Wednesday 5 May 2010. What is authenticity? Probably, over the course of Korea’s long history, most of Korea’s precious buildings have burned down and been rebuilt. It’s a natural hazard of building from sustainable materials such as wood. Marauding invaders or revolting slaves can cause great destruction with just a single spark. The reconstruction work … [Read More]
Year: 2010 (page 23)
Mother (마더, 2009) review: when devotion becomes obsession
Bong Joon-ho’s Mother explores the unsettling symbiosis between a protective mother and her mentally disabled son. The film highlights how guilt and desperation drive a parent to abandon moral guidelines, eventually transforming her into a “monster” to protect her child. A gritty, multi-layered critique of how easily the line between love and depravity blurs. [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #19: Hadong, the home of Korean green tea
Wednesday 5 May 2010. As we pick up the signs to Hadong, along the Seomjingang river, the other side of which is Jeollanam-do, we see our first neatly trimmed tea-bushes. These, I am later told, are the cultivated tea plants. You know the famous photos of the Boseong tea slopes in Jeollanam-do, with beautifully serried … [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #18: Networking in Hongdae and a journey into the unknown
Tuesday 4 May 2010. I had intended to go to see Yi Chuljin’s Seungmu performance this evening, having failed to see it on Sunday, but there are too many conflicting appointments to fit them all in. I’m heading towards Hongdae to meet some new blogging friends – always something I like to do when coming … [Read More]
New Korean prizewinning work performed in competition
Just like last year, the competitors in the Queen Elisabeth Music comp in Brussels play work by a prize-winning Korean. Jeon Min-je won the Grand Prize for composition in the 2009 competition. All 12 finalists in this year’s piano event performed Jeon’s work for piano and orchestra, “Target.” http://bit.ly/aH9U5o # [Read More]
Kim Ayoung in the Summer Exhibition
This is the first year I've noticed Korean work in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Kim Ayoung won a British Institution Award from the Royal Academy of Arts for her Crop of Dope to Help My Kids, 26 May 2008 http://bit.ly/HoRSCk # [Read More]
Lee Hyori caught with plagiarised songs. Again.
Not again! Isn't it about time Lee Hyori hired some composers who compose rather than copy? http://bit.ly/bXynR8 # [Read More]
Time for Stillness…Time for Silence: Solo Exhibition by Soon Yul Kang
News of an exhibition starting today at Artspace Gallery: Time for Stillness…Time for Silence Solo Exhibition by Soon Yul Kang June 21 – July 3, 2010 at Artspace Galleries Artspace Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of works by Soon Yul Kang. Soon Yul Kang will exhibit her unique meditative hand woven tapestries and … [Read More]
Dr Hongnam Kim – Do Museums matter? Looking beyond cultural nationalism in Asia
Last September Dr Hongnam Kim, former Director of the National Museum of Korea and a leading thinker on cultural policy, was due to deliver the Henry Cole Lecture on the subject: Do Museums matter? Looking beyond cultural nationalism in Asia. Illness prevented her travel at the time, and in April the Icelandic volcanic cloud prevented … [Read More]
Taste the East at Potters Fields, Tower Bridge
News of an upcoming Asian Food Festival organised by The East newspaper, among others, near Tower Bridge. Date: 09/07/2010 ~ 10/07/2010 Venue: Potters Fields Park, 3 Gainsford Street, London SE1 2NE Contact: English or Korean – [email protected] / Chinese or Japanese – [email protected] Organisers: A Concept Advertising & Communication, Perfect Employment, The East Business Newspaper … [Read More]
Saatchi Gallery unveils Korean Eye round 2: Fantastic Ordinary
The big budget, big venue contemporary Korean art show returns. Artists showing are a mixture of the established and the up-and-coming: Bae Chan Hyo | Gwon Osang | Jeon Joon Ho | Kim Dong Yoo | Park Eun Young | Bae Joon Sung | Hong Young In | Ji Yong Ho | Kim Hyunsoo | … [Read More]
The Red Devils’ secret weapon
Maybe if England had a few cheergirls like Korea they might play a bit better: http://bit.ly/cnfKCu # The so-called “Cheer Girl against Greece” was identified as actress Song Si-yeon [Read More]
The Rain and Jeon Ji-hyun rumours
Yes, I know they deny it, but wouldn't it be a good story if Rain and Jeon Ji-hyun really were an item? http://bit.ly/a8UEko # [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #17: The Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation
Tuesday 4 May 2010. As part of my trip to Korea, I wanted to understand more about the way in which Korea goes about preserving its ancient culture and presents it for modern audiences. Is it possible to market traditional culture to foreigners as a theme for tourism? How is it possible to market traditional … [Read More]
Man tweets suicide note
South Korean man posts suicide note on Twitter http://bit.ly/9ASpux #. Via @TelegraphNews “I’m going to commit suicide. To all of you, even those who shared the slightest friendship with me, I love you,” wrote a former disk jockey before taking his life. [Read More]
2010 Travel Diary #16: A meeting with Hwang Byungki
Tuesday 4 May 2010. Hwang Byungki is probably Korea’s best known performer and composer for the kayageum. When I submitted my proposal to the Korean Culture and Information Service for the stories I wanted to investigate during my visit – of which the main one was the preservation and reinvention of Korean traditional culture – … [Read More]