A Petty Romance (쩨쩨한 로맨스, 2010) is one of those gentle romantic comedies which Korea seems to do so well. Charming, easy-going, and despite the story line – the composition of an adult manga – not particularly risqué. Written and directed by first-timer Kim Jeong-hoon it’s nothing to rave about but it’s a very pleasant … [Read More]
Month: August 2012
Come Rain Come Shine: beautifully restrained or just a little bit wet?
There is a narrow dividing line between a movie which paints a delicate, nuanced portrait of characters who have subtle and restrained emotions, and a movie in which you want to just punch everyone in the face for being so wet. Come Rain, Come Shine is a movie which is on that dividing line, perhaps … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Kim Beom’s School of Inversion
Kim Beom is known for his videos of very serious Korean TV newsreaders, their newscasts chopped into a thousand pieces and spliced back together word by word to create nonsense stories. Londoners were introduced to his work back in 2006 as part of the Asia House group show Through the Looking Glass and Untitled (News) … [Read More]
Haegue Yang: Dress Vehicles, in Tate Modern Tanks
For a few days Haegue Yang will be appearing in the performance space of the Tate Modern Tanks. Sung Hwan Kim’s installation continues until the end of October. Haegue Yang: Dress Vehicles The Tanks at Tate Modern: Exhibition 11 September – 16 September 2012 Timed choreographed performances to be announced Part of the series The … [Read More]
Leafie – A Hen into the Wild (마당을 나온 암탉, 2011) review: a hen with a heart
Beneath its gentle humour and warmth, Leafie explores outsiderhood, family, selfless love, and sacrifice, building toward a quietly heartbreaking yet uplifting conclusion that resonates with both children and adults. Disney once asked viewers to believe that an elephant can fly. With Leafie, you’ll believe that a hen has a heart, and a beautiful one at that. [Read More]
All Eyes on Korea: consistent investment in the performing arts brings its rewards
The London 2012 Olympics was around a decade in the making: preparation of the bid, building the venue itself and putting in place the infrastructure required to run a successful games. And for the last couple of years of that preparation time, a separate team of hard-working organisers from the Korean Ministry of Culture Sports … [Read More]
All Eyes on Korea at the Thames Festival
The summer’s events come to an end with the Thames Festival, which coincides with the Chuseok season. As usual, Korea will be strongly represented, this time in a prestigious location just in front of Tate Modern. All Eyes on Korea at the Thames Festival Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 September 2012, 12 – 10pm A … [Read More]
Petty Romance screens at the Genesis Cinema
This Thursday you have a choice of K-film. Lee Yoon-ki’s Come Rain Come Shine at the Apollo Piccadilly with a director Q&A afterwards. Or this. Having already seen the former at the Asia House festival earlier this year, I’m definitely going to be at the Genesis. Genesis Auteurnative: Terracotta Distribution presents Petty Romance Thu, 30th … [Read More]
Ha Young Kim: Eat All You Can at Hoxton Art Gallery
Ha Young Kim gets her second solo show in London: Ha Young Kim – Eat All You Can 31 August – 4 October 2012 Curated by Director of the Jerwood Foundation Lara Wardle Hoxton Art Gallery are pleased to announce HaYoung Kim’s first solo exhibition in East London, curated by Director of the Jerwood Foundation … [Read More]
Another book on the DPRK hits the bookshops
I always get depressed when I see a new book on the DPRK, because the DPRK is a depressing subject. Plus, it’s the thought that people are spending their lives trying to figure out this unfathomable regime. It’s the thought that there’s another 500 pages which I feel I ought to read, but which if … [Read More]
Korean Art: Narratives and Displays in Museum Contexts
An upcoming study day at the British Museum: Korean Art: Narratives and Displays in Museum Contexts Date: 29 September 2012, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Venue: Stevenson Lecture Theatre, British Museum Korean artefacts began to be collected and displayed in museums around the world by the turn of the 20th century. At this time several … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Fragility and Francesca Cho’s creative process
Francesca Cho’s latest solo show is at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, a venue which is linked in my mind with Sunday afternoon film double bills. But on visiting Cho’s exhibition (several times – as it’s easily accessible on my walking route home) I find that it has a smart bar cum restaurant and a … [Read More]
Come Rain Come Shine + director Q&A at the Apollo Piccadilly
Rounding off Lee Yoon-ki month this Thursday is his most recent film: Come Rain, Come Shine (사랑한다, 사랑하지 않는다, 2011) Director: Lee Yoon-ki Running Time: 105 min Screening Date: 6.30pm August 30, 2012 Theatre: Apollo Cinema Piccadilly LEE Yoon-Ki is a Director who has established a name for himself in both domestic and international markets … [Read More]
Korean authors Shin Kyung-sook and Krys Lee visit Edinburgh Book Fest
We’ve all heard of the Edinburgh International Festival and its fringe; and of the Edinburgh Film Festival. Each year there’s sure to be Korean interest at these events. But this year another festival held at the same time, the Edinburgh Book Festival, together with the World Writers Conference, hosted Korea’s two most famous younger generation … [Read More]
Korea develops taste for British mummy porn
EL James’s Fifty Shades trilogy is being translated into Korean, and Volume 1 immediately became the country’s bestselling novel and e-book, according to the Korea Times, who in common with most others is pretty sniffy about the novels’ quality. How the translator managed to turn a 528 page English book into 780 pages of Korean … [Read More]
Anglo Korean Society guided tour of Korean Eye at the Saatchi Gallery
If you haven’t yet been to the Korean Eye exhibition, this is the perfect opportunity, particularly if you are busy during the working day. The Saatchi gallery will be opening late on 5 September to welcome members of the Anglo Korean Society. If you’re not a member of the AKS yet, join now. Guided Tour … [Read More]