Last week, I re-watched two of my all-time favourite Korean films. Or at least, I thought they were. Film number one: E J-yong’s An Affair (1998), which was in the first dozen of Korean films I ever saw. I caught it at the 2001 London Korean Film Festival (yes, there have been Korean Film Festivals … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 114)
Directory of World Cinema: South Korea launched
I see that @ColetteBalmain‘s Directory of World Cinema: South Korea is up for preorder on Amazon.co.uk (http://t.co/0LpRIp2s) No pressure then, Colette. [Read More]
New North Korean restaurant in Amsterdam – the first in Europe
Amsterdam’s latest attraction: a nine-course North Korean meal for €79 at the new Pyongyang Restaurant: http://t.co/6K7QvvWv. Visit their website for menu and videos of the accompanying entertainment. Update 7 September 2012: the restaurant has already closed. [Read More]
Dasepo Naughty Girls: two hours of colourful mayhem
The KCC’s E J-yong month is shaping up nicely. This coming Thursday is your chance to see Dasepo Naughty Girls, one of those films which is so difficult to categorise. It’s a completely different film from E J-yong’s earlier work such as last week’s subdued romance of An Affair and the Joseon dynasty costume drama … [Read More]
Dasepo Naughty Girls features choreography by Ahn Eun-mi
Watch out for choreography by the amazing Ahn Eun-mi in the song & dance numbers of Dasepo Naughty Girls at the KCC on Thursday http://t.co/IMWsHxGX [Read More]
Kim Jong-un’s busy January
Tea-leaf readers at NKNews.org have an interesting article trying to make sense of Kim Jong-un’s busy calendar in January: http://t.co/o1eJRiJT [Read More]
The revival in Confucian Academies
“I came here so Grandpa will scold me less.” Choi Sang-hun talks about a mini-boom in Confucian Academies in S Korea: http://t.co/82ugBn9R (New York Times) [Read More]
February events 2012
Sadly, the big event scheduled for this month, the appearance of StorySeller and Choi Soo Min at a Camden club, has been postponed possibly until later this year. Shame. But looking on the bright side, E J-yong, director of one of my favourite films – An Affair (1998) – will be in town later in … [Read More]
Learn about Korean culture through K-pop
Check out the new K-pop culture academy at the @KCCUK. Get your application in by 15 February. Looks really interesting, and a good example of the new Minister’s K-Culture promotion initiative. http://t.co/g5HJL7m1 [Read More]
Girl’s Generation on David Letterman show
If you’re in America, don’t forget to watch David Letterman tonight for SM Entertainment’s latest marketing push – a performance from Girls Generation http://t.co/NQoasFfa. And here’s the video: [Read More]
KIA Motors and the Australian Open
KIA Motors, having sponsored the Australian Open since 2002, is getting some great worldwide TV coverage http://t.co/FUSNvaUK [Read More]
Kim Jong-il’s Pulgasari: political metaphor or just a bad monster movie?
LKL reports from the Asian Movie Meetup at the Roxy in Borough High Street on 16 January: Pulgasari (1985). Director: Shin Sang-ok; Producer: Kim Jong-il. The snowy peak of Mount Baekdu in the background and a winged Chollima horse in the foreground is the ident which announces the start of Pulgasari. The two icons of … [Read More]
Feature on photographer Bae Bien-u
There’s a good feature on photographer Bae Bien-u (best known for his atmospheric pine tree images) in the JoongAng Ilbo http://t.co/V6Zr9GH7. See some of his photos of the Secret Garden on his website. [Read More]
FT interviews with author Krys Lee
Small talk: interview with Korean American writer Krys Lee in the FT http://t.co/VN4wRXzT (via @rjkoehler). Her first book, Drifting House, a collection of short stories set in North Korea, South Korea and the US, is now available on Amazon. [Read More]
Natural Wonders in Germany. Any in London?
Did anyone notice any Natural Wonders on the North Circular after Kim Jong-il’s death? The DPRK embassy in Germany did http://t.co/LvnlMBjB [Read More]
A look forward to the events of 2012
We had a pretty good year for Korea-related cultural events in 2011. So what can we expect in 2012? Here’s a taster of things that are in planning. And here’s hoping the plans come to fruition. Film We missed out on a planned Im Kwon-taek retrospective in 2011 owing to a clash of dates with … [Read More]