Hur Shan’s installation on the frontage of an office building on the east side of Berkeley Square will be coming down this month. Here are a few photos I took in the past couple of months. I like the way the kissing couple part as the automatic doors open, and kiss again as they close. … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 82)
January events 2014
Still waiting to hear of the film screenings at the KCC this month, but otherwise here is what we know of so far: Exhibitions Jukhee Kwon’s solo show at October Gallery continues until 1 February. Recommended Meekyoung Shin’s solo show at the KCC, Unfixed, finishes on 18 January HADA Contemporary’s group show, Homo Utopicus, continues … [Read More]
A review of the London Korean Year 2013
In this article, we look at some of the highlights of the Korean cultural year, with a primary focus on London. Celebrations It was the year of anniversaries. 130 years of formal relations between Britain and Korea, and the 60th anniversary of the Korean War ceasefire. The KCCUK celebrated its fifth birthday with a special … [Read More]
President Park’s 2014 New Year Message
I didn’t spot a Presidential address this time last year – maybe it was because of the interregnum. But here’s this year’s. 274 words, compared with Kim Jong-un’s 4,361. Fellow Koreans, New Year 2014, the Year of the Blue Horse, has begun. I wish you all a year full of hope and the energy of … [Read More]
Kim Jong Un’s 2014 New Year Address
The traditional new year address, which seems to have replaced the formerly traditional Joint New Year Editorial. I’m wondering what construction project resulted in the fatalities mentioned in the third main paragraph. Pyongyang, January 1 (KCNA) — Kim Jong Un, first secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, first chairman of the National Defence Commission … [Read More]
BBC covers North Korean cinema
There’s a good article on North Korean cinema posted yesterday by Helier Cheung on to the BBC website: Ten things: North Korea’s film industry. The article draws on the work of Johannes Schönherr and on Lynn Lee and James Leong’s documentary The Great North Korean Picture Show which screened in Bermondsey a couple of months ago. … [Read More]
Hyelim Kim reviewed in Songlines magazine
Congratulations to Hyelim Kim for receiving a four-star review from Songlines magazine (Jan / Feb 2014 edition) for her debut CD, Nim: Taegum Collection. The disk, released in 2013 at a concert at the Royal Asiatic Society, contains many of the pieces she has been performing in London over the past year or two, from … [Read More]
The London Korean Links Awards 2013
Now in its eighth year, here are the LKL Awards 2013. The year has been both good and bad from LKL’s perspective. Good because there seem to have been more events, more books, more films and more music than ever before as Korean culture gets more and more public attention. And bad because our day … [Read More]
Korean indie musician invited to Glastonbury
Is this a first for a Korean musician? Singer-songwriter Choi Go-eun (최고은, also known as Gonne Choi) will be performing at Glastonbury in 2014, according to the Chosun Ilbo. Here’s hoping she stops off in London on the way. Here she is singing Eric’s Song: You can find some of her tracks on iTunes under … [Read More]
Director Won’s next move
Congratulations to Won Yong-ki on being appointed head of the Korea Culture and Information Service (KOCIS), part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism. Director Won used to head the KCCUK. In the photo from the Korea Times he is posing in front of two of the kkokdu which were on display last summer … [Read More]
Jungho Oak’s extreme yoga and Sun Salutations
One of LKL’s favourite exhibitions of 2013 was Oak Jungho’s solo show at 43 Inverness Street. And that wasn’t just because at the opening viewing, if you sneaked into the kitchen and asked nicely, you were given a glass of single malt instead of the more usual wine or beer. Whisky, at a private view? … [Read More]
Shin Meekyoung’s 2013
We haven’t done proper write-ups of all Shin Meekyoung’s exhibitions this year – she’s simply been too busy, like us. To make up for this omission, here is a round-up of photographs of some of her installations. All photos are by LKL except where stated – we got to see her work in Seoul, Venice … [Read More]
Travelling the length of Korea by motorbike
For those who haven’t come across this yet: a project by some bold Kiwis to travel the length of the Korean peninsula, from Baekdusan to Hallasan, by motorbike. The journey took place this summer. Here’s a quick (12 minute) podcast they produced just after they crossed the DMZ into South Korea. Here are the blog … [Read More]
Exhibition visit — Jukhee Kwon: “I destroy books” (abandoned ones)
When you next take a book to a charity shop, there’s a chance that it might end up as a work of art. Jukhee Kwon takes her inspiration from books that have been abandoned by their owner. When she sees an abandoned book, with its closed cover, she wants to open it, to free its … [Read More]
All I want for Christmas …
This MBC video is at least two years old, but like a Richard Curtis film it bears watching again. [Edit: the original MBC video is no longer online, but the above more recently uploaded item seems to be the same thing] [Read More]
Season’s greetings to all our readers
Seasonal best wishes to LKL followers and fellow bloggers. 2013 has been an action-packed year for Korean culture in London. Here’s to 2014. [Read More]