Here at LKL we’re pretty excited about an upcoming CD release from our favourite female singer, Nah Youn Sun, on the ACT label. If you can’t wait for the European release, you can catch the Korean release at YesAsia. Same Girl Released 27th September 2010 At Youn Sun Nah’s 2009 debut in Munich’s Unterfahrt jazz … [Read More]
Month: August 2010
Buddhist art collection for sale
The largest collection of Korean Buddhist paintings outside of Korea starts to come under the hammer at Christie's: The Jerry Lee Musslewhite Collection of Korean Art http://bit.ly/aCYEqu # [Read More]
Kill Me (킬 미, 2009) review: a hitman, a deathwish, and an unlikely romantic comedy
While the concept of a hardened hitman gradually falling in love with his intended target is certainly nothing new, director Yang Jong-hyeon brings a freshness to the idea by turning it completely (and literally) on its head, allowing the film successfully to step away from predictability to become something much more original and memorable. [Read More]
Five Royal Tombs. Destination: Seooreung (Goyang)
A few days ago LKL wrote about a Silla dynasty royal tomb in Sancheong County: the Last King of Kaya. Power K-blogger Chris Backe reports on a visit to five Joseon dynasty royal tombs in Goyang Just across the Seoul border rest some once-royal dead people. UNESCO certified as being significant to world culture, these … [Read More]
Hanbok designs by Park Sul-nyeo in aquarium fashion shoot
The flowing lines of hanbok take on a new meaning in this underwater fashion show celebrating the opening of the Lotte Department Store at Cheongnyangni Station, Seoul. Beautiful. http://bit.ly/9Ec5JC # Hanbok designs by Park Sul-nyeo. All photos via Yonhap / Reuters [Read More]
Koreanfilm.org’s films of the decade and ROK Drop’s top Korean War films
Koreanfilm.org releases its top ten films of the decade, 2000-2009, six times over. Plenty of food for thought. http://bit.ly/8XL6jz #. And ROK Drop suggests the 10 Best All-Time Korean War Movies. Michael Caine's debut A Hill in Korea squeaks in at #10 http://bit.ly/byaTSF # [Read More]
The entertainment industry in the news
Some recent articles on the spread of K-pop in 2010, and on the darker side of the industry. K-Pop Online: Korean Stars Go Global with Social Media – TIME http://bit.ly/c5oA73 #. Underage celebs suffer mistreatment, says the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (Korea Times, 27 Aug) Sexy moves provoke debate over teen idols, says … [Read More]
Another Sun: It’s educational, but it’s not for foreigners
I was chatting to my companion during the interval of Another Sun, the big-budget Korean musical, at Sadlers Wells last night. “It’s educational,” she said, “but I don’t think it’s for foreigners.” I pressed her on the educational point. The plot of the musical is said to be based on the Korean foundation myth about … [Read More]
Bedevilled to screen at Frightfest
Frightfest is becoming as much a feature of the August Bank Holiday weekend as the Notting Hill Carnival. Given Korea’s track record in producing scary movies you can usually count on there being a K-film or two. This year it’s Bedevilled, screening on Monday afternoon 30 August. The stills look promising. From the KCC website: … [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #37: The Last King of Gaya
Korea is rightly proud of its heritage, and submits the most select elements of its long history to UNESCO for inscribing in the list of important world heritage items. One of the most recent items to have been so listed is the Joseon Dynasty Royal Tombs. They are beautifully peaceful places to visit. Perfectly manicured … [Read More]
Just the right amount of spice … and loads of meat
A lunchtime trip to the Old Justice pub in Bermondsey I think I’d just been given the thumbs-up. I had just introduced some of my co-workers to Korean food for the first time. I wouldn’t say it was representative of your regular Korean food experience, but it was certainly popular with the Canary Wharf workers. … [Read More]
Korea’s Hip Hop heritage
Bea Lesaca of HardKnockRadio traces the origins of Korea’s Hop Hop culture. Do You Know About Hip Hop’s Korean Roots? Hip Hop in Korea has grown so much over the past 20 years. Personally, I believe that a large part of it is thanks to break dancing, which delivered this culture to a larger audience. … [Read More]
Concert notes: Uangel at the KCC
When I heard that Uangel (http://uangelvoice.com), a Korean popera group, was going to be performing at the Korean Cultural Centre I jumped at the chance to go. Recently performing at the Edinburgh Fringe and on a humanitarian tour of hospitals, this last minute addition to their tour was a real treat. The hall at the … [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #36: The Jirisan Forest Trail
Jirisan is the highest peak on the South Korean mainland, and the National Park in which it is set is South Korea’s largest. Most of the park is in Gyeongsangnam-do, but in the west it spills in to Jeollanam-do and Jeollabuk-do. For walkers, the park offers a wide variety of experiences. For the hardened hiker, … [Read More]
Your online resource for Korean kite-building
I never thought there would be an English language forum about making traditional Korean fighting kites, but here it is: Fighter Kite Central. http://bit.ly/crTvaZ # [Read More]
Wendy Ide on Mother
“It's overlong and the pacing suffers from the unwieldy run time”. Wendy Ide on Mother (Now screening at Picturehouse and ICA). I'm trying to think of a Korean film she actually likes # [Read More]