Seoul, Sunday 1 May 2011. In previous years I had been foiled in my attempts to get to see the famous Secret Garden behind the UNESCO-listed Changdeok Palace. Either there were building works going on, or access was only via guided tour and I had missed my slot, or some other obstacle was put in … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 134)
2011 Travel Diary day 1: Rain in Samcheongdong
Myeongdong, Saturday 30 April 2011. I usually try to arrive in Korea on a Friday evening; or even, if I’m being profligate with my holiday entitlement, a Thursday evening. But my trip this year was curtailed at the front end. Why? Because at home there was a Royal festive occasion: the wedding of Prince William … [Read More]
2011 travel diary – the index
30 April Arrival: Rain in Samcheongdong 1 May The Changdeokgung and Biwon Korean Rhapsody at the Leeum 2 May The hangover in Busan, including a brief visit to Beomeosa 3 May The private side of Sancheong: Jeongchwiam and Suseonsa 4 May Sanshinje by the sacred stones and the opening of the annual herbal medicine festival … [Read More]
The Royal Wedding – the Korea-related Tweets
LKL delayed our 2011 Korea Trip by a couple of days so that we could watch the live coverage of the Royal Wedding on TV. Needless to say, while we were watching, we were looking out for Korean angles, and here are the resulting tweets (along with some which have no Korean relevance at all): … [Read More]
Korean Culture Report – the podcast you’ve been waiting for
Here’s something that deserves your attention. The latest podcast to arrive in the K-blogosphere is focused without being too brief, and informative and discursive without outstaying its welcome: The Korean Culture Report is run by the Korean Modern Literature in Translation blogmeister Charles Montgomery, with partners in crime Paul “Ajosshi” Matthews – often to be … [Read More]
Unsuk Chin explains why classical music in Korea isn’t thriving
There’s a fascinating interview with the hugely talented composer Unsuk Chin in the Joongang Ilbo today. LKL has been an unashamed fan of Chin since the world premiere of her Cello Concerto in London in 2009, and we braved a 12-hour marathon session of performances of her music at London’s Barbican Centre earlier this month. … [Read More]
Suh Do-ho’s Floor becomes a table
I don’t think Suh Do-ho intended this when he created “Floor”, but it kind of works as a coffee table (from the Financial Times) http://twitpic.com/4ny6vx # [Read More]
Colour photos of Korea in the 1950s
So unusual to see colour photos of Korea in the 1950s. Sorry I missed this talk by Dr John Cornes – last week’s Global Korea Lecture at the KCC. http://bit.ly/fuZjvR # [Read More]
Korea Times previews Edinburgh 2011
The Korea Times previews the Korean highlights at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, including Oh Tae-seok’s Tempest. http://bit.ly/if6eAV #. It’s going to be a good year. [Read More]
T’oji hits the shops in May
1,172 pages and still only 20% complete. Park Kyung-ni’s The Land (T’oji) translated by Agnita Tennant hits the bookshops in May http://bit.ly/hlUvmT # [Read More]
Book review: Kim Sok-pom — The Curious Tale of Mandogi’s Ghost
Kim Sok-pom: The Curious Tale of Mandogi’s Ghost Translated by Cindi Textor Columbia University Press, 2010 (114pp) Originally published in Japanese, 1970. What seems to be new entrant in the Korean literature in translation market is more complicated than it first seems. The author, Kim Sok-pom, is actually a second-generation zainichi Korean resident in Japan, … [Read More]
Sven-Goran Eriksson: the North Korean connection
The UK Serious Fraud Office is looking at the bizarre story of the scamming of Sven-Goran Eriksson and North Korean government http://bbc.in/fXHTxv # [Read More]
The unstoppable “Please Look After Mother”
Not so long ago people were complaining that the Korean literature available in English translation wasn’t reaching out to a modern audience. Yes, there was a fair amount available, the argument went, but much of it lamented Korea’s travails during the colonial period, or explored the han-laden traumas of national division. Not something of much … [Read More]
The return of the Uigwe
Ancient texts looted by France are home at last – the Uigwe once stored in the Oegyujanggak library on Ganghwa-do return to the National Museum of Korea on semi-permanent lease. http://bit.ly/fIFpeJ # [Read More]
More buzz about Please Look After Mom / Mother
Please Look After Mom seems to be the latest hot translation. Amazon are already telling me I would like it. http://bit.ly/gPTvD3 # Guess which translated Korean novel will be BBC Radio 4’s Book at Bedtime in early June. You only get one guess. @KTLit # KTLit: lol “mom?” lklinks: Right first time. The unstoppable Shin … [Read More]
The Chosun Ilbo’s movie popularity poll
Heartened (and puzzled) to see Im Kown-taek as best director in the same poll which has Ha Ji-won most popular actress http://bit.ly/f6zVYN #. “Most popular” stars were Won Bin and Ha Ji-won while the “best” were Song Kang-ho and Jeon Do-yeon. [Read More]