One of LKL’s favourite photographers has a solo show at Sesame Gallery in Islington, 6 May – 3 June 2010: Koh Sang Woo: True Stories Sesame Gallery 6 May – 3 June 2010 Koh Sang Woo has a taste for controversy. His images may look beautiful, but the stories beneath needle away at the unspoken … [Read More]
Month: April 2010
60% of actresses have been offered benefits for sex
A report jointly conducted by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Korean Women’s Development Institute interviewed 111 actresses and 240 actress-hopefuls between September and December of last year, says the Korea Times. The findings? More than 60 percent of the interviewees received at least one proposal to have sexual intercourse from influential figures … [Read More]
2010: a bumper year for Korean film?
Not so long ago, the Korean film industry seemed to be in the doldrums. Darcy, Twitch and others were sounding notes of gloom that Korean cinema had lost its way. But then things picked up again, with blockbusters such as Haeundai, and new indie films such as Breathless making the headlines and bringing in the … [Read More]
A surprise screening of ‘White Badge’ with Director Chung Ji-young
As previously announced, Chung Ji-young had a retrospective last weekend at Cambridge. Director Chung has been persuaded to stay in the UK a bit longer. Accordingly, a surprise screening of ‘White Badge’ is taking place in the multi-purpose hall of the Korean Cultural Centre UK. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with … [Read More]
PhD studentship in Korean Catholicism at Leeds Trinity
Korean studies seems to be in rude health in the UK at the moment. So soon after the job posting for a professorship at Sheffield, an interesting studentship at Leeds Trinity University College: Leeds Trinity University College, UK, is offering a PhD studentship in Korean Catholicism. The studentship will be to the value of £13,300 … [Read More]
Oh Eun-sun’s disputed climbing race
Good luck Oh Eun-sun in race to be first woman to conquer the 14 summits over 8,000m. Annapurna is the last. http://bit.ly/cDBoAF #. But the BBC reports that her ascent of Kangchenjunga is disputed (HT: James Turnbull) [Read More]
The 2010 Essay Contest – Who ate up all the Shinga?
Last year, the Korean Literature Translation Institute launched an essay competition to encourage people to read Korean Literature in translation. The title chosen was Ch’oe Yun’s There a Petal Silently Falls – a novella which I personally struggled with. In my own feeble submission, I suggested that a colonial period novel would have been a … [Read More]
Tablo interviewed by CNN
by Saharial The dark jumper and checked shirt might not be the average wear by hip hop artistes, but then Tablo of the group Epik High is not your average hip hop star. Well spoken, Stanford educated, he was interviewed on a number of topics by CNN earlier this week including the censorship of his … [Read More]
Exhibition review: Far East Fine Art at the Mall Galleries
The debut exhibition by Far East Fine Art, a joint venture between a Brit experienced in the gallery market and a Korean with access to artists in South Korea, shows promise for the future. The choice of location was deliberate – central and high profile, and, for a start-up venture like this, offering the flexibility … [Read More]
Susanna Kim piano recital in Stow-on-the-Wold
News of an upcoming piano recital in the picturesque Cotswolds this weekend: Susanna Kim from South Korea (presently studying at the Berlin University of Arts) Saturday 24th April at 7.00pm in St. Edward’s Church Stow-on-the-Wold In a varied programme of music by Bach & Schumann Tickets in advance £8.00 (under 18s £5.00) from “Go Stow” … [Read More]
Kimchi cabbages reach KRW6,000 each
Runaway cabbage prices in South Korea are threatening supplies of kimchi, says FT. http://bit.ly/bzIPRZ #. “After poor harvests caused by a snowy winter, a head of cabbage fetches more than Won6,000, a fourfold surge from the beginning of last year.” [Read More]
Bobowrap – a nice gift idea
Bobowrap has been giving away free wrapping scarves. @bobowrap Sounds like I need to become one of your Facebook fans in reply to bobowrap # [Read More]
Concert review: The Rock and Jazz sides of Younee
LKL reports from Younee’s two recent London gigs: The Rock Side of Younee a the 100 Club, 7 April; and Younee with Alex Hutton at the Steinway Piano Festival at Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho, 17 April 2010. Younee is in London to show off the many sides to her musicianship. As a classically … [Read More]
BM Greek treasures in National Museum exhibition
Greek treasures from the British Museum will be on display in Korea’s National Museum from 30 April in an exhibition entitled The Body Beautiful http://bit.ly/bMGXTp # [Read More]
The Avatamsaka Sutra: more Buddhist-themed film at the KCC
Sometimes known as “Passage to Buddha”, The Avatamsaka Sutra (1993) from director Jang Sun-woo continues the Buddhist theme at the KCC this month. Tony Rayns explains: Hwa-om-kyung is the Korean name of the Avatamsaka Sutra, a Buddhist scripture from the 5th century BC. Ko Un’s novel of the same title is an imagined biography of … [Read More]
Korea at War: A Retrospective of Chung Ji-Young’s Films
Details of a mini Korean film festival in Cambridge. Well worth going to. Friday 23 April & Saturday 24 April, 2010 Robinson College, Cambridge Korea at War: A Retrospective of Chung Ji-Young’s Films To mark the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, Robinson College is pleased to present a retrospective of films … [Read More]