This year, I haven’t even come close to keeping up with the volume of newly-published literature in translation, let alone the plethora of new non-fiction. Perhaps to balance my feelings of guilt at falling behind the pace of new publications, I’ve tried to make inroads into my guilt pile in respect of previous years – … [Read More]
Month: December 2017
[Updated] A further look back at movies from 2017
Two Korea-based critics have published lists of their top movies of the year. Many of them were screened in London this year and merited a mention in our own roundup which you can find here. And while the two critics have a lot more enthusiasm for Okja than I do both of them highlight some … [Read More]
A look back at some of the films of 2017
A review of some of the films that screened in London during the 2017 – another busy year. For me the undoubted highlight of the London film year was the Bae Chang-ho retrospective at the London Korean Film Festival: a chance to see a couple of his movies – including the classic Whale Hunting (1984) – … [Read More]
Exhibition: The Winter Wonders of PyeongChang
News of the KCC’s first exhibition of 2018: The Winter Wonders of PyeongChang Korean Cultural Centre UK | Grand Buildings | 1 – 3 Strand | London WC2N 5BW 10 January – 17 February 2018 The Winter Wonders of PyeongChang is an exhibition presented by UK Sport and the Korean Cultural Centre UK. Opened exactly … [Read More]
Season’s greetings to all our readers
As Team GB’s great hope for the Pyeongchang 2018 speed skating event gets some last minute tips from his Korean coach, once again it’s time to wish you all the best for Christmas and the New Year. Have a peaceful break. As in previous years, thanks are due to Jieun Kim aka The Drawing Hand … [Read More]
Bae Chang-ho retrospective: the highlight of LKFF 2017
For me, the highlight of this year’s London Korean Film Festival was the brief retrospective of some of Bae Chang-ho’s early output. I’ve had a soft spot for Director Bae’s work for over 15 years now: My Heart was one of the first Korean movies I saw, back in the London Korean Film Festival in 2001. … [Read More]
Studio visit: Kim Juree & Neil Brownsword’s open studio at the V+A
Do pay a visit to see Kim Juree and Neil Brownsword at the V+A during one of their open studios. There will be more coming in early 2018 before their joint residency ends in March. Neil will tell you about his visits to Icheon and his current project at the V+A with 19th-century ceramic pattern … [Read More]
Hopefully the last techie post for a while
LKL’s look and feel hasn’t changed much since the summer of 2009, when we moved onto the current theme template, but believe me: during the second half of this year I spent a lot of time behind the scenes on the site, working on significant changes which aren’t immediately obvious. The changes have nothing to … [Read More]
Koh Sang Woo: Borderlines, at James Freeman Gallery
The first new exhibition of 2018: Borderlines Koh Sang Woo | Olivia Kemp | Stephen Walter James Freeman Gallery | 354 Upper Street | Islington | London N1 0PD | www.jamesfreemangallery.com 11 Jan 2018 to 3 Feb 2018 Opening Reception: Thursday 11 January, 6:30 – 8:30pm Tuesday – Saturday, 11 – 6:30 To welcome in … [Read More]
Documentary: the Jangmadang Generation
In January last year Sokeel Park from the NGO Liberty in North Korea gave a talk at Chatham House about the younger generation of entrepreneurs in North Korea, and other ways in which society is inexorably changing. Somewhere I’ve still got my notes and the handout from that talk – which I probably won’t get … [Read More]
Kim Ae-ran: The Essay Contest
UPDATE: Deadline now extended to 30 April 2018. It’s been ages since we last had an essay contest. If I remember right, we’ve had two that have been specifically targeted at UK-based readers: back in 2009 we had one based on Ch’oe Yun’s There a Petal Silently Falls, and then the following year we were … [Read More]
Event news: Jay Park plays the Troxy
Jay Park returns to London for another gig on 4 February 2018. Tickets go on sale on 12 December. I’d be tempted to go along to this, but why are so many of these events on a Sunday evening? Jay Park (with SIK-K, Hoody, DJ Wegun) Sunday, 4 February 2018 | Doors: 7:00 pm | … [Read More]
Event news: Korean Sounds – Dance, the final concert of the series
The final Korean Sounds concert of the season: Korean Sounds: East Meets West – Dance Wednesday 13 December, 7.30pm Hall One | Kings Place | 90 York Way | London N1 9AG Tickets from £9.50 – Book tickets here The final concert of the series is based around the theme of Dance. Dance and music … [Read More]
MinJung Baek piano recital at Guildhall School
News of an upcoming recital by MinJung Baek. Looking forward to this one. MinJung Baek Friday 15 December at 7:30pm Milton Court | Silk St | London EC2Y 9BH Part of the Guildhall School Alumni Recital Series Tickets £15 (£10 concessions) available from the Barbican Box Office. Highly-acclaimed pianist MinJung Baek returns to the Guildhall … [Read More]
A visit to the British Ceramics Biennial
The first work to greet you as you entered the Spode China Works – the primary venue of the British Ceramics Biennial in Stoke-on-Trent – is the monumental work created in situ by Lee Kang-hyo. At the opening of the exhibition Lee did one of the performances for which he has become known: the decoration … [Read More]
Gallery: Jewyo Rhii’s The Day 3, Walls and Barbed
As described in the exhibition press release, this exhibition is a response to a response: Rhii’s 2013 exhibition “Walls to Talk to” was the subject of a journal by writer Irene Veenstra, and Rhii continues the dialogue in this exhibition. [Read More]