As people return from their summer holidays and prepare for the autumn season, there’s a range of celebratory events that form part of the annaul cycle: from the Korean holiday calendar there’s Chuseok (celebrated over the full moon of the 8th lunar month – 12 -14 September this year) and National Foundation Day, also known … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 23)
Brief review: Park Jiha at Rich Mix
Park Jiha closed K-music 2017 supported by a trio of musicians (playing bass, sax and vibes). She returned to London this year as a solo performer, presenting material from her new album, Philos, as well as older material. We also got one premiere. Park plays yanggeum (dulcimer), piri (oboe) and saenghwang (mouth organ), and when … [Read More]
Review roundup: Korean films at the 2019 BFI London filmfest
I was particularly looking forward to the Korean screenings in the London Film Festival this year. Both LEAFF and LKFF in prior years have been championing the talent among Korea’s female directors and the trend has now spread to the BFI programme: of this year’s BFI festival, four out of the five Korean movies were … [Read More]
Soon Yul Kang in Heallreaf International Tapestry Exhibition
Venue: Espacio Gallery | London, E2 7DG Date: 15-26 October 2019 Private View: Thursday 17th Oct. 6 – 8 pm (all welcome) Opening hours: 1pm – 7pm (Tues – Sat) 1pm – 5pm (Sun.) The gallery is closed on Monday. http://www.heallreaf.com/ [Read More]
Samuel Hawley’s Imjin War comes to YouTube
One of my most enjoyable reads so far this year has been Samuel Hawley’s Imjin War, originally published in 2005. At 664 pages long it might seem a bit intimidating, but in my view it could probably be twice as long and still be as gripping. But for those who like their history in nibble-sized … [Read More]
Nature Republic comes to London
We’ve had temporary pop-up beauty stores before, and since earlier this year the independent SOKOLLAB has been in Soho selling K-beauty and K-pop products. But now the big Korean beauty brand Nature Republic is opening up in London as part of an international expansion plan across Asia, America and the Middle East. The store, at … [Read More]
Event report: Kim Kulim and Jessica Hyunjin Kim at Cafe OTO
Veteran avant-garde artist Kim Kulim has been going through a resurgence of interest in his work, with re-enactments of his early work having taken place in Korea over the past couple of years. This month saw a recreation of one of his controversial performances from 1970, in which he realised Nam June Paik’s Sex on … [Read More]
Misun Won and Kyosun Jung at Goldsmiths Fair
Earlier this month LKL paid a brief visit to the second week of Goldsmiths Fair, primarily to congratulate Misun Won on her special mention in the Best New Design Award 2019. The award itself went to Patrick Davison, but Misun’s generously proportioned brooch caught the judges’ eye. While there, we also visited award-winning designer Kyosun … [Read More]
Jambinai launches K-music 2019 with explosive force
Call me a grouch, but when you need both ear plugs and a blindfold to survive a gig in any degree of comfort you have to start questioning the wisdom of some of the sound and lighting judgments. Ear plugs, handed out for free at the entrance to Jambinai’s Purcell Room gig that opened K-music … [Read More]
Review: Kokdu – a story of guardian angels
The death of a grandmother in remote, rural Jindo becomes dramatically intertwined with a stage performance by dancers, court and folk musicians from the National Gugak Centre as they portray the journey of a soul in the afterlife. The unauthorised purchase of a Jindo puppy by her two grandchildren gets them entangled in the drama … [Read More]
October events 2019
The annual Autumnal diary car crash is upon us, as K-Music, BFI London Film Festival and LEAFF vie for our attention, and that’s before we take into account some classy performers at Cafe OTO and the Wigmore Hall, some big exhibitions kicking off, Bae Suah at Foyles, and the ever-increasing number of K-pop events, including … [Read More]
London East Asia Film Festival 2019: the official press release
London’s annual East Asian film festival returns for its fourth year at the end of October. The 2019 programme includes cinematic offerings from 11 countries, including two movies from North Korea. The festival opens with a South Korean disaster comedy movie and closes with a film by celebrated East Asian actor Aaron Kwok. Here is … [Read More]
London Korean Film Festival 2019: the official press release
Here is today’s official press release that announces the line-up for the 2019 London Korean Film Festival: The London Korean Film Festival (LKFF) has launched its full programme of films and events for the upcoming 14th edition, taking place from 1st-14th November in London before embarking on the annual tour 18th-24th November. The Special Focus, … [Read More]
Video: Kingston Korean Harvest Fest 2019 ft The Move
It was glorious weather yesterday for Kingston’s Korean Harvest Fest – almost too hot for some of the energetic Kpop dancers and the visiting professionals from Korea. The ice cream sellers were doing brisk trade, as of course were the Korean food stalls that were set up down one side of the historic market place. … [Read More]
It’s amazing what you can do with a bit of glue
The KCC’s exhibition in collaboration with the Gwangju Museum of Art, Circulation Metaphor, closed today in preparation for the installation of the KCC’s next show, The Real DMZ. Regular visitors to the KCC during the course of the exhibition will have noticed an unfortunate accident that happened to the ceramic installation that greeted you when … [Read More]
Two good sources of Korean Studies videos
First, the Center for International Affairs at the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS) would like to share a Youtube Channel which has lecture videos on various Korea-related topics. The lecture contents are made based on the Societas Koreana lecture meeting programme in which foreign diplomats and researchers who reside in Korea have participated. An index … [Read More]