Colette Balmain reviews the opening film of LKFF 2010 The Man From Nowhere (아저씨- Ajeossi) (Lee Jeong-beom, 2010) Cha Tae-sik (Won Bin), is a man shrouded in mystery, a loner who runs a small pawnshop and who is positioned on the margins of society. His only meaningful relationship is with the young girl, So-mi (Kim … [Read More]
Month: June 2011 (page 2)
Pororo and the Axis of Evil
Pororo and the Axis of Evil: the South Korean animation industry outsources work north of the border. And it might get Pororo banned in the US. WSJ and Chosun. #. The creators of Green Days told me no such outsourcing takes place now because of strained North-South relations. [Read More]
Goldsmiths BA Art Degree Show 2011
Goldsmiths BA Art Degree Show 2011 is sure to have lots of Korean work, including Sungfeel Yun and Rae Koo. Till 27 June. http://on.fb.me/mLH7Vg # [Read More]
Is this the only modern Korea-related novel published by Penguin Classics?
The number of Korea-related publications in the Penguin Classics list can probably be counted on the fingers of one hand, and most are by ancient Confucian sages. The publisher’s blurb below says that if you like Lee Changrae’s The Surrendered you’ll like this: Richard E Kim’s The Martyred. Lee didn’t do a good sales job … [Read More]
MBC to hold European talent show auditions in London: YOU can be a K-pop star
So soon after the informal talent contest at the KCC, here’s something rather bigger: your chance to appear in a TV show and make it big in Korea: MBC Star Audition ‘The Birth of an Amazing star’ – Season 2 If you want to be a Singer in Korea and if you love Korean Pop … [Read More]
Lee Ufan’s first solo exhibition in the USA
Lee Ufan’s solo show at the Guggenheim (“Marking Infinity“) opens on 24 June and lasts till 28 September 2011. I’m hoping to get to the press preview. The video on the Guggenheim’s website, by curator Alexandra Munroe, is well worth a listen. Munroe introduces the exhibition as follows: Marking Infinity presents the work of artist-philosopher … [Read More]
SHINee Happy People: fans turn out in force to greet their favourite K-pop band
Saharial joins the Shawols in Abbey Road and catches a glimpse of SMTown’s boy band. Abbey Road at 7.45am lies unsuspecting in the morning sunshine of the hundreds of kpop fans that will swarm the area in support of SHINee who are performing “Japan Debut Premium Reception in London“ (http://youtu.be/codeksErVqU) – a live streamed concert … [Read More]
Poetry in Clay at the Metropolitan Museum
Poetry in Clay, the exhibition of Buncheong Ceramics from the Leeum Museum currently at the Metropolitan Museum is seriously worth a visit, with some beautiful pots. Interesting that they also juxtapose a couple of 20th century paintings. Kim Whanki’s dot paintings really do look like the dot decoration on one of the pots # Curator … [Read More]
Park Dae-cho at Able Fine Art
Strolling back along W 25th St from Tina Kim Gallery I wandered into Able Fine Art and caught the end of Park Dae-cho’s solo exhibition (May 17 – June 21, 2011). Haunting images of children with unsettling visions in their eyes. [Read More]
Rhee Kibong: There is no Place
Just caught the end of the Rhee Kibong exhibition at Tina Kim Gallery. His foggy 3D tree images look like he’s loosely pressed a miniature tree between sheets of frosted glass. Very calming. [Read More]
Seoul’s neon pollution
Blinded by the light: Seoul’s neon pollution – Interesting piece on the red neon crosses on Korea’s churches in the Joongang Ilbo: http://bit.ly/mIRj0X # [Read More]
K-pop coverage inspired by SM Town gig in Paris
Coverage inspired by the SM Town concert in Paris: BBC’s Lucy Williamson on The dark side of South Korean pop music: “a history of controversy and legal disputes over the way it treats its young artists” Bernie Cho of @DFSB_Kollective in the WSJ about the SM Town event in Paris: You Like Our Music? We … [Read More]
Korean Air takes delivery of new Airbus
Jolly decent of Korean Air to keep Europe’s aviation industry afloat: East Asia’s first A380 goes into operation today, 17 June, on Tokyo and HK routes http://bit.ly/ijJDrJ # [Read More]
A better than average trip to the DPRK
I’m always doubtful about going on a trip to the DPRK. Yes, I’d love to see the Mass Games and maybe some other tourist attractions such as Mount Baekdu. But I always think these trips are very expensive and I never know how much of the cash ends up subsidising Kim Jong-il’s collection of expensive … [Read More]
The ideal boilermaker
The ideal somaek (soju-maekju) mix? Apparently 3 parts soju to 7 parts beer. Each to his own, but the fun part is experimenting. http://bit.ly/j5F4ML # [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Embracing the Void
South Korea has received a crash course in modernity in recent years. Through Japanese occupation, the Korean war, democratisation, industrialisation and globalisation, Korea has had to adapt, and fast. High rises now abound throughout the otherwise romantic landscape of majestic, pine covered mountains populated with sprinklings of traditional slope roofed, wooden homes. One imagines Korea … [Read More]