The customary autumnal calendar carnage continues, with the overpacked screening schedules of the film festivals clashing with music and food events, the challenges exacerbated this year by events marking 140 years of diplomatic relations bunching together in the run-up to the State Visit. I wonder if kimchi will feature on the menu of any of the official dinners, it being Kimchi Day on 22 November while the President is here…
Diaries become lest congested towards the end of the month.
Live Performance
- Theatre: Kimber Lee’s Untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play at the Young Vic ends on 4 Nov. Recommended.
- For K-music:
- Sun-Mi Hong + Hyelim Kim play at Milton Court on 1 Nov
- Leenalchi tours to Nottingham and Leeds on 8 and 9 Nov
- Jambinai joins Leenalchi at the QEH on 10 Nov
- Soojin Suh & Kit Downes play the Purcell Room on 12 Nov
- Pop and indie:
- Former GOT7 member Yugyeom plays the Troxy on 2 Nov
- Former INFINITE member Lee Seong Jong plays in Greenwich on 3 Nov
- Balming Tiger play the Village Underground, 8 Nov
- Korea on Stage, a big K-pop event that is part of the 140 year celebrations, is at Wembley Arena on 8 Nov
- Yaeji and guests play the Roundhouse on 11 Nov
- Woodz plays the Troxy on 24 Nov
- The KCC has a series of recitals with a varied operatic / folk music / dance programme entitled Soritgonggam, 2 – 3 Nov
Talks and seminars
- At the V&A, an all-day seminar Korean Photography – History and Practices (1 Nov)
- At the KCC:
- Drawing Action Heroes in the Digital Age with Wooh Nayoung (1 Nov)
- Exploring Korea’s Sartorial Heritage Through Hanbok with Jungtaek Lee of London Hanbok (9 Nov)
- From Porcelain to Palaces – A Journey Through the Cultural Heritage of the Joseon Dynasty with Charlotte Horlyck (22 Nov)
- In Kingston: Diplomatic Relations between UK and Korea 1604 – 1905, with Jim Hoare (9 Nov)
- At SOAS:
- An all-day workshop on Korean collections in UK institutions, 18 Nov
- A book talk by the author of Black Girl from Pyongyang, 24 Nov
Screenings
- The documentary Beyond Utopia is in cinemas now for the next week or so
- The London Korean Film Festival opens with a packed schedule on 2 November
- Foyles screens four episodes of the K-drama Recipe for Farewell on 4 Nov
- Queer East tours the UK, with screenings of Peafowl in Manchester, Sheffield and Belfast
Exhibitions
- In Kingston, The Ties Through Time exhibition celebrates 140 years of diplomatic relations, 9 – 22 Nov
- At the Saatchi Gallery, a trade fair cum VR and media showcase The Oulim in London lasts until 5 Nov
- In the KCC, Here with You: The Beauty of Korean Heritage runs 1 – 25 Nov
- Seoul’s Jason Haam Gallery hosts a group show, ‘Karma’, at No 9 Cork Street, 3-18 Nov
- In Borough Market, a Korea inspired video experience Delight lasts until January
Food and parties
- Judy Joo hosts a Kimchi-making class at Fortnums, 16 Nov
- The Korea Kimchi Festival is at Kingston University on 18 Nov
- There’s a Halloween-themed K-pop / hiphop night at Fire Vauxhall on 3 Nov
- There’s a K-pop bubblepop brunch in central London on 26 Nov
Publications expected
- Moral Authoritarianism: Neighborhood Associations in the Three Koreas, 1931–1972 by Shinyoung Kwon pub University of Hawai’i Press
- Can’t I go instead? by Lee Geum-yi tr An Seonjae
- DallerGut Dream Department Store by Mi-ye Lee tr Sandy Joosun Lee
- The Consultant by Im Seong-sun tr An Seonjae