Chuseok (추석), also known as Hangawi (한가위), is the Korean harvest festival, falling on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. A public holiday in Korea, it usually falls quite close to London’s Thames Festival. This year, it’s today, 12th September. It’s a time when the roads out of Seoul turn into car parks, … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 124)
Video of the 63rd anniversary of DPRK’s foundation
Video of the 63rd anniversary celebrations of the foundation of the DPRK. Goose-stepping, vintage motorbikes and countless french horns in King Il-sung square, 9 September. For an edited version of some of last year’s marches by Craig Burrows, visit his excellent video, Hell March. [Read More]
The many attractions of Sancheong County at the Thames Festival and beyond
This year, as for the past four years, Korea will be heavily represented at the Thames Festival. But this year, for the first time, the Korean village will host some stalls from parts of the country outside of Seoul. The regions all have particular unique characteristics to attract people to visit. Jeju-do, still in the … [Read More]
Korea Times on the globalisation of Korean Literature
The Korea Times speculates as to the possibility of an upcoming deluge of Korean Literature in English: the next hallyu? bit.ly/quWU92. Fingers crossed. [Read More]
Kim Jong-il looking at a doner kebab
I don’t like the look of these North Korean doner kebabs. Nor, by the look of him, does the Dear Leader. bit.ly/n2DiPs [Read More]
Documentary footage of Korea in 1925
Amazing documentary footage of Korea in 1925, made by German missionary bit.ly/oDyCkw [Read More]
Where to find English muffins in Seoul
If you find yourself in Seoul craving toasted muffins with your Earl Grey, contact @ajosshi. A feature on an Itaewon shop catering to westerners. Prominent bloggers are quoted. bit.ly/qelORa [Read More]
Park Chu-young’s stay at Arsenal won’t be long
He Shoots! He Scores! He Leaves! Park Chu-young won’t be at Arsenal for long, says Wall Street Journal: military service beckons on.wsj.com/rtx89t [Read More]
A Yi Mun-yol short story in the New Yorker
A Yi Mun-yol short story (An Anonymous Island) is published in The New Yorker — a first! wp.me/p1mFzB-cJ. Via @subjobjverb. Translation is by Heinz Insu Fenkl. Update: LKL article on the short story and Im Kwon-taek’s screen adaptation of it (Village in the Mist – 안개 마을, 1983) can be found here. [Read More]
Team Korea: White Tiger Challenge – Ready for America’s Cup in Plymouth
Earlier this year, Team Korea made history when it became the newest nation to enter the America’s Cup, the oldest still active, international sporting competition in the world. This is a brand new America’s Cup competition however, with a new approach that has already revolutionised the sport. With the stated aim of having the ‘best … [Read More]
Shim Hyung-rae could be ruined by big-budget D-War
Could monster budget of monster movie sink D-War director Shim Hyung-rae? http://t.co/CPDhYSy # [Read More]
Lim Ok-sang’s Total Art exhibition at Gana Art Center
There are times when I wish I could teleport myself to Seoul for an hour or two: Lim Ok-sang’s exhibition “Total Art” at Gana Art Centre is a must-see http://t.co/5kIaOyR #. Till 18 September 2011. [Read More]
September events 2011
Summer’s over, Chuseok approaches. Must mean it’s time for the Thames Festival. Events for September are as follows: Exhibitions Last chance to see Hada Contemporary’s Summer Show at the Albemarle Gallery (till 3 September) Haegue Yang at Modern Art Oxford (till 4 September) Rare Books, Manuscripts and Artefacts in the Bodleian Libraries (till 26 September) … [Read More]
BBC1’s Luther wins TV award in Seoul
British TV show Luther won the Best Mini-Series at Seoul International Drama Awards yesterday. http://t.co/wv1aLfq #. Via @UKinKorea [Read More]
Yun Ho-jin’s musical Hero, on stage in New York
“Bombastic” is the New York Times’s view of Yun Ho-jin’s musical Hero http://t.co/2tsHSdf – Exactly what I thought of his previous one, The Last Empress, when it showed in London in 2002 # [Read More]
Park Chu-young signs for Arsenal
Arsenal agree deal to sign Korea’s captain Chu Young Park http://t.co/xeMMLyn Would he have stopped the rout by Man Utd last weekend? # [Read More]