I accidentally got interviewed by a Gyeongnam newspaper in Sancheong. Not sure what the article says, but I hope I did OK for Sancheong County. The piece also ended up in the JoongAng Ilbo. Contents Introduction 12: Yun Isang’s music at TIMF 2012 1: Dansaekhwa – Korean Monochrome Painting at the Museum of Contemporary Art … [Read More]
Month: March 2012
Park Kwang-su group interview: “it would be impossible for me to make just light-hearted films”
In this extensive interview, Park Kwang-su discusses his shift from overtly political cinema to mainstream filmmaking, his latest movie Meet Mr. Daddy, censorship, activism, genre, industry change, and his evolving approach to addressing social issues in Korean film. [Read More]
When I spoke its name, it came to me and became a flower: Korean group show in Paris
News of a group exhibition of Korean artists in a Paris home. Ring before you go. “When I spoke its name, it came to me and became a flower” Sunhee Choi and Jari Lager are pleased to invite you to this group exhibition Private View: Saturday, 31 March 2012, from 19.00 onwards 7 Rue Gustave … [Read More]
July 32nd (7월 32일, 2010) review: a life stolen and the day that never comes
There is no happiness whatsoever in July 32nd, and a bleaker film would be quite an effort to find, but a story this poignantly satisfying and deftly executed cannot fail to grip like a vice, breaking the heart and remaining in the mind long after the credits roll. Astounding. [Read More]
Korean Naval Firepower Part 1 – When Wako Attack
The Battle of Lepanto, wherein the allied forces of Venice, Genoa, and Spain overcame the Turks by means of a superior number of cannons, was a turning point in naval history in the West. Dominance of the sea enabled countries such as the Netherlands and England to play a dominant role in world affairs. The … [Read More]
The Journals of Musan (무산일기, 2011) review: a fitting tribute to a gentle outsider
Following a North Korean defector scraping by in South Korea, The Journals of Musan is without question an incredibly dark affair, but it never fails to touch the heart and ultimately stands as a fitting tribute to a gentle man who was never given the chance he truly deserved. [Read More]
Missing (실종, 2009) review: predictable but unsettling
Though largely predictable and unevenly paced, Kim Sung-hong’s slasher thriller Missing still manages to be unsettling and even moving at times, and while it may not be the best example of its genre, it stands its ground fairly well, all the same. Moon Sung-Keun performs well as the bad guy. [Read More]
National Pension Service to open London office
The Korean National Pension Service (NPS), one of the world’s biggest pension funds, is to set up a new base in London. The NPS announced the decision after a meeting between its chairman, Jun Kwang-woo, and the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, who is visiting Seoul for the Nuclear Security Summit. http://bit.ly/HBfyx3 [Read More]
Metamorphoses (변신 이야기, 2011) review: a menacing, humorous, shape-shifting cautionary tale
Initially appearing as a gently humorous story of one man’s unrequited love for a beautiful woman, Metamorphoses mirrors its theme of “nothing is as it first appears”, to ultimately become a brutal, menacing, bloody, and extremely funny, “careful what you wish for” cautionary tale. [Read More]
Meet Mr Daddy, and Park Kwang-su, at the Apollo, 29 March.
Park Kwang-su month wraps up with what seems to be a break from the past. Meet Mr Daddy (2007, also known as Shiny Day, 눈부신 날에) was his comeback film, eight years after Uprising. And judging by the trailer it’s a feelgood drama, completely unlike the more serious socially aware films of the 80s and … [Read More]
The Seoul Nuclear Security Summit
Trying to stay in Seoul at the time of such a big event as the Nuclear Security Summit meant that some of my preferred hotels were booked solid or had revoked any discounts which might otherwise have been available. But it was interesting seeing the preparations that Seoul had been making, from the security arrangements … [Read More]
Korea’s National Museum in top 10
The National Museum of Korea makes top ten most visited global art venue, according to The Art Newspaper (via the BBC) http://bbc.in/GOytcN. The same article gives a special mention to the National Folk Museum of Korea in the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung for four exhibitions attracting more than 9,000 visitors a day. [Read More]
The Orphan Master’s Son: best left in the orphanage
Adam Johnson: The Orphan Master’s Son Doubleday, 2012 The publication of The Orphan Master’s Son, the second novel by Adam Johnson, had lucky timing, surfing the wave of interest in the North caused by the death of Kim Jong-il. The newspapers duly lined up to review it to general acclaim, but an early battleground formed: … [Read More]
SOAS Workshop: The Diversity and Distinctiveness of Korean Music and Dance
Two dates for your diary. The Friday and Saturday after Easter there’s a one and a half day symposium at SOAS on the varied aspects of Korean music. Yes, there’ll be a session on K-pop too, plus a concert of traditional music on the Friday evening. There’s an ambitious attempt to have one of the … [Read More]
In the Details – at Hanmi Gallery
News of Hanmi Gallery’s 10th Interim Exhibition: In the Details Friday 23 March – Friday 6 April 2012 Hanmi Gallery is pleased to announce its 10th interim exhibition ‘In the details’, presenting new work by Locco Lee and Robert Lye. The exhibition brings together two artists who each focus on particular aspects of their environments, … [Read More]
Booking is now open for the Terracotta Far East Film Festival
The Terracotta Far East Film Festival gets more exciting every year. For K-film followers, there are four UK premieres plus two short horror films. And of course there’s plenty of non-Korean stuff as well. For those who come along to watch the double bill at the Korean Breakfast Club on Sunday morning, there will be … [Read More]