In our third review of 2014, we look at some of the North Korea related news, and stories which put the peninsula in a wider East Asian context. Domestic news Kim Jong Un’s disappearance from public view in the Autumn prompted speculation ranging from a case of gout to a “very specific kind of coup”. … [Read More]
Month: February 2015 (page 2)
Looking back at 2014: Entertainment news
In the second of four retrospective articles, we recall some of the entertainment stories that caught our eye in 2014. Good year for: Popular TV drama My Love from the Star had an impact beyond its 21 episode span. The lead female character, played by Jeon Ji-hyun, managed to boost sales of trenchcoats in Korea, … [Read More]
Looking back at 2014: Culture, sport and tourism
In the first of four articles looking back over 2014, we recall some of the culture, sports and heritage stories that made the news. Arts Dansaekhwa emerged as flavour of the year. Following the MMCA exhibition in 2013 and Joan Kee’s book, Kukje Gallery had a monochrome retrospective, and dansaekhwa artists were included in MMCA … [Read More]
A comprehensive list of DPRK slogans
In case you ever feel short of inspiring slogans, the WPK Central Committee and Central Military Commission has just published a list of 349 of them. Here’s an example (#344): The revolutionary spirit of Paektu, the spirit of the blizzards of Paektu and the anti-Japanese revolutionary forerunners’ call to keep the revolutionary faith even if … [Read More]
North Korean Policy on Disabled People – a talk with DPRK govt officials
As part of the tour by the DPRK Youth Para-ensemble there is an opportunity to discuss disability issues in North Korea with some government officials: A Talk with North Korea’s Government Officials North Korean Policy on Disabled People Place: Nuffield College, Large Lecture Room Time: 11:00 AM – 12:50 PM, 21 February, 2015 Due to … [Read More]
An interview with Sora Kim-Russell, translator of Hwang Sok-yong’s Princess Bari
Those of you who came along to the London Book Fair last year and were tantalised by seeing a translation of a passage from Hwang Sok-yong’s Princess Bari – at the time unpublished in English, and with no indication even that any more of the book had been translated – will be delighted by this … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Shin Meekyoung — Painting Series, at HADA Contemporary
According to the notice advertising the exhibition, Shin Meekyoung’s Painting Series questions the values we ascribe to art works: by using expendable material rather than canvas and oils, and by avoiding the depiction of any discernible subject matter, she aims “to question the authority the painting has enjoyed for centuries.” Shin’s soap paintings are meant … [Read More]
In pictures: Young In Hong — In Her Dream, at the ICA
An opulent table set for dinner, with rather unsettling ornaments, greets you in the ICA Theatre for the performance of Young In Hong’s piece In Her Dream. A solo cellist / vocalist starts playing slow arpeggios as four female dancers take their place at table, their eyes blindfolded in black veils. They take their veils … [Read More]
Broken (방황하는 칼날, 2014) review: vengeance and a search for closure
While on a cursory glance ‘Broken’ would appear to be yet another example of the Korean revenge thriller, take a closer look and you will find it to be a detailing of one man’s search for closure and a way to bring an end to heart-wrenching pain far more than any pursuit of vigilante justice. [Read More]
DPRK Youth Para-Ensemble concerts in London, Oxford and Cambridge
Up to a dozen disabled children and teenagers from North Korea will tour venues in the South East and Paris later this month. The programme of music and dance will include numbers from Phantom of the Opera on the accordion and the gayageum and scenes from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. A version of … [Read More]
The BKWS Seollal dinner
Those who are members of both the British Korean Society (formerly known as the Anglo-Korean Society) and the British Korean Women’s Society are spoiled for dining choice this month. The BKS will be meeting on 18 February, while the BKWS will be celebrating Seollal with tteokguk on 19 February. The British Korean Women’s Society Invites … [Read More]
Hyelim Kim on actualising musical tradition – this week’s SOAS seminar
The first of four public seminars at SOAS this month features taegŭm player Hyelim Kim: Actualising Musical Tradition: Performance-as-Research on the Korean flute, taegŭm Dr Hyelim Kim (SOAS, University of London) Date: 6 February 2015, 5:15 – 7:00 PM Venue: Brunei Gallery Room: B102 The taegŭm, a horizontal bamboo flute, is considered one of the … [Read More]
Young In Hong: a new commission at the ICA for fig-2
Korean artist Young In Hong is the 6th artist in fig-2, an artistic relay event at the ICA. According to their website, fig-2 is a revival of fig-1, which presented 50 exhibitions in 50 weeks. fig-1 was conceived and developed by Mark Francis and Jay Jopling in 2000. Fifteen years later, fig-2 brings together a programme … [Read More]
Kang Woo-suk is February’s featured director
Back in the 2013 London Korean Film Festival there was a mini-retrospective of Kang Woo-suk, with five of his films screening. This month we will be offered two of his early films: Mister Mama (12 Feb) and the first in the Two Cops franchise (26 Feb). Brief synopses below. As usual, booking is essential via … [Read More]
A Korean Mini-Festival focusing on architecture
In recent years we have been seeing an increasing amount of Korean design in London – at 100% Design, Tent London and elsewhere. It will also be remembered that Seoul was World Design Capital in 2010, and occasionally Korean urban design and architecture make it into the UK press – for example back in 2009 … [Read More]
2015 Korean Literature Nights
Here are the Korean Literature Nights scheduled for 2015 at the KCC: Wed 25 Feb The Vegetarian by Han Kang Moderator: Deborah Smith Yeong-hye and her husband are ordinary people. He is an office worker with moderate ambitions and mild manners; she is an uninspired but dutiful wife. The acceptable flatline of their marriage is … [Read More]