Last year during Asian Art in London I paid Linda Wrigglesworth a visit. She has an interesting collection of antique textiles and Korean costume alongside her own more modern takes on the oriental style. I particularly liked the rather fine 19th century purple official’s robe (below), not that I would have a use for it … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 184)
November Events 2008
This events listing was written a week ago before the KCC had published their programme for November. I’ll update it when I get more information. Film Too many films to mention in the London Korean Film Festival at the Barbican from 6 November, with some of them going to Liverpool on 13 November. There’s also … [Read More]
Blight, Hope and Photoshop
“This is not a Korean exhibition” announced Lee Chan-Buom, Director of the Cultural Cooperation Division of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as he introduced the panellists at a fascinating discussion to coincide with the “Blight and Hope” exhibition at the KCC. With sponsorship from the British Council and the UNDP, there was to … [Read More]
“Disposable People”: Comfort Women photos at the Festival Hall
Overlapping nicely with the photographic exhibition at the KCC (Poverty seen through the Lens) is Disposable People, an exhibition at the Royal Festival Hall on a related theme: modern day slavery. Magnum photographer Chris Steele Perkins spent some time talking with some of the last surviving sex slaves from the Pacific War – the Korean … [Read More]
Korea Times and National Branding
The Korea Times is currently running an interesting series of articles on Korea’s national brand. The paper has asked a number of foreigners – branding, business, tourism and advertising specialists – to comment on Korea’s perception overseas. Some of the writers are uniquely qualified to provide insights: Simon Anholt, for example, is the man who … [Read More]
DPRK on the US terrorism list and verification
Just received from the DPRK embassy in London Foreign Ministry Spokesman on DPRK’s Will to Cooperate in Verification of Objects of Nuclear Disablement Pyongyang, October 12 (KCNA) — A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry gave the following answer to a question put by KCNA Sunday as regards the U.S.’s delisting the DPRK as “a … [Read More]
Album review: Lee Soo Young #8 — Set It Down
(Manine Media, 2007) There’s something reassuring about a Lee Soo Young album. You try to explore different genres of music, some of which may be exciting and original, and others may be frankly rather tiresome. And then you come to Lee Soo Young and it’s like returning home. It’s a bit like comfort food. It … [Read More]
Some of my favourite gugak fusion videos
A lazy post with a link to a performance of a number entitled “Seoul in panic” by the gugak fusion band Sorea. Modern music performed on traditional instruments, with dancing both traditional and modern. It could be taken straight from a Korea, Sparkling promotional video. It works rather well: The b-boys are from Extreme Crew. … [Read More]
Become an LKL reviewer: win a FREE ticket to the BFI London Film Festival
We’re always on the lookout for new talent to join the enthusiastic team at LKL. To entice you think about writing the occasional contribution, here’s a tempting offer. Drop me an email via the contact form volunteering to write a film review every now and then, and we’ll send you a free ticket to a … [Read More]
October Events 2008
Here are the events I know about for October Exhibitions Forwards and Upwards, the story of the Republic of Korea after 60 years, runs 6 – 13 October at the KCC I’m told that there’s an exhibition about slavery in the Festival Hall ballroom area, including photos of Korean comfort women Sun Kim (ceramicist) participates … [Read More]
A Park Soo-keun comes up for sale
“80% of Korean art buyers are pure speculators”, says Juhl Joohyun Lee, director of Arario Gallery. And with Lee Kun-hee having stepped down from the chairmanship of Samsung and allegations flying that an illegal slush fund was used to buy works for his wife’s Leeum museum, Samsung has stopped buying art. So says the FT … [Read More]
Korea Yearbook 2009 Call for Papers
The editors of the Korea Yearbook – Politics, Economy, Society, published since 2007 by Brill (Leiden and Boston), are now calling for papers for the 2009 edition of the yearbook. The Korea Yearbook consists, on the one hand, of four concise overviews of domestic and external affairs of the two Koreas and, on the other … [Read More]
Chuseok in Chessington
The King’s Centre was opened last year by Cliff Richard. It’s a multi-purpose venue in Chessington designed for the local community, with facilities for business meetings, conferences and sporting activities. The main users of the space are the Chessington evangelical church. But last Saturday evening there was a multicultural audience of Korean and Korean-British families, … [Read More]
Boston Globe’s Big Picture: North Korea
The Boston Globe website has a section called the Big Picture which has some great images. Last week they posted 32 photos of North Korea. Many of them are from news agencies, taking snaps across the border from China with long lenses, but the core of the collection is from Eric Lafforgue, who has recently … [Read More]
Developed Market status and other recent business stories
In a week when the most developed market in the world has not particularly covered itself in glory, after years in the waiting room it was announced this week that Korea would be admitted into the FTSE club of developed markets. According to the FT (South Korea wins developed-country status, 18 Sept 2008), this could … [Read More]
Can BoA eat up the U.S. of A.?
Despite the hallyu’s success in Asia, today’s Korean pop stars have yet to make it big in the States. Yes, we’ve seen a Korean or two in a Hollywood film or on Comedy Central, but concerts have been fairly localised, and the high-profile tour by Rain never got off the ground. And we’ve yet to … [Read More]