Great interview with London-based Korean singer Kinzli & the Kilowatts by Anna over at Indieful ROK: http://bit.ly/cSLWUb She first started singing in the Korean orphanages. Below: Kinzli’s Safe Place for Us #. Links: Kinzli & the Kilowatts on MySpace [Read More]
Month: August 2010 (page 3)
Hong Sang Soo retrospective at BFI South Bank
A couple of years ago, when participating in the Blogathon on the subject of A Virgin Stripped Bare by her Bachelors, I commented that the UK had never seen a Hong Sang Soo retrospective, while the US has had three of them. The BFI, with the assistance of the Korean Cultural Centre, is now putting … [Read More]
RIP Andre Kim
RIP Fashion designer Andre Kim. Died on 12 August 2010, aged 75. Kim became the first Korean to show a collection in Paris, and later years saw him present his spectaculars at the pyramids in Egypt and at Angkor Wat in Cambodia. In 1992, the International Olympic Committee invited him to hold a fashion show … [Read More]
Road to the Racetrack gets there before Hong Sang-soo
Jang Sun-woo’s Road to the Racetrack: surprisingly entertaining for 140 minutes focusing on just two characters. Was their relationship just a fling, or is it for keeps? #. The film anticipates Hong Sang-soo’s output, and is more entertaining. [Read More]
Toegye Yi Hwang’s Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning
In the British Museum’s Korea Gallery can be found a wood block printed book, The Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning, written by Korea’s most famous Confucian scholar, Yi Hwang (이황, also known by his pen name, Toegye, 퇴계) (1501-1570). The volume is on loan from the British Library. The work was completed in 1568 and … [Read More]
BoA is back with Hurricane Venus
BoA is back with Hurricane Venus. My first commercial K-pop purchase of the year: http://tinyurl.com/32qqvx2. It’s even on UK iTunes already. #. An exciting sound, and some great moves. [Read More]
Another Sun: big budget Korean musical comes to Sadlers Wells
News of a major musical at Sadlers Wells later this month. First, the trailer: Next, the press release. The production is free on emailing the address below: Another Sun The face of musical theatre in London is set to change as a Korean theatre company arrives in the London later this month to perform an … [Read More]
North Koreans shell innocent fish
North Koreans shell innocent fish in an artillery exercise near Yeonpyeong Island, 9 August. But that’s one hellishly low-flying satellite which photographed their gun emplacements. http://bit.ly/c5kOeV # [Read More]
Jang Dong-gun and Song Hye-kyo top plastic surgery templates
Times change. 6 years ago Hyolee & Jeon Ji-hyun were top of the list. Now Song Hye-kyo is top Plastic Surgery Template. And guys want to look like Jang Dong-gun http://bit.ly/adsPKV # [Read More]
Jang Sun-woo season at the KCC: full details
Here’s the press release for the Jang Sun-woo season at the KCC this month. We’ve already had A Petal last week, and Road to the Racetrack is this week. Tony Rayns introduces his documentary on Jang the following week, while the another rarity, one of koreanfilm.org’s top 10 films of the 1990s, The Lovers of … [Read More]
Jang Sun-woo season: Road to the Racetrack screens at the KCC
August’s season of Jang Sung-woo films at the KCC continues this Thursday 12 August with Road to the Racetrack (1991): The Road to the Race Track 7pm, Thursday 12th August Director: Jang Sun-woo Cast: Kang Soo-yeon, Moon Sung-keun Genre: Drama Certificate: 18 (South Korea) Running Time: 140 mins Venue: The Korean Cultural Centre UK Ground … [Read More]
Kingston Korean Festival 2010
The annual Korean Festival at the Fairfield Recreation Ground, Kingston, is upon us: 14 August. [Map] The event usually kicks off with a parade of British Veterans from the Korean War at 11am. Lots of food stalls, bouncy castles for the kiddies, traditional performances, taekwondo demonstrations and more. Here’s the details, in Korean, from the … [Read More]
Jung-Yoon Cho at St Dunstan-in-the-West
Jung-Yoon Cho (violin) and Daniel King-Smith (piano) Tue Aug 10th 2010, 6:15–7:00 pm St Dunstan-in-the-West, 186a Fleet St, London, EC4A 2HR Programme: César Franck: Sonata for piano and violin Artist info Jung-Yoon Cho was born in 1987 in South Korea. She began playing the violin at the age of three and later was educated at … [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #33: Remembering Seong Cheol Sunim
What is Buddhism all about? I confess to knowing very little. One night of temple stay, and browsing round a few exhibitions of Buddhist art, does not qualify as a proper introduction. In Daewonsa, Neunghae Sunim took a pleasingly laid back approach to the Buddhist life. “Don’t rush things” and “Enjoy yourself” seemed to be … [Read More]
Choi Eudon “One to Watch”
Korean-born fashion designer Eudon Choi, Royal College of Art graduate and "one to watch" – featured in Elle Magazine bit.ly/9fAddE # [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #32: The Beautiful Walls of Namsa-ri
In the week that Hahoe folk village near Andong was admitted to the UNESCO heritage list, LKL recalls a visit to Namsa-ri, a less-visited but equally impressive hanok village. Friday 7 May 2010. After our visit to the Nambugun memorial museum we were feeling in sombre mood. But fortunately, lunch comes to the rescue. Sancheong … [Read More]