This month there’s music available to suit most tastes, with classical, jazz and K-pop/hip-hop, plus family activities to mark the Lunar New Year (the Seollal public holiday in Korea this year is 16-18 Feb, coinciding with the start of Lent). Live music and Performance Jazz musicians Yunmi Kang and Sangyeon Park join with the Bristol-based … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 2)
“Unfolding the heart”: LKL meets KCCUK Director Seunghye Sun
Reflecting on her KCCUK tenure, Dr Seunghye Sun outlines a strategy of partnership, emotional diplomacy and ‘digital humanism’, positioning Hallyu as an introduction to a deepening understanding of Korean culture. She discusses extending UK–Korea exchange beyond pop culture into literature, heritage, visual arts and technology, and argues that Korean soft power is widening, not peaking. [Read More]
January events 2026
Welcome to 2026! And congratulations to Martin Uden for his OBE in the New Year Honours 2026 Overseas and International List for services to British Veterans of the Korean War, and to UK/Korea relations. As is usually the case, I’m anticipating that January will be quiet – though if you’re a K-pop fan there are … [Read More]
President Lee’s New Year address
President Lee outlines 2026 as a year of Korea’s “great leap forward,” emphasizing people-centered governance, regionally balanced economic growth, safety, cultural leadership, and peace. Building on last year’s recovery, he pledges innovation, support for SMEs and startups, and global engagement, urging national unity and citizen participation to transform Korea’s growth paradigm and ensure shared prosperity. [Read More]
Chairman Kim’s New Year address
Kim Jong Un celebrates North Korea’s 2025 achievements, praising workers, soldiers, and citizens for advancing socialism and national strength. He emphasizes patriotism, collective effort, and self-reliance, framing 2026 as a year of greater struggle and victory. He calls for unity, confidence, and dedication to the Party’s vision, pledging continued loyalty to the people-first principle. [Read More]
Season’s Greetings to all our readers
Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all of LKL’s readers, friends and contributors old and new. Have a peaceful and restorative time with those who are important to you over the holiday season. As usual, thanks are due to Jieun Kim aka The Drawing Hand for this illustration. This is now her … [Read More]
December events
The cultural calendar is now starting to enter its customary winter hibernation, though there are still some things to keep you entertained before you finally hunker down for the holiday season. Have a good one. Exhibitions A solo exhibition of JaeJun Lee’s ceramics at Flow Gallery continues into January The KCCUK’s winter exhibition New Gen … [Read More]
Kimchi day in New Malden sees unveiling of new station signage
New Malden celebrated international Kimchi Day (22 November) on Saturday in traditional style – with kimchi making classes in the Methodist Church Hall and with kimchi pancakes in the Malden Centre. In the church hall, participants were given a chance to sample the kimchi made by kimchi master Lee Ha Yeon at the classes held … [Read More]
Spontaneous improvisation, exhilarating energy: Won Il prepares Dionysus Robot for London
Won Il discusses his career over the past decade, including leading the Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra and developing Dionysus Robot, getting its UK premiere at K-Music 2025. He outlines his Sinawi-style composing, collaboration across disciplines, use of video and improvisation, Olympic ceremony experience, and the work’s evolving international versions, aiming to energise audiences through ritual, sound, and movement. [Read More]
Two Korean restaurants earn TimeOut accolades
Congratulations to two Korean restaurants for winning some serious recognition from online listings magazine TimeOut. First, in a list published this week (Monday 3 November 2025), Miga in Hackney wins TimeOut Best Restaurant in London 2025. Yes, that’s not best Korean restaurant, it’s the best restaurant, period. Their detailed review can be found here. Miga’s … [Read More]
November events 2025
The Autumn diary congestion reached its peak in October, but November is still busy, and there’s plenty to keep us engaged. The London Korean Film Festival has its two-week run, bringing director Kim Jong-kwan to London for two screenings (including a world premiere) and Q&A sessions, among the customary varied programme of indie and mainstream … [Read More]
Rejina Pyo in fashion collaboration with John Lewis
It’s over ten years since Rejina Pyo came to our attention at a fashion exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre. By that time, having received her MA at Central Saint Martins in 2011, she had already launched her own fashion brand (2013) and had some of her designs collected by a Belgian museum. She opened … [Read More]
London Hallyu Festival: the Symposium’s culture panel takes a look at UK Hallyu trends
Seeing that I invested a bit of time in pulling together some discussion material for the culture panel at the Korea Symposium on 29 September I thought I’d share some of the slides together with the gist of what I was trying to say. I was trying to trace, as objectively as possible, what one … [Read More]
London Korean Film Festival Announces 2025 Programme
Here’s the official press release for this year’s London Korean Film Festival, released today. This year’s festival is the 20th organised by the KCCUK. You can find the detailed schedule here. London Korean Film Festival announces programme for special 20th anniversary edition Opening Gala (World Premiere) – Frosted Window by acclaimed director Kim Jong-kwan, followed … [Read More]
October events 2025
It’s a big month for events, and a big month for new books. The K-music festival opens on 1 October, the major film festivals start up, and generally there’s not enough time to fit everything in. In a crowded month, I’ll be making sure I go to see Yun Ko-Eun at Waterstones Covent Garden, Bora … [Read More]
Review: Swag Age in Concert — A Fusion of Tradition, Rebellion, and Rhythm
Regular followers of my reviews will know that I’m not, in general, a big fan of musicals, Korean or otherwise, having too often experienced and evening of prosaic lyrics shoehorned between the barlines of unmemorable melodies. In addition, I often find with Korean musicals that there is too much plot to fit into the allotted … [Read More]