London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

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Selected publications

A review of the Korean cultural year 2021

Each year when I come to write this review, I wonder whether Korean culture in the West has reached its high water mark. And every year so far I’ve come to the same conclusion. Korean music and film, TV and food continue to win admirers, and we can expect to see it continue to thrive … [Read More]

Park Seo-Bo returns to White Cube

Timed perfectly to celebrate the easing of the lockdown, White Cube welcome Park Seo-Bo for his third solo show at the gallery. This time his work is displayed in their Bermondsey space. The exhibition features works from the 1970s to the present, and also (not for sale) two colourful geometric abstraction pieces from 1968, pre-Dansaekhwa. … [Read More]

A review of the London Korean year 2016

As is traditional at this time of year, we look back at some of the highlights of the London Korean Year. Exhibitions Is it my imagination, or was there less going on this year? Certainly from the perspective of contemporary art, we have been through a lull this year. With HADA Contemporary gone, Mokspace reborn … [Read More]

Event news: ARTTALK — What is Dansaekhwa?

At the moment I’m struggling with Park Seo-Bo’s big solo show at the White Cube, so I’m hoping that this talk might help me approach it with greater understanding. ARTTALK: Contemporary Korean Art Today What is Dansaekhwa? The Korean Monochrome Movement and Park Seo-Bo Thursday 3 March 2016, 6:30pm Korean Cultural Centre UK | Grand … [Read More]

Dansaekhwa – a Biennale collateral event in Venice, 7 May – 15 Aug

Lee Ufan returns to Venice with some site-specific work as part of an official collateral event of Dansaekhwa artists: Dansaekhwa Collateral Event of the 56th International Art Exhibition la Biennale di Venezia Dates: May 7–August 15, 2015 Opening: May 7, 7pm Venue: Palazzo Contarini-Polignac | 874 Dorsoduro | 30123 Venezia www.villaempain.com | www.kukjegallery.com | www.tinakimgallery.com … [Read More]

Dansaekhwa comes to France

As an incredible Lee Ufan exhibition closes in Versailles, Gallerie Perotin opens a solo show by Park Seo-Bo. Lee Ufan Versailles Gardens 17 June to 2 November 2014 Why choose Lee Ufan as the contemporary artist for 2014 in Versailles? Dare I say that, again, it is André Le Nôtre who influenced both Alfred Pacquement, … [Read More]

2012 Travel Diary 1: Dansaekhwa – Korean Monochrome Painting at the Museum of Contemporary Art

Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do, Saturday 24 March 2012. Whenever I come to Seoul I always try to get to Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon to visit the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Even if there isn’t a particularly interesting special exhibition on (and that’s rare), their permanent collection is always worth a browse. This time, the special … [Read More]

Dansaekhwa: Korean Monochrome Painting, at MMCA Gwacheon

A major retrospective of possibly modern Korea’s most representative artistic style: Dansaekhwa: Korean Monochrome Painting National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon 17 March – 13 May 2012 Highlights Korean monochrome paintings from the 1970s to the present in the largest such exhibition in Korea. Landscape of the mind as embodied by monochrome painters … [Read More]

Ten contemporary Korean artists you should know

Contemporary Korean Art from the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea Korean Cultural Centre, 1 Northumberland Avenue, through 16 May 2008. Free Admission Review by Grace Kim Korean Contemporary Art has become something of a recent phenomenon in the western art world, despite developing in Korea with influences from abroad for over 40-50 years. The … [Read More]

Contemporary Art showcase at KCC

A press release from the Korean Cultural Centre: Contemporary Korean Art: From the National Museum of Contemporary Art Korea 27 March-16 May Contemporary Korean Art marks the Korean Cultural Centre UK’s second exhibition since its opening in January 2008. As a platform for the promotion and development of the Republic of Korea’s unique visual and … [Read More]

The Leeum Art Gallery, Seoul

A brief walk from Hangangjin subway stop (line 6) near Itaewon is the Leeum Gallery, set up by Samsung. No expense has been spared on the building itself, with prestigious foreign architects engaged to build it, and an impressive collection of artworks. The building itself is very spacious, and has three main sections. Older artworks … [Read More]