Warming up for the first Korean Grand Prix to be held in Jeollanamdo this Autumn: http://bit.ly/55QBp5. From JoongAng Ilbo [Read More]
Year: 2010 (page 40)
Kim Jeong-ho’s Daedong Yeojido online
An amazingly detailed 1861 pictorial map of the Korean peninsula is now available online. Well worth a look. # The Daedong yeojido was produced by the great Korean geographer Kim Jeong-ho. The map is at a scale of about 1:162,000 and is a wood block print that includes two inset maps of Seoul, texts and … [Read More]
Pause and Eject 2 – A show by Goldsmiths MFA students
Notice of a show this week at Shoreditch Town Hall. PAUSE AND EJECT 2 is the second and last interim show from the current 2nd year Art Practice students at Goldsmiths before their final MFA exhibition together in July 2010. Since the hugely successful first ‘Pause and Eject’ exhibition at The Rag Factory back in … [Read More]
The rough and tumble of Korean politics
A physical altercation leaves Democratic Party National Assemblyman Jeong Gi-yeong needing hospital treatment. Rep. Jeong, who is visually impaired, apparently fell over and hit his head. Source: Korea Beat [Read More]
Two recitals by Grace Yeo
Grace Yeo has two piano recitals, on Wednesday and Thursday this week: (1) 1.15pm on Wednesday 27 January 2010 at St. Martin within Ludgate Ludgate Hill, London EC4 Mozart: 9 Variations on a minuet by Duport in D major, K.573 Mendelssohn: Venezianisches Gondellied in F-sharp minor, Op.30 No.6 Chopin: Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op.60 Schumann: … [Read More]
Park Chan-wook’s most embarrassing DVD
This week’s Time Out has a brief interview with Park Chan-wook, to celebrate the UK DVD release of Thirst. The subject? His 2,000-strong DVD collection. For an obscure recommendation from his shelves, Park tips Sanjay Gupta’s Zinda, the Bollywood film that seems to be based on Oldboy. “A man, taken and locked up for 14 … [Read More]
Rain in Ninja Assassin: Could Stephen Colbert do this?
Yes, it’s the UK release of Ninja Assassin, starring Colbert’s nemesis, Rain. Hollywood.com gave it 1 out of 10. “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a decent ninja flick,” starts the review, before explaining why it is that we’re still waiting. But the review is reasonably complementary about Rain, reserving its main criticism … [Read More]
A Bollywood take on Oldboy
Park Chan-wook: one of the obscurest DVDs in his collection is Zinda, the Indian movie that appears to be based on Oldboy (source: interview in today’s Time Out magazine). # [Read More]
The Ministry of Love
South Korean Ministry of Health sends workers home to make babies: one way to increase the birth rate. From today’s Evening Standard http://bit.ly/5iFV1e. Also reported by John Sudworth on the BBC #. [Read More]
Another girl gugak band
Are there any male Gugak players? Sorea, Sookmyung Kayageum Orchestra, now Miji, the latest gugak girl band. The eight-member all-female ensemble hopes to become known as “the Girls’ Generation of traditional Korean music.” Their debut album, The Challenge, hits the stores this month. Source: JoongAng Daily. # [Read More]
The April 3rd Massacre Tree
An alternative, historical, tourist destination in Jeju – the April 3rd Massacre Tree. Great article in Jeju Weekly highlighting the incident whose wounds are still felt today. http://bit.ly/4Lwr07. # [Read More]
Saharial reviews Beethoven Virus
Story: Ru Mi, a violinist for 17 years has had little or no luck playing in orchestras, they all seem to disband or fall apart. Now working as a copywriter, she comes up with an idea to make Sukwon, where she lives, a capital for classical music. Her luck has not changed though and the … [Read More]
A Witness to Change: Three Decades of Korea-watching
A reminder of this Friday’s talk at SOAS. Friday, January 22nd, 5pm, room G50 (main building) Warwick Morris, Former UK Ambassador to ROK A Witness to Change: Three Decades of Korea-watching Abstract: Posted in Seoul in January 1975 as the FCO’s first Korean language student, Warwick Morris was to experience the start of tremendous economic … [Read More]
Bae Doo-na named Best Actress
Bae Doo-na has been named Best Actress twice over in Japan for her role in Air Doll, which showed at the London Film Festival last year. Bae will pick up her trophy at the 23rd Takasaki Film Festival on March 28, after claiming her honor at the 33rd Japan Academy Awards on March 5. Source: … [Read More]
Portrait of a Beauty (미인도, 2008) review: art and obscenity; morality and hypocrisy
Sexually explicit in both narrative content and imagery, the sumptuously filmed Portrait of a Beauty asks what dictates whether visual depictions of the sexual act are deemed as art or seen simply as pornography, deftly critiquing Joseon-era Korea, in the process. [Read More]
Kimchipedia Part 1 – Everything you wanted to know about Kimchi, but were too polite to ask
Introduction Kimchi has been eaten in the Korean peninsula for over 2,000 years. The modern Korean consumes about 30 kilograms of it per annum. It is credited with keeping obesity at bay in the country, and is believed to combat stress and to slow the ageing process, as well as fighting cancer and a wide … [Read More]