“A journey through the last 20 years of Korean history told by a bunch of talkative rice cookers” has got to be worth a trip from London. Cuckoo by Jaha Koo Wednesday 8 December & Thursday 9 December 2021 7:45pm Studio | Warwick Arts Centre | University of Warwick | Coventry CV4 7AL | Book … [Read More]
Month: November 2021
Festival Film Review: Heaven – To the Land of Happiness
In recent years the LKFF programmers have been getting into a groove of scheduling indie, minority interest movies for the closing film of the festival. This year, they turned things upside down by programming the festival’s most appealing film (for me, at least,) to end the fortnight. Yes, the opening movie, Mogadishu, is the top … [Read More]
Finding Angel released in UK cinemas
Heart-warming Christmas film Finding Angel from director Kim Seong-jun is coming to Cineworld and Odeon cinemas in the UK from 26th November 2021: Finding Angel (천사는 바이러스) Dir Kim Seong-jun (2017, 114mins) Lee Young-a, Park Sung-il, Chon Moo-song Cineworld: Aberdeen Union Sq| Birmingham Broad Street | Bolton| Cardiff | Didsbury | Edinburgh | Enfield | … [Read More]
A look at the closing movies from recent LKFFs
As I left the cinema after Friday’s closing movie of the 2021 London Korean Film Fest, somewhat on a high because it was such a good film and Q+A, I observed to a friend I happened to bump into: “That was the best closing gala for years!” As I said that, the most recent decent … [Read More]
CL plays the Village Underground
Rapper CL pays her first visit to London at the Village Underground on 30 November. The venue has been upgraded from the nearby XOYO venue to accommodate the demand for tickets. 54 Holywell Lane | Shoreditch | London EC2A 3PQ | www.villageunderground.co.uk She’s sure to perform numbers from her debut album, ALPHA, which includes Spicy: [Read More]
The Sound of Nature: Dal:um live at Southbank Centre
“Korean traditional instruments contain the sound of nature.” This is the opening line of Ha Suyean’s answer to my question regarding what Dal:um would like their international audience to know about ancient Korean instruments gayageum and geomungo. “For someone coming to these two ancient instruments for the first time, what will they discover?”, I had … [Read More]
Festival Film Review: The Singer
As is often the case, I was out of town for the London East Asia Film Festival, so I missed the international premiere of the Director’s Cut of Cho Jungrae’s The Singer. I’m not sure if the previously available version has had a formal international premiere – probably not, given the devastation that Covid has … [Read More]
Roundtable: Rewriting the history of culture in 1970s and 1980s South Korea
Two of my favourite essay collections. I’m definitely going to be registering for this University of Edinburgh Asian Studies Roundtable. Rewriting the history of culture in 1970s and 1980s South Korea Wednesday 17 November 2021, 4 – 6 pm (UK time) Dr Youngju Ryu (University of Michigan) and Dr Sunyoung Park (University of Southern California) … [Read More]
Interview: Cho Jungrae (The Singer, 2020)
Director Cho Jungrae discusses his deep personal connection to Pansori, his hands-on role shaping the music “The Singer”, and the film’s dialogue between tradition and modernity. In this wide-ranging interview with Hangul Celluloid and LKL, he reflects on legacy, influence, and how traditional sound can still resonate with audiences today. [Read More]
KCC November House Concert Live! Borodin String Qtet #2
A nice piece to round off this year’s series of House Concerts: Rachel Hayoung Woo (Violin) | Serin Baek (Violin) | Jisu Song (Viola) | Angus McCall(Cello) 18 November 2021 – 7pm @ KCCUK Programme Borodin String Quartet No.2: Allegro moderato | Scherzo | Notturno | Finale Artists Rachel Hayoung Woo (Violin) Born in Korea … [Read More]
In dreams we gather: Bongsu Park at Gallery Rosenfeld
Bongsu Park returns to Gallery Rosenfeld with the continuing developments of her Dream project. Note also the workshops, symposium and Dream Auction also happening this month. In dreams we gather | Do not be afraid of the brilliant lights 18 November 2021 – 13 February 2022 rosenfeld | 37 Rathbone Street | London W1T 1NZ | … [Read More]
Review: Hwang Sok-yong – The Prisoner
How to review the autobiography of one of Korean’s leading novelists, who has won accclaim both sides of the border; who has spent five years in prison as well as being a person of interest to the authorities for much of his professional career? The memoir makes for fascinating reading as literary history: most of … [Read More]
Scottish CKS Distinguished Lecture Series: November talks
The Scottish Centre for Korean Studies has announced its November series of lectures. I’ve yet to find a web page where details in good old-fashioned text can be found, but poster images are posted on their Facebook page, where you can also find registration links for the Zoom meetings. This month we have: Wed 10 … [Read More]
Review: Kim Bo-young – I’m Waiting for You, and other stories
Genuine question: what was the first work of translated Korean fiction to be released as an audiobook? I don’t know the answer to that one. Browsing the Audible catalogue is not easy, but I suspect Penguin wins the prize. Two popular titles published by Penguin – Kim Ji-young, born 1982 and The Hen who dreamed … [Read More]
BLOO plays at the Garage Highbury Corner
Korean rapper BLOO comes to the Garage courtesy of Cult of Ya, supported by Howmini. BLOO: Moon and Back tour Friday 3 December 2021, 20:00-22:00 The Garage | 20-22 Highbury Corner | London N5 1RD | Tickets (Sold out) Links: Cult of Ya on Facebook [Read More]
Love in the Big City: Sang Young Park in conversation with Anton Hur
November’s literature discussion again features a book which is very hot off the press: Love in the Big City Wednesday 24th November 12:00noon-1:30pm via Zoom The author Sang Young Park and the moderator Anton Hur will join us for a live virtual talk about the novel Love in the Big City. Following the talk, Sang … [Read More]