This book by David Straub, head of the political section in the US Embassy in Seoul 1999-2002, has just gone onto my wishlist. Reviews by Aidan Foster Carter in the Korea JoongAng Daily and by Bradley K Martin in Asia Times. Available from Amazon.co.uk. Published by Stanford’s Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center and distributed by the … [Read More]
Year: 2016 (page 12)
Event news: Ongals – Babbling Comedy returns to Kingston
The comedians from Ongals are always a hit wherever they go, so it’s good to have them return to Kingston for another gig down at the Rose Theatre this summer: Ongals: Babbling Comedy Fri 5 Aug 2016, 7.30pm Kingston Rose Theatre Tickets £11 – £16 + £2.50 booking fee | Book here Come and celebrate … [Read More]
Event news: August’s literature night features Jung Young Moon
The last two literature nights featuring Hwang Sun-won and Park Wan-suh have been really rewarding. Even if you’re not wholly convinced about the subject book, the opportunity to discuss it with others always provides different ways of looking at it. I hope I’ll get around to writing about both books – Park Wan-suh’s Lonesome You … [Read More]
Exhibition news: Make Your Movements – crafts at the KCC from 1 August
The KCC’s summer exhibition features the work of nineteen craftsmen and designers: Make Your Movements: Korean Contemporary Objects, A New Approach Korean Cultural Centre UK 1-3 Strand, London, WC2N 5BW Dates: 1 August – 17 September 2016 The Korea Craft and Design Foundation with the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) present Make Your Movements: Korean … [Read More]
In-Sook Chappell’s short film is being crowdfunded – please support it
Back in April this year, we posted an advertisement seeking an actor for an upcoming short film about a young North Korean girl living in Britain. That role, Mi Young, has now been filled – and she could almost have been born to take the role. Writer and director In-sook Chappell commented: “After meeting Mi … [Read More]
Those foreigner-friendly cookery books keep on coming…
Time was when you really couldn’t lay your hands on a cookery book focusing on Korean food that was written by someone who understood the UK market. We were all waiting for Judy Joo’s Korean Food Made Simple – which according to Amazon was published on 19 May this year, though it was available on … [Read More]
Brief review: Lee Seok-hoon’s Himalaya
What do Himalaya (Lee Seok-hoon, 2015), Possessed (Lee Yong-ju, 2009) and A Better Tomorrow (Song Hae-seong, 2012) have in common? They are all Korean films which I have gone to a screening room or theatre to watch but couldn’t be bothered to stay to the end. When you pop a DVD into the machine at … [Read More]
Concert notes: China, Korea and Syria at Club Inégales
The final gig of Club Inégales’ current season was predictably unpredictable. You know the format in advance, but you never know what the outcome will be. The house band, or subsets of it, improvise in the first set; in the second set the guests solo; and in the third set everyone plays together, cross fertilising … [Read More]
Event news: House Concert with Jason Bae
News of an upcoming piano recital at the KCC: The House Concert with Jason Bae Tue 26 July 2016, 7pm l Korean Cultural Centre UK Grand Buildings 1-3 Strand, London WC2N 5BW The Korean Cultural Centre invites you to ‘The House Concert’ to hear an exciting programme featuring young Korean pianist Jason Bae. Free entry with drinks and … [Read More]
Event news: Lee Seok-hoon’s Himalaya screens at Regent Street Cinema
The third of the KCCUK’s teaser screenings for the 2016 London Korean Film Festival is on 4 August at the Regent Street Cinema. Its star Hwang Jung-min told audiences at last year’s film festival that Himalaya had been the most exhausting film he had worked on. Find out why by watching it. The Himalayas (히말라야) … [Read More]
The Priests (검은사제들, 2015) review: demons, doubt and ritual
While many would consider one exorcism horror movie to be much like another, ‘The Priests’ manages to combine ideas of modern Catholicism with far more traditional Buddhist rituals to bring a noticeable originality to proceedings. An engaging horror drama with utterly exemplary cast performances. [Read More]
Event news: Maya Youssef, Cheng Yu & Hyelim Kim at Club Inégales
Following on from the inspirational double bill at the Spitalfields Festival, Notes Inégales appear again with soloists Maya Youssef, Cheng Yu and Hyelim Kim for what will be another memorable night of music-making: Maya Youssef, Cheng Yu & Hyelim Kim Saturday 23rd July 2016, door 7.00pm Club Inégales | 180 North Gower Street | London NW1 2NB … [Read More]
Event news: Kang Ik-joong’s floating installation for Totally Thames
New York based Korean artist Kang Ik-joong will have a work prominently displayed on the river by the Millennium Bridge as part of the Totally Thames festival this September. The official release from the Totally Thames website is reproduced below, and Yonhap has a report from today’s press launch in Seoul. Floating Dreams by Ik-Joong … [Read More]
Event news: My Teacher, Mr. Kim and King of Jokgu are July’s films at the KCC
July brings another opportunity to see The King of Jokgu, which screened at the London Korean Film Festival in 2014. I’m not sure we’ve had a chance to see My Teacher Mr Kim before, but 2003 was a good year for Korean movies. Reservations as usual via the KCC website. My Teacher, Mr. Kim (선생 … [Read More]
Slaves to the System Project launches Poland report
Slaves to the System, a collaboration between EAHRNK and the Leiden Asia Centre, published their first major report on DPRK workers in Poland at a conference held at Leiden this week: On Wednesday afternoon (6 July) in Leiden, the Netherlands, a new in-depth report on the issue of North Korean forced labour in Poland was … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Koo Jeong A upgrades Charing Cross
When we visited the Venice Biennale in 2009, one of the installations in the Giardini was by Koo Jeong A entitled A Reality Upgrade & End Alone (2009). The installation involved the sprinkling of 3,000 rhinestones on the grass near the cafeteria, which should have resulted in the tired lawn miraculously coming alive with fairy dust. And indeed that’s … [Read More]