It was a brave attempt: despite the pandemic, K-music 2020 was originally planned to open and close with live gigs. Now neither gig will now go ahead as planned. Flying over ADG7, a 9-member band with its associated staff, as Covid conditions worsened proved too much of a challenge. So the opening concert was the … [Read More]
Year: 2020 (page 3)
Buckwheat tops the translation league table
As I’ve been logging the various publications during the construction of LKL’s K-lit hub, I’ve been keeping an eye on those stories which appear most often in English translation, whether in an anthology or a standalone publication. Charles Montgomery has always said that When the Buckwheat Blooms is the most published story, and I’ve yet … [Read More]
KCC Artist of the Year exhibition: Jewyo Rhii
October is a big month for Korean culture in London as it marks the opening of the KCCUK’s three landmark events in the calendar: the London Korean Film Festival, the K-Music Festival, and now the Artist of the Year exhibition, which will be Love Your Depot, an installation by artist Jewyo Rhii. Love Your Depot … [Read More]
Announcing LKL’s new K-Lit Hub
I haven’t been posting much on LKL recently. That’s not because nothing’s been going on. On the contrary, there’s been plenty of exhibitions to review, online film festivals to attend, and some real-world foodie events to enjoy. In fact, I have a longer than ever writing backlog, which I shall do my best to backfill. So … [Read More]
Korean artists exhibiting at START Art Fair 2020
Despite the pandemic, START Art Fair opens this month in the Saatchi Gallery. As in previous years, Skipwiths presents the work of a major Korean artist, with this year Ceviga making a debut with the gallery. Also making a return is Jade Flower Gallery, and new this year is a solo appearance from Eunhyue Shin. … [Read More]
Peninsula (반도, 2020) review: a high-octane zombie heist lacking its predecessor’s heart
Peninsula largely fulfils the requisites for a blockbuster action/horror in a basic sense, but more depth to the narrative and more fully fledged characters rather than caricatures could have allowed it to step so much further towards the genre busting originality that drew so many of us to classic Korean cinema in the first place. [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Heemoon Lee + Prelude + NomNom
Heemoon Lee’s gig with Prelude and NomNom at K-music 2017 (pictured below) was LKL’s live performance of the year, and it’s a strong contender for most fun gig of the whole K-music series so far. So it deserves its place in this K-music Greats strand, the final online concert of the festival. K-Music Greats III: … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Park Jiha, Kyungso Park, Woojae Park + Soona Park
The second online concert of the K-music Specials strand brings us a collaboration between four Parks, three of whom have featured at past K-music festivals. The fourth Park, Soona, has separately played in London several times as part of Baramgot. K-Music Specials II: Park Jiha, Kyungso Park, Woojae Park + Soona Park Friday 13 November, … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Leenalchi
The final online concert in the Critics’ Choice strand brings us a band who’ve really exploded onto the scene this year. Critics’ Choice III: Leenalchi Thursday 12 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Leenalchi are currently enjoying viral success with the video ‘Feel the Rhythm of Korea’, in collaboration with the Ambiguous Dance Company … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Sinnoi
The second online concert in the Critics’ Choice strand brings us the innovative trio Sinnoi. Critics’ Choice II: Sinnoi Wednesday 11 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive A unique presence on the jazz scene, Sinnoi has a minimalist composition with rich, deep musical interplay of improvised and delicate exchanges. Sinnoi was formed by Bora … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Coreyah
The first concert in the Critics’ Choice strand introduces us to Coreyah, who came to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2013 but as far as I know have not otherwise performed in the UK. Critics’ Choice I: Coreyah Tuesday 10 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Coreyah are a psychedelic Korean folk music group, integrating … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Gray by Silver + Gonia
The second of the two online concerts from the New Talent strand brings together two interesting jazz-infused acts: New Talent III & IV: Gray By Silver + Gonia Monday 9 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Gray By Silver Expressive pianist and composer Hanbin Lee leads this jazz group in expertly performed, emotional pieces … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Black String
Black String return to K-music in the second of the K-music Greats strand of the 2020 festival: K-music Greats II: Black String Saturday 7 November, 5pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive ACT artists and masters of traditional Korean music and jazz Black String burst on to the London scene in 2011, their rise to the … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Hey String
For me, Hey String were the highlight of K-music 2019. So it’s great to see that they’ve got another gig this year. K-Music Specials I: Hey String Friday 6 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Gayageum trio Hey String push beyond the limitations of traditional performance in a full force of interplaying melodies and … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Jaram Lee
The final show in the K-Music Encounters series features leading pansori singer, Jaram Lee, where she will discuss and perform The Old Man and The Sea, based on Ernest Hemingway’s masterpiece and recreated in pansori form. Lee goes back to the basics of pansori, and only with traditional Pansori linguistics and simple percussion, she brings … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Kyungso Park, Jae Il Jung + Soona Park
A double-bill of collaborations in the third online concert of K-music 2020. K-music Encounters II: Kyungso Park + Soona Park Wednesday 4 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Kyungso Park Kyungso Park is a composer, player and improviser of the gayageum, a traditional Korean stringed instrument that sounds like a cross between a harp, … [Read More]