of the team. Firstly I just want to say a … [Read More]
Before Babylon There Was…Pyongyang
Two thirds of the world’s dolmens are contained in the Korean peninsula. The Gochang, Hwaun, and Ganghwa dolmen sites can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage list. This probably begs the question, from me at least – what are dolmens exactly? They are stone monuments, generally consisting of two supporting stones and a cover stone … [Read More]
Nineteen Years in South Korea’s Gulag
Suh Sung: Unbroken Spirits – Nineteen Years in South Korea’s Gulag Rowman & Littlefield, 2001 Original Japanese version, (Gokuchû 19 Nen, Nineteen Years in Prison) 1994 We are all familiar with stories reporting the horrors of torture and starvation in North Korean prison camps. What we can forget is that over the past decades South … [Read More]
January-March Korean class season at the KCC
Next term’s Korean language courses at the KCC are open for subscription: APPLICATION DEADLINE: by Wednesday 9th December 2009, 10am. via Email only 1. NEW STUDENTS FOR BEGINNERS 1: Wednesday 9th December 2009, 10am This is for new absolute beginner students who have not studied at KCC before. 2. CONTINUING STUDENTS: Wednesday 25th November ~ … [Read More]
North Korean jeans on sale in Sweden
North Korean jeans on sale in Sweden. A snip at $215! The brand name? “NoKo”. # http://nokojeans.com/ After being turned down by North Korea’s largest textile company, the group managed to secure a manufacturing deal with its largest mining company, Trade 4, which also happens to run a small textile operations on its site. Source: … [Read More]
Supervisions at the KCC
Notice of the Cultural Centre’s latest exhibition. Supervisions: UK Korean Artists Exhibition Dates: 4 December 2009 – 6 February 2010 CHUNG Daun | CHUNG Jae Yeon | HONG Kiwon | HONG Kyu | HONG Seung-pyo | JEE Mina | KANG Sangbin | KIM A Young | KIM Hwang | KIM Hyo Myoung | LEE Kyu-seon … [Read More]
December events 2009
Here are the events for December. Featured event Yi Chul-jin is in London for a not-to-be-missed performance of Seungmu and Salp’uri at Roehampton on 2 December, with a more modern dance from Nam Young-ho. Talks The Korea Discussion Group at Chatham House on 1 December features Song Jiyoung on Military-First politics in the DPRK. Michael … [Read More]
Melodrama of the Modern Girl: Jaesaeng by Yi Kwang-su
Further details of this Friday’s talk at SOAS: Friday, December 4th, 5pm, room G50 (main building) Dr. Michael Shin, University of Cambridge Melodrama of the Modern Girl: The Novel Jaesaeng by Yi Kwang-su (1924-25) Abstract: Yi Kwang-su’s Jaesaeng (Rebirth) was one of the most popular novels in colonial Korea during the 1920s. One reason for … [Read More]
Recent highlights on LKL
I hope you don’t mind a bit of trumpet-blowing to thank some new contributors to London Korean Links. Some of them may be one-off, others more long-lasting; all are welcome. Elizabeth Grace covered Stephen Epstein’s recent talk in Cambridge, while Darren Southcott visits Jeju Stone Park and Colette Balmain compares Bong Joon-ho’s murder mysteries. Other … [Read More]
Girl bands through the ages
A disappointing piece from the tabloids – Five Decades of Korean Girl Bands http://bit.ly/608Pro #. Fortunately Mark Russell over at Korea Pop Wars rectifies the situation. [Read More]
Brief review: Kyung Ran Jo: Tongue
Kyung Ran Jo: Tongue Tr Chi-young Kim Korean version 2007 English version Bloomsbury 2009 A lightweight and enjoyable book set among the foodies and fashionistas of Kangnam. A talented young cook is ditched by her trendy architect boyfriend, and spends much of the book getting over it, in a way that is a pleasure to … [Read More]
KIKOs are enforceable after all
Invest Korea Journal: Knock-in, Knock-out (KIKO) contracts may be enforceable after all, but normal suitability principles apply: http://bit.ly/zLXq3p # [Read More]
Jeju’s destiny is set in stone
Darren Southcott, recently returned from a stint in Jeju-do, appreciates one of the island’s unique attractions: Jeju Stone Park In this age of globalisation, authentic Korea may seem elusive and challenging for the visitor to find, but there are many sites which seek to preserve the nation’s cultural spirit. Jeju Island, despite heavy tourist development, … [Read More]
Foreigners’ Favorite Korean Souvenirs
Nail clippers – the obvious souvenir of your holiday in Korea: “In China, Korean nail clippers are regarded as luxury goods. Chinese people like gold, so they buy dozens of gold-colored nail clippers when they come to Korea,” says the Chosun Ilbo http://bit.ly/5nMSMJ # [Read More]