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]
The Crucible aka Silenced (도가니, 2011) review: silenced voices and the struggle for justice
Based on the true story of innocent children physically and sexually abused at a school for the deaf, The Crucible is a brutal, visceral and ultimately heartbreaking tale serving as proof (if proof were needed) that real life can be far more cruel than fiction. [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]
E J-yong group interview: “driven by the desire to try something new”
Director E J-yong reflects on his eclectic career, from the minimalist sensuality of An Affair to the stylised provocation of Untold Scandal and Dasepo Naughty Girls. In this group interview, he discusses timeless storytelling, challenging genre conventions, shifting styles, and his enduring curiosity as a filmmaker. [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]
Moss (이끼, 2010) review: power, corruption and secrets in a closed community
Based on an internet comic of the same name, Moss’s underlying references to power, corruption, revenge and guilt, as well as sin and redemption, create a veritable labyrinth of elements within the narrative, ultimately allowing the film to be far more worthy than one might initially imagine. [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]