“The World Health Organization defines excessive drinking as the equivalent of seven shot-sized cups (1 fluid ounce per cup) of soju for men and five for women” says the Joongang Ilbo. If you define it like that, it’s hardly suprising if 42.5% of Korean men find themselves drinking “excessively” at least once a week. [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 106)
British diplomat on roller coaster ride with Kim Jong Un
According to Mother Jones, the mystery Westerner photographed with Kim Jong Un on a funfair ride in the Rungna People’s Pleasure Ground last week was Barnaby Jones, a diplomat with the British Embassy in Pyongyang. Sounds like a change from a normal day in the office. [Read More]
Concert notes: HJ Lim at the Wigmore
She strode onto the stage in her trademark silk trouser suit, casually tossed a handkerchief into the piano and launched immediately into the intensity of the first of Rachmaninov’s Etudes Tableaux Op 33. HJ Lim’s debut at the Wigmore had departed. As when a bus driver puts his foot on the accelerator before his passengers … [Read More]
Monocle 24 broadcasts from Team Korea House
Live from Team Korea House, London, Monocle 24 hears from the CEO of the Korea Tourism Association, enjoys K-pop, and is joined by acupuncture expert Sena Lee. All to celebrate the Olympics. http://londonkoreanlinks.net/wp-content/uploads/audio/11000199.mp3 The K-pop interview is at 18’00” Sena is at 23’35” Philip is at 52’00” [Read More]
LKL’s editor and Traditional Korean Medicine specialist on live radio
I haven’t been so nervous in a long time. I got the call from the Korean Tourism Organisation this morning – “please come along to Team Korea House to do an interview on live radio this evening.” I thought it might be good training for an interview with Arirang’s Morning Call programme I might be … [Read More]
Korean technology on display in Harrods
KOTRA has sponsored a window display in Harrods during the course of the Olympics, showcasing the latest Korean technology. Samsung, Hyundai and others are included. Love the little robots. [Read More]
KTO advertises at Piccadilly Circus
For the duration of the Olympic Games, the KTO has taken out some advertising space at Piccadilly Circus, joining the other Korean advertisements there – Samsung, Hyundai and LG. Here are a few shots taken on 30 July: [Read More]
Korean badminton pairs – bad losers?
The two South Korean badminton teams kicked out of the games for trying to lose their matches – against Chinese and Indonesian pairs who were also trying to lose – both ended up winning. (Source – FT) [Read More]
August events 2012
August is the time to turn the attention to Edinburgh for the Fringe and to Kingston for the festival, but there’s still plenty of stuff going on in Central London Exhibitions Sung Hwan Kim’s massive installation comprising short films, mirrors continues in the new Tate Modern tanks all month Francesca Cho’s solo show is at … [Read More]
Black Eagles showcase the T-50 for Korea Aerospace Industries at the Savoy
Eleven handsome pilots in aviator sunglasses swagger down the runway in slow-motion choreographed formation. Behind them is parked a sleek black and gold aircraft pointing menacingly towards you. A booming Hollywood soundtrack could be announcing the start of a Top Gun sequel. But it’s the start of the promotional video for Korea’s Black Eagles aerobatic … [Read More]
KCNA’s typography guidelines are a geek’s nightmare
The KCNA’s typography guidelines for displaying the names of the three Kims, at least on their kcna.kp domain, are keeping their typesetters unnecessarily busy. Whenever Kim Jong Un’s name is displayed it has to be in a bigger font size than the surrounding text, and it is not permitted to be broken by a carriage … [Read More]
LKL interviewed by Yonhap
I had an interview with a Yonhap journalist on a hot sweaty Tuesday evening this week at the KCC. Here’s the write-up. It generated a fair bit of traffic, which is how I knew it had been published. Hope I didn’t say anything stupid. [Read More]
Witty Specsavers ad irritates academics
The quick-thinking Specsavers ad capitalising on the Olympic flag gaffe seems to have ruffled a feather in academic circles for being written in bad Korean. So what if “Specsavers” should be at the beginning of the sentence? Putting it there would have completely baffled the non-Korean speaking audience it’s aimed at. [Read More]
Daytime Drinking – the perfect hangover cure
Daytime Drinking is a gentle comedy which is the perfect antidote the view that Korean cinema has lost its way. And it’s a film which makes you feel connected to Korea much more than many of the horror and action films which come our way. From the soulless self-catering guesthouse (or “pension”) in the mountains … [Read More]
Wenlock & Mandeville in Seoul
Official London 2012 mascots Wenlock & Mandeville braved sizzling heat to visit King Sejong in Gwanghwamun earlier this week. Excitement at fever pitch with Games starting soon! Via @UKinKorea [Read More]
59th anniversary of armistice day
Good to see General Paik Sun-yup looking well at the Panmunjom ceremony today, commemorating the signing of the Korean War armistice on 27 July 1953 Links: Remembering the Forgotten War: LKL interviews Gen Paik Sun-yup, 21 July 2009 [Read More]