This month starts with an exhibition of oil paintings by established DPRK artists, to be held in the DPRK Embassy. With serendipitous timing, another exhibition offering a very different perspective, in Dalston, 20-23 November: Icons of Rhetoric Chris Barrett, photographer, and Gianluca Spezza, researcher/writer 20 – 23 November 2014 Doomed Gallery | 65-67 Ridley Road … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 69)
LKL’s latest must-see film of the LKFF 2014: The Road Called Life
It’s taking a while to go through the LKFF 2014 programme to prioritise those films which I simply *have* to go to see. So thanks to Frances Yoo from Studio Meditation with a Pencil for alerting me to the title that instantly has gone from “when I get round to it, I’ll look to see … [Read More]
Exhibition visits: Lee Bul at Ikon Gallery (Birmingham) and the KCC
Lee Bul has been having a busy year. A solo show in New York in May / June; two new large-scale installations at MMCA Seoul from the end of September; and at the same time a travelling show in Europe which stopped off at Ikon Gallery in Birmingham, with a parallel site-specific commission in the Korean Cultural … [Read More]
Korea’s Economy in Transition – a report from the recent evening at Asia House
Sometimes, when you go along to an evening talk, you are looking forward to the networking rather than the substance of what the speakers will be saying. Perhaps you think you won’t learn much, and you’re going along out of a vague sense of duty, because other people will expect you to be there. Well, … [Read More]
Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits, at LKFF 2014
This is one of the films that LKL will be looking forward to as part of this year’s Korean Film Festival: Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits 만신, Dir Park Chan-kyong (박찬경), 2013 Odeon Covent Garden, Monday 10 Nov, 8:30pm | Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Thursday 20 Nov, 5:30pm A documentary spanning a lifetime, Manshin centres on a … [Read More]
Yoshi Sushi: “Glorious”
The Telegraph this weekend has a nice write-up of my local Korean restaurant, Yoshi Sushi in King Street, Hammersmith. (Ravenscourt Park tube). My favourite K-food joint in a London postcode apart from the Old Justice (though I’m hoping to add a third to the list when Judy Joo’s place opens next month). Links: www.yoshisushi.co.uk (photo: … [Read More]
Seduced by Yi Seong-gye: the first volumes in the Sillok are translated
The Annals of King T’aejo, Founder of Korea’s Choson Dynasty Translated and annotated by Choi Byonghyon Harvard University Press, 2014, 1,028 pp I wandered into the University bookshop last night for a browse. I’d just been to see Andrew Killick talk about Hwang Byungki at SOAS, and thought I might try to pick up his … [Read More]
So now you can buy posh soju at Fortnums
LKL’s soju of choice is 좋은데이, distilled in Sancheong County using the pure waters from Jirisan Mountain. You can’t get it in London as far as I’m aware, and it’s pretty hard to find in Seoul, the two most familiar brands being 참이슬 and 처음처럼. All these are entry-level brands, and the latter two are … [Read More]
In pictures: Yun Sungfeel at Hanmi Gallery
Here are a few installation shots of Yun Sungfeel’s current exhibition, Fields of Immersion, which closed on Friday. Working from the top down, a couple from his Chaos, Cosmos and Circulation series on the second floor – iron filings and glue. Next, his Energy series of metal sculptures, which were installed on the first floor: … [Read More]
Seven ways in which Hill of Freedom is different from other Hong Sang-soo films
… and some ways in which it isn’t. Hill of Freedom (자유의 언덕) is Hong Sang-soo’s 16th feature, and could not have been made by anyother director. The awkwardness of human interaction and conversation, the bonding over alcohol, the fragmentation of the narrative, the aim to rekindle lost love – all are common features of … [Read More]
Korea Chronicles – programme and video of the opening performance
Here is a video of the opening performance of the Korea Chronicles residency at the KCC, by Jason Verney of Native Nomad Pictures. The performance was on 12 August 2014. As Jason comments: This film features the performances and concert in its entirety, along with added extras – the preparation beforehand, the artwork associated with … [Read More]
Concert review: Ensemble Sinawi at the City of London Festival
How can you adequately describe a gig which touched the highs and lows of human emotion? There were times when the melody sung by the voice or ajaeng had a searing, heart rending intensity which brought a lump to the throat and tears to the eye; and then in the next piece the toes would … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Constancy and Change in Korean Traditional Craft
Nothing prepared you for the sight that greeted you when you entered the room containing the Korean crafts at Tent London. As you were wandering past the various stalls in the main part of the exhibition displaying contemporary crafts from around the world on your way to the “Constancy and Change” room, you might have … [Read More]
Gallery: a collection of photos of the Constancy & Change exhibition
Here are some of LKL’s photos of the recent Constancy and Change in Korean Traditional Craft exhibition held as part of Tent London 2014. The photos are supplemented with images from the press pack provided by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation. Links: LKL’s review of the exhibition [Read More]
Basement Jaxx in Korean release
South London electronic dance music duo Basement Jaxx have just released a Korean version of their 2013 single Back 2 The Wild (백투 더 와일드). The music video is also set in Korea. The Korean track is available on the special edition of their 2014 album Junto. (HT: Giacomo d. Lee) [Read More]
K-Drama week: Yang Yun-ho, IRIS, and the current state of Korean drama
The KCCUK’s K-Drama week included the opportunity to meet the director of one of Korea’s most successful TV dramas of recent years, IRIS, which has been screened in 26 countries and brings film-like tension to the small screen. Director Yang Yun-ho gave a talk on the current state of Hallyu at SOAS, and participated in … [Read More]