Two articles this week report how Bill Speakman VC, who was on a veterans’ trip to Korea, has decided to donate his Victoria Cross to South Korea. He also wants his ashes to be scattered in the DMZ when he dies. Sadly, the medal being donated is a replica: “he sold the original to a … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 64)
Royal Ballet dancer featured in Chosun Ilbo
There’s a nice feature on Choe Yu-hui, a soloist with the Royal Ballet, in the Chosun Ilbo. Born in Fukuoka, Japan, to a Korean family, Choe grew up in a pro-North Korean environment. Only 12 years ago did she change her nationality from North to South Korea. (Via Adam Cathcart) Links: From Korean Outsider in … [Read More]
I rather think I agree
Have a read of Charles Montgomery’s post What a Terrible Idea! ㅡ Merging the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea and the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, and a similar article by Korea Herald editorial writer Kim Hooran Market principle, culture don’t mix. Links: LTI Korea | KPIPA [Read More]
Alcohol advert ban for young celebrities?
The BBC picked up on a story in the Chosun Ilbo that celebs under 25 could be banned from leading teenagers astray by advertising booze. A bill proposing the clamp-down was passed by the National Assembly’s committee on health and welfare on 23 April. Reportedly prompted by Kim Yu-na’s Hite advertisements in 2012 (when she … [Read More]
I think I just don’t get Park Kyung-ni
Having failed to make much headway with Park Kyung-ni’s T’oji / Land, I thought I might give her Curse of Kim’s Daughters a try, in preparation for a re-watch of Yu Hyun-mok’s film adaptation of the novel. I didn’t particularly enjoy the movie the first time I saw it. But then, so far I haven’t … [Read More]
Bedrooms of the Remembered
Photographer Kim Hong-Ji has put together a moving portfolio of pictures in memory of the Sewol victims. He has been in touch with relatives of some of the students, visiting their homes and taking pictures of the bedrooms of those who died in the disaster. Available on the BBC and Reuters websites. [Read More]
A timely arrival for the 2015 London Book Fair
Last year there were a couple of translations of Korean novels whose publication was timed to coincide with the London Book Fair. This year, despite Korea no longer being the focus country, the habit seems to be continuing. Bae Suah’s Nowhere to be Found, translated by Sora Kim-Russell, arrived on my doormat today, day 2 … [Read More]
Making, dyeing and using traditional Korean paper – a rewarding day of workshops at the V+A
A fascinating pair of workshops at the V&A on Saturday introduced an audience of conservators to the making and dyeing of traditional Korean paper, and of some of its modern uses. The workshops were presented as part of the Adapt & Evolve Conference 2015 organised by the Book & Paper Group of the Institute of … [Read More]
Great news: 94 “lost” films rediscovered
I’m prepared to trust Im Kwon-taek’s judgement about the quality of his 14th film that is in the batch of lost films just donated to the Korean Film Archive – Battlefield and Mistress as a title doesn’t sound promising. He made similar comments about his early output when he spoke during his London retrospective back … [Read More]
Style Sharing and the AW15 collections at London Fashion Week
Once again the Korean Cultural Centre participated fully in London Fashion Week with a contribution to the International Fashion Showcase. The exhibition, entitled Style Sharing and curated by Tory Turk, focused on Korean designers with London training. To complement the displays, British filmmaker Eoin Glaister was asked to produce short videos inspired by the work … [Read More]
Book review: Park Min-gyu — Pavane for a Dead Princess
Park Min-gyu: Pavane for a Dead Princess Translated by Amber Hyun Jung Kim Dalkey Archive, 2014, 262pp Originally published as 죽은 왕녀를 위한 파반느, 2009 Park Min-gyu’s Pavane for a Dead Princess is the first in Dalkey Archive’s second set (of five volumes) of their Library of Korean Literature. Even though I’ve only had time … [Read More]
April events 2015
Here are the events I know of for April, though I’ve probably missed some. Let me know which. Film The controversial film Diving Bell / The Truth Shall not Sink with Sewol will be screening at the Raindance Centre on 16 April, the first anniversary of the tragedy. The KCCUK is featuring Hong Sang-soo’s early … [Read More]
Pak Chiwon’s Jehol Diary: An amiable bore abroad
The Jehol Diary is a contemporary account of one of the regular journeys from Joseon Korea to Qing China bearing tribute to the emperor. The journey described in this diary took place in 1780, and was ordered by King Jeongjo to greet the Qianlong emperor on his 70th birthday at his summer residence in Jehol, north-east … [Read More]
Korean girls on One Direction
Last week one of the interviewees in Yoon Sungwon‘s video says Zayn Malik is “too buttery” and that he “reminds me of a camel.” A couple of days later it’s announced that he’s leaving One Direction. “I can’t do this anymore,” he told a tabloid newspaper. The same girl says that Harry Styles’s nostrils are … [Read More]
Google Korea remembers Hwang Sun-won
Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of Hwang Sun-won’s birth on 26 March, 1915. Google Korea celebrated with one of their doodles, illustrating Hwang’s most well-known story, The Shower (소나기, 1959). The story was adapted as a movie by Lee Jin-mo in 1978; and Studio Meditation with Pencil is currently working on an animated version, which … [Read More]
Concert notes: Sunwook Kim at the Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series features some of the best known stars in the classical music world such as Maurizio Pollini and Mitsuko Uchida as well as those at an earlier stage in their musical careers. 2006 Leeds prizewinner Sunwook Kim made his first appearance in the series on 3 March 2015 in the … [Read More]