In October last year there was a brief two week exhibition at the KCC entitled Korea, Koreanity. It featured four artists from Jeollanam-do, and the backbone of the exhibition was a collection of nostalgic black and white photos by Kang Bong-kyu. It was a shame the exhibition wasn’t longer, because it deserved several visits, and … [Read More]
Month: February 2012
Korean Artists Association UK in call for new members
The Korean Artists Association UK exists principally as a network of those Korean artists, of whatever discipline, who have chosen to make their home in the UK. They have an annual exhibition at the KCC, usually with music and dance performance, and meet regularly at the KCC to discuss their future plans. Interested parties are … [Read More]
Korea’s watermelon economy
South Korea has a “watermelon economy,” says local Tesco / Home plus boss Lee Seung-han: green on the outside, but red on the inside. Ouch! http://t.co/wt8zXFpw [Read More]
Reading the Heavens Part 3 – The Astronomical Legacy of King Sejong
As mentioned in part 1, King Sejong presided over the zenith of Korean astronomical achievement. The construction of a large observatory at Gyeongbok Palace in 1438 – later destroyed without a trace in the Japanese invasion – played a key role in the country’s progress. On the roof were installed various astronomical instruments such as … [Read More]
Kim Jong-il lives on as comedy prop
‘If somebody asks you what you’re wearing, you say Kim Jong-il.’ says British comedian Sasha Baron Cohen in Oscar publicity stunt, having tipped an urn of ashes over the presenter http://bit.ly/w2ctTz [Read More]
Reality and fiction intertwine in E J-yong’s deliciously amusing fake documentary Actresses
“Which one did you think is the most beautiful?” It was one obvious conversation opener at the bar after the screening of E J-yong’s Actresses, in which six of Korea’s top actresses aged from their early 20s to their 60s, gather for a Vogue photoshoot in a film which its director calls “part reality show, … [Read More]
First birthday celebration for Lee Young-ae’s twins
Cute or what? Lee Young-ae holds low-key first birthday bash for her twins, 21 Feb 2012. Jeon Do-yeon was also there to celebrate. http://bit.ly/x7W0ec. Pic via Hancinema [Read More]
Fusion bibimbap recipe makes it into NY Times
Bibimbap in NY Times “Recipes for Health” series – a fusion recipe of Beef, Winter Squash, Spinach and Cucumber. http://t.co/qDwA0ruN [Read More]
On Pyongyang University of Science and Technology
My time in Korea as a British English teacher was all spent in South Korea (or Republic of Korea). In the South, North Korea is a land no one talks about (although many still have family in) which became divided from the South as a result of the 1950-3 war. I decided to attend the … [Read More]
Daewoo wins Royal Navy tanker contract
UK Royal Navy buys Korean to keep its ships fuelled: £452m contract for four tankers goes to Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (Daily Mail via @rjkoehler) http://t.co/jCNY8p5j [Read More]
The folding plug inches closer to production
The Korean-designed 13 amp folding plug is in its Mk 2 version. Brilliant idea. Hope someone actually manufactures it. http://t.co/everP9Z4 [Read More]
Asako in Ruby Shoes – E J-yong’s least accessible but possibly most interesting film
Asako in Ruby Shoes (Sunaebo, 순애보, 2000) is the one E J-yong feature that the KCC hasn’t managed to fit in to its February focus on the director’s work. By coincidence, it’s also the E J-yong film that Hancinema hasn’t, to date, loaded up into its database. But despite its poor showing at the box … [Read More]
Lomography store celebrates Seoul
If you’re in to Lomography http://t.co/ScuxsMcd, you’ll be interested that their London store has a “Seoul All Around You” feature this week to celebrate the launch of a new line of their analogue cameras. [Read More]
Jamie Oliver eyes possible Korean collaboration
‘Naked Chef’ Jamie Oliver to mix business & pleasure on Korea trip. Chosun Ilbo speculates he might open a restaurant http://t.co/1dGm0pCn [Read More]
On tasting the first cup of 녹차 in Lent
Lent started today. And like most years, it’s time to prove that I can manage without those daily treats on which I suspect I’m becoming rather too dependent. So, no alcohol: I’ll give my liver a break for a few weeks. And no caffeinated coffee or black tea, which I usually rely on to kick … [Read More]
New zombie fiction on Kindle
Zombie Apocalypse in North Korea http://t.co/0xHqcYQ6, and yet more zombies in Jeollado http://t.co/A4xjsAZx. New ebook offerings for 2012. [Read More]