On Monday next week we have the rare opportunity to hear some work by possibly Korea’s best-known composer in the Western “classical” style, Yun Isang (윤이상). Yun was born on Korea’s south coast near Tongyeong (통영) in 1917, and during the colonial period studied Western classical music in Korea and Japan. He was also involved … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 180)
The ambassador’s blog
In honour of the Four Ambassadors evening next week, I’ve recently introduced a section into the sidebar called The Ambassador’s Blog. In this section you can find the recent headlines from the blog maintained by the UK’s ambassador to Seoul, Martin Uden (right). Well worth a visit. He recently hosted his colleague north of the … [Read More]
Escaping North Korea book launch
At the book launch of Escaping North Korea last week, author Mike Kim explained that he wanted the book to be “inspirational”. Having seen the huge obstacles faced by North Korean escapees, he found hope in each of their stories: “If the North Koreans can overcome their mountains, I can overcome my hill”, is the … [Read More]
Why is the British media so “negative”?
A recent article in the Chosun Ilbo, Why is the British Media Most Critical of Korean Markets? (3 March) asked why British news organisations are so negative: Following the global financial crisis last year, most of the foreign media reports that shook the Korean economy were from British news organizations. Seven out of 10 foreign … [Read More]
Korea Yearbook 2008
Korea Yearbook 2008 Eds Rüdiger Frank, James E Hoare, Patrick Köllner, Susan Pares Brill, 2009 The 2008 Korea Yearbook – Politics, Economy and Society does many of the things that a reader might expect: it contains a collection of papers which review the key developments in its chosen subject areas for the past year. At … [Read More]
Waiting with Dae-hun Kwon
On visiting Rachmaninoffs gallery in Hackney, the main exhibits are initially familiar to those who know of Dae Hun Kwon’s (권대훈) work from his installations at I-MYU, the Bargehouse and elsewhere: white images of bare trees in a forest created by the shadows cast by tiny tabs illuminated by a slowly changing pattern of halogen … [Read More]
Learn Korean in a London pub
Want to learn Korean in a fun and informal environment? You couldn’t do better than locate your classroom in the back room of a London boozer. For a while, the Korean Language Meetup Group has been convening occasionally at the Korean-owned Old Justice pub in Bermondsey for socialising, singing and eating. But maybe not enough … [Read More]
Meet Mr Kim (and LKL) on YTN
A group of LKL contributors had gathered at Myungga in Kingly Street to celebrate LKL’s third birthday (yes, LKL first appeared on the web using the londonkoreanlinks.net domain name on 2 March 2006). It was a merry crew – Blogmeister Philip was joined by author and roving reporter Jennifer Barclay; documenter of Korean national cultural … [Read More]
The biggest independent music awards in the world
Voize.my, a Malaysian entertainment and lifestyle magazine site, brings you the Asia Voice Independent Music Awards. Billed as Asia’s first indie music awards, the event has acts from all over Asia, including Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, UAE, and of course Korea. In fact, with 16 countries participating, the organisers claim this is … [Read More]
March events 2009
Here are the events in March that I know of. Join the LKL Facebook group, for any updates. Theatre In-sook Chappell’s debut play “This isn’t Romance” continues until 7 March. If you live in the London area you really should go to see this. Music A rare opportunity to hear a live performance of a … [Read More]
Mudang and minhwa
When we think of pre-modern Korean aesthetics, we think of the restrained tones of Koryo celadon, of the austere white of Choson porcelain, the subdued tones of Chong Son’s landscape paintings. But, as Charlotte Horlyck reminded us in her introduction to the informative day of decorative arts and folk customs at SOAS, that is only … [Read More]
Carpe Diem – Lord Alton and Baroness Cox report from the DPRK
On 7 February Lord David Alton and Baroness Caroline Cox returned from a five day trip to North Korea. This week they published a report of their visit. This is reproduced in full below, with permission. CARPE DIEM Seizing the moment for change in North Korea A report by Lord Alton of Liverpool and Baroness … [Read More]
A new variation on a familiar pun
We all groan when we come across yet another pun involving the Republic of Korea’s capital city. Maybe I should get out more, but yesterday was the first time I had come across the Mart » 마트 » Mate pun. So, welcome Seoul Mate: not a London Korean dating agency but the latest Korean food … [Read More]
Cambridge-based Man U fan wins trip to Seoul
Celebrating the big supporter base in Korea for England’s most successful football team, the Seoul Metropolitan Government last weekend gave away a trip for two to Seoul in a lottery drawn at half time during the Manchester United game against Blackburn Rovers on 21 February. The legendary Bobby Charlton was there to witness the draw, … [Read More]
Nom Nom Nom gets DVD release
Kim Ji-woon’s western is finally getting a Region 3 release. A first press limited edition hits the websites on March 11, with not only the international cut (at 129 minutes) but the Korean theatrical cut as well – which comes in at 6 minutes longer. One of the differences between the versions is the greater … [Read More]
Francesca Cho in Vogue
February’s edition of Vogue Korea has a 6-page feature on the studio space occupied by Korean artists around the world. Francesca Cho is the artist featured for London. Cho, who stepped down from leading the UK Korean Artists Association at the start of this year, is based at Palace Wharf studios in Fulham. She’s been … [Read More]