I wish the lunch break had been longer at today’s Korean film conference at SOAS. I was planning on having a quick snack at Mr Mok’s Bibimbap Cafe in Museum Street, maybe say a brief hello to my friends at It’s All Greek a few doors away, and then look in at the British Museum’s … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 58)
An introduction to “Love And…” — LKFF’s closing gala film
The London Korean Film Festival’s choice for the closing gala is an interesting one: Zhang Lu’s Love And… (the literal meaning of the Korean title, 필름시대사랑, is “Love of the Film Era”), which only recently opened at the Korean box office. Closing galas over the years have included blockbusters and mainstream movies such as Masquerade … [Read More]
Book news: Han Kang’s Human Acts coming in January 2016
Han Kang is among the eight women writers whose books have been awarded an English PEN grant in the latest round. Han, acclaimed author of The Vegetarian, will publish her novel Human Acts in January 2016 with the backing of both a PEN Promotes and a PEN Translates grant. Deborah Smith once again translates, and … [Read More]
Sophie Bowman wins Korea Times translation award
Way back in the summer of 2008, when the KCCUK ran its first language class for beginners in Korean, one of the students on the inaugural course was Sophie Bowman. Unlike another student in the same class (me) Sophie has progressed somewhat since then. Many congratulations to her on winning the Korea Times Grand Prize … [Read More]
CJ Entertainment celebrates its 20th birthday with a special strand at LKFF 2015
CJ Entertainment has been associated with some of the biggest and best films since the turn of the millennium. 20 years old this year, it is celebrating its birthday with a big splash at the 10th London Korean Film Festival organised by the KCCUK. (1) Five screenings at this year’s festival are of CJ productions: … [Read More]
November events 2015
The London Korean Film Festival is the highlight of the month, but there’s plenty more besides. Exhibitions The KCC’s Artist of the Year exhibition, Sora Kim’s 2, 3, continues all month. There’s an exhibition of film posters at the Picturehouse Central during the film festival. Shine Artists in Albemarle Gallery hosts a solo show by … [Read More]
A couple of changes to the LKFF schedule
There has been a couple of changes to the LKFF schedule in respect of movies starring Hwang Jung-min, the featured actor this year. Out go Waikiki Brothers (2001) and Moby Dick (2011) and in come The Unjust (2010) and New World (2013). The scheduling of The Unjust on Tuesday 3 November makes excellent sense as … [Read More]
Event report: the stories of our North Korean friends in New Malden
During last year’s New Malden Festival, the founders of the Korean Information Centre, Bona Shin and Glenna Debosco, hosted an evening looking at the experiences of North Korean refugees in New Malden. The event was a valuable opportunity for local residents and others to raise their awareness of this small community in their midst, and … [Read More]
Festival Film Review: Hong Won-chan’s The Office at LEAFF
The Office was the second of two Korean films to screen at the 0th edition of the London East Asia Film Festival, and came with strong credentials. Though a debut feature by Hong Won-chan, he was the scriptwriter for the well received Yellow Sea and even better received The Chaser. And the movie was Official … [Read More]
Festival Film Review: Ryoo Seung-wan’s Veteran
It was the first screening in the the trial “0th” iteration of the London East Asia Film Festival, but this really didn’t feel like a new film festival – more a continuation of past ones. We were opening in a venue that felt familiar, a lot of the faces front of house and on stage … [Read More]
RIP Chun Kyung-ja
Korea’s best-known older generation female artist, Chun Kyung-ja, died in New York two months ago aged 91, but news of her death has only just been made public. According to the Korea JoongAng Daily: Chun is best known for her exotic and strong-colored paintings of women and flowers that express sorrow, loneliness and longing. You … [Read More]
Cho Seong-jin wins Chopin Competition
Congratulations to Cho Seong-jin for winning first prize in the 17th International Fryderyck Chopin Piano Competition. The award was presented on 21 October in Warsaw. The below video is of stage III of the finals on 14 October. Cho starts to play at about 1:13:30 and continues for one hour. Links: chopincompetition2015.com [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Korean craft and design at Tent London 2015
LKL always tries to do a quick visit to Tent London to see what Korean designers are up to. It’s much more difficult to plan that 100% Design the other end of town as the website is not as helpful in displaying the exhibitors. So it’s a question of turning up, picking up the newspaper-style … [Read More]
Bulsechul album now available on iTunes
Many LKL followers may also be tuning in to Gugak Sounds on SOAS Radio, in which presenter and SOAS student Dami Eniola shares her passion of Korean traditional music and contemporary music using traditional instruments. We’re now in to Season 2, in which she will be focusing on folk music such as sanjo, but in … [Read More]
Wanted – interpreter for collaborative theatre project
This is a request for assistance that I’m very happy to pass on. I’ve been impressed with the work of Hanyong Theatre Company for a while, particularly for their play The Bridge, which was touring around ten years ago. To quote from their website: Set during the Korean War, The Bridge is a powerful play … [Read More]
Concert Notes: National Gugak Centre at the Lilian Baylis Theatre
You can’t really have a Korean music festival without some traditional music as once enjoyed by the court and literati. And who better to perform it that members of Korea’s National Gugak Centre, the body established to preserve and perform such music. The musicians have been touring Europe, most recently in Paris to launch Année … [Read More]