BBC’s History of the World in 100 objects: a humble Silla Dynasty roof tile from Gyeongju is featured at number 49: http://bit.ly/bKaU1d #. From the British Museum’s permanent collection. [Read More]
Month: June 2010 (page 3)
2010 Travel Diary #13: Jogyesa and Insadong
Monday 3 May 2010. From Gangnam I’m driven back to my hotel near Gwanghwamun. Lunch that day had been difficult to face – particularly the fermented skate: unpleasant enough at the best of times, but distinctly dangerous if you’re feeling badly hung over. Even in the evening I’m still suffering from the previous day’s festivities, … [Read More]
Love the vuvuzela
Precisely how many "official" Red Devils supporters outfits ARE there? http://bit.ly/9Yxdjx #. There seems to be a new one in the papers every day. [Read More]
Girl bands to be used as psychological warfare?
I love the idea: girl band pop videos to be used in psychological warfare against the North? "The revealing outfits worn by the performers and their provocative dances could have significant impact on North Korean Soldiers" the Chosun Ilbo speculates. http://bit.ly/dbiVx4 # [Read More]
Korean ceramic tea bowls and tea culture
Eunjung Shin continues her series on themes from the past, inspired by objects in the British Museum’s Korea Gallery. One thousand years ago, drinking tea was an important social activity in Buddhist Korea. After Buddhism was introduced from China in the 4th century it flourished up until the end of the Koryo dynasty (935-1392) in … [Read More]
Gunwoo Shin marks the end of his year’s free studio space
Hadn't realised that Gunwoo Shin had a Land Securities Studio Award: free studio space for a year. Tonight was his closing show, near Victoria station. Congratulations. # [Read More]
Seeing Beyond Seoul: Travels in South Korea
Jennifer Barclay, author of Meeting Mr Kim: Or How I Went to Korea and Learned to Love Kimchi, will be talking about some of her travels at the Korean Cultural Centre this month. Jennifer is a contributor to London Korean Links, and there should be several other LKL contributors present in the audience as well. … [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #12: A Meeting with Sorea
Monday 3 May 2010. In an unprepossessing building in a small backstreet in trendy Gangnam is a compact office which manages a gugak fusion band which briefly caught the spirit of a nation. At the height of the Korea, Sparkling promotional campaign, when the Korean Tourism Organisation was promoting Korea as a place with ancient … [Read More]
Modal Questions in Korean and Japanese: free SOAS linguistics talk
A bit short notice I’m afraid, but there’s a free talk at 5pm today, 9 June at SOAS Venue: Room B104, First Floor, Brunei Gallery, Russell Square Campus The abstract below may have lost a little in translation from Word to OpenOffice. Modal Questions in Korean and Japanese Yukinori Takubo (Kyoto University) Summi Kim (Miyazaki … [Read More]
Present from the Past: KCC art exhibition commemorates the 60th anniversary of the start of the Korean War
An important and significant exhibition coming up at the KCC this month, starting 16 June: A positive, dynamic and exciting exhibition of contemporary art by forty Korean Artists, reflecting on the Korean War and its legacy. And thanking the men and women of Britain who came to Korea’s defence in the name of liberty in … [Read More]
Presenting intangible cultural heritage in Bucheon
Monday 3 May 2010. Bucheon, a city of around 850,000 people in Gyeonggi-do just 40 minutes’ drive West from Seoul, is home of the Bucheon World Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo (BICHE), an annual event which showcases some of Korea’s finest performance arts and crafts alongside those of a dozen or so invited countries. The first … [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #10: an evening with Yi Chuljin
Sunday 2 May 2010. I had secretly been hoping, before my schedule was finalised, that after the Jongmyo rituals I would be able to go to an authentic Buddhist dance performance by my friend Yi Chuljin. In a marathon exercise supported by the Jogye temple, he is in the middle of a 100-day run of … [Read More]
June’s screenings at the KCC – the aftermath of the Korean War
Details of this month’s film screenings at the KCC – three this month. In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, the Korean Cultural Centre UK will be offering 3 film screenings through June. After Bae Hyoung-jun’s Once Upon a Time in Seoul on the 10th June, we will be showing Kim Ki-duk’s … [Read More]
Where to watch the World Cup
I seem to be spending all my time responding to email requests and queries about Koreans in the World Cup. No time to write. # If anyone knows where all the London / New Malden Koreans will be gathering to watch the World Cup, let me know # Apparently some Koreans will be watching Korea-Spain … [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #9: MISO at the Chongdong Theatre
Sunday 2 May 2010. Korea is known for its high-energy stage shows. They have a huge international appeal. Shows like Nanta and Jump perform to enthusiastic audiences everywhere, combining acrobatics, humour, music and maybe some traditional culture – though dressed-up in an accessible way. A feature of the shows is that they are largely non-verbal … [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #8: The Jongmyo Rituals Part 2
Sunday 2 May 2010. As we file out from the shrine after the first ceremony of the day, we mingle with the butlers who are off to have a quick breather and cigarette before the next ceremony. Already the queues are forming to get into the main shrine for the headline event at 1pm. No … [Read More]