August is relatively quiet in London, though K-pop fans will be able to enjoy Odd Eye Circle and W24 in London – tickets still available at time of writing. This is the calm before the storm: September has at least eight live pop and indie events.
Outside of London, if you’ve managed to secure yourself some reasonably-priced accommodation in Edinburgh, you’re well set. Highlight of the festival is undoubtedly the National Changgeuk Company’s Trojan Women.
Edinburgh
- Korea is well-represented both in the International Festival itself and the Fringe
Exhibitions
- Shinuk Suh’s Veiled Memories at Daniel Benjamin Gallery closes on 5 Aug
- Jinseon Chon’s Looking Glass World is at Pontone Gallery until 20 Aug
- Sang Woon Nam’s Blue at Aleph Contemporary continues all month…
- … as does Jinjoon Lee’s Audible Garden at the KCC. There’s a panel discussion with the artist on 11 Aug
- The Yun Hyong-keun exhibition at Hastings Contemporary (on al summer) is worth a day trip
- The Korean visual research band ikkibawiKrrr is participating in a group show in Deptford from 4 Aug
- In Bristol, Young In Hong participates in a group exhibition at the Arnolfini
Live performance
- An oboist and string quartet from the KBS SO stop off on the way back from Edinburgh to perform at St James’s Piccadilly on 12 Aug
- Odd Eye Circle’s “Volume Up” tour hits the Kentish Town Forum on 5 Aug
- W24’s “Born Again” tour hits Highbury Corner’s The Garage on 19 Aug
Screening and Streaming
- The KCC has one screening this month: 2022 festival favourite Next Door on 17 Aug
- On BBC Sounds you can listen to the 6-part documentary series about the Burning Sun nightclub and the culture of misogyny.
Social
- We haven’t heard about any Liberation Day celebrations in New Malden organised by the Residents’ Association, but Hanguk Hapa has arranged some evening festivities in 63 High Street on 18 Aug
- There’s a K-pop / hip-hop night at Fire Vauxhall on 4 Aug
Books
- As far as we know, it’s a quiet month for new publications. The only one we’re aware of is Han Jimin’s The Apology. But, in case you missed it (we tripped over them on Twitter on the day of their publication – they came out of the blue), Strangers Press has just released eight new short story chapbooks.
Let me know what books or events I’ve missed.
Finally, Koreans may want to contribute to the national pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale by submitting their scent memories to the curators of Koo Jeong A’s Odorama Cities by 7 August.