The Unfair (also known as Minority Opinion) screened as the penultimate movie in the Korean Novels on Screen season at the KCC. Based on a novel by Son Aram, it is the only film in the season where the underlying book has not (yet) been translated into English. Although the scenario is based loosely on the … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 33)
July events 2018
Well, I was right about June. The changgeuk Trojan Women was superb. Here’s what’s happening in July, with events in Edinburgh, Croydon, Eastbourne, Oxford, Cambridge, Christchurch, Liverpool, York, Durham, Lichfield and Birmingham as well as London. Exhibitions The Liverpool Biennial opens on 14 July. Haegue Yang is showing at the Tate (and gives an artist talk … [Read More]
Review: 1987 – When the Day Comes
1987: When the Day Comes is one of those movies which could not have been made a couple of years ago. It would have got the director and its all-star cast included on the infamous blacklist of suspected lefties who would not get government support in future. And to have the director of this film … [Read More]
Brief review: Jeong You-jeong – The Good Son
Jeong You-jeong: The Good Son Translated by Kim Chi-young Little, Brown Book Group, 2018, 322pp Originally published as 종의 기원, Eunhaengnamu, 2016 A Good Son is one of the books being hailed as the new Scandi Noir, while Amazon is billing it as “The bestselling Korean thriller of the year” – though in a Korean genre that … [Read More]
The Singapore Summit: the Joint Statement
Here is the official text from the Summit: Joint Statement of President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at the Singapore Summit. President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim … [Read More]
Film review: Be With You
Ten years ago or so I was watching a rather good relationship drama on DVD when my wife came into the room and asked: “so which of the two has the mysterious incurable disease?” “It’s not one of those films,” I replied, somewhat tetchily. Ten minutes later, a car crash killed off one half of … [Read More]
A look at Hay Joung Hwang’s silver gilt winning LG Eco-City Garden
Two years ago at the Chelsea Flower Show Hay Joung Hwang teamed up with LG to showcase how technology can be used to maximise the benefits from an urban garden – from lighting to smart sensors to monitor the moisture and nutrients in the soil. Encouraged by the silver gilt awarded to the garden, the … [Read More]
June events 2018
A busy month this month, of which I suspect the highlight will be a changgeuk version of Trojan Women. Exhibitions Lee Bul’s big show at the Hayward Gallery opened this week, and will continue until the end of July. Her opening talk and related performance on 1 June is now fully booked, but look out … [Read More]
Review: K-music showcase at Rich Mix
The K-music showcase at Rich Mix – now a regular venue for Korean music performances – was timed to take advantage of the many acts in the UK for the various May music festivals. The gig can also be thought of as a teaser event for the K-music festival that takes place in the autumn. … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Seung Ae Lee – Becoming
Seung Ae Lee won the 2016 Valerie Beston Artists’ Trust Prize for the body of work presented at her Royal College of Art degree show. The award brought with it the opportunity to show her work at Marlborough Fine Art in two brief exhibitions in 2016 and 17. Her solo show at the KCC, Becoming, … [Read More]
Some GDPR admin
Sorry to add to all the noise relating to the implementation of the new data privacy rules which come into force on 25 May. Like countless other organisations we’ve waded through the 88 closely-packed pages of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of … [Read More]
Min Kym’s stolen Strad – the Classic FM podcast
“This is the story of violinist Min Kym and what happened when her instrument was taken from her. It’s a tale of giddy love, devastating loss and the healing power of music.” Listen to the podcast here, with a summary on the Classic FM website here. [Read More]
Book review: Shin Kyung-sook – The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness
When reading Ahn Jung-hyo’s White Badge, I found myself wondering why, despite what I thought was my general antipathy to novels with listless central characters who can’t seem to find their way in life, I found myself connecting with Han Kiju in the opening chapters. I wondered, somewhat guiltily, if there was some subconscious sexism … [Read More]
UK gets its first elected Korean councillors
Congratulations to Ha Jaesung and Kwon Bora, who have become the first Koreans to be elected councillors in the UK following the local elections on 3 May. Ha was elected to the Kingston Council for the Lib Dems, while Kwon was elected to Hammersmith and Fulham for Labour. He stood for the first time in … [Read More]
May events 2018
May is always a busy month for music, as various indie bands tour the festivals. This year, we have literature and dance to look forward to as well. For me, the highlight of the month is likely to be Cha Jin-yeob and others in the festival of dance at the Place. And block your diaries … [Read More]
Text of the Panmunjeom Declaration
I’m wondering why a text as significant as this one is not prominently displayed on the Chongwadae or Ministry of Unification websites. The following is the unofficial translation you can find in the English-language newspapers. If there’s a materially different official version that subsequently comes to light I’ll repost. Update 12 May 2018 – I’ve … [Read More]