If you’re in London and a fan of quality rock music, this Sunday at the Barfly in Camden is a must for you. For fans of Korean culture in London, it is of course an unmissable opportunity to see some of the best indie rock bands that dominate the Hongdae music scene. And for their … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 93)
The Suncheon Bay Garden Expo 2013 opens in Jeollanam-do
Hwang Ji-hae, Korea’s best-known garden designer, won’t be at Chelsea this year. After two consecutive Chelsea gold medals, she’s taking a break from what is possibly the world’s most prestigious flower show, and instead has been concentrating on designing a garden closer to home: for Korea’s first International Garden Expo at Suncheon, Jeollanam-do. The Mayor … [Read More]
Gate Flowers up for MTM Iggy’s Artist of the Week
Go vote for Gate Flowers as MTV Iggy’s artist of the week. Says MTV Iggy: One of the bands we have our eye on is Gate Flowers, winners of both the “Rookie of the Year” and “Best Rock Song” awards in the 2011 Korean Music Awards. Their throwback sound takes the dense guitars of Nirvana-era … [Read More]
CD review: Nah Youn Sun — Lento
Nah Youn Sun: Lento ACT Records, April 2013 Nah Youn Sun’s collaboration with Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius continues to bear fruit. This is her third album with Wakenius on the ACT label (and her 8th studio album overall), and like her previous ACT releases they are supported by Lars Danielsson on bass and Xavier Desandre-Navarre … [Read More]
Krys Lee interviewed for Asia House
There’s a nice interview with Krys Lee, author of Drifting House, on the Asia House website. Drifting House was LKL’s book of the year last year, and so we’re looking forward to seeing Ms Lee at the Asia House Festival of Asian Literature next month. [Read More]
Orphan Master wins Pulitzer
At LKL we were lukewarm, but we don’t mind being in the minority. So congratulations to Adam Johnson for winning the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, “for distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life,” with The Orphan Master’s Son. Source: www.pulitzer.org [Read More]
John Sweeney in BBC Panorama North Korea Undercover
“I compromised the LSE and my tour guides, and all I could produce was a lousy tourist video,” would be a suitable slogan for the T-shirt of tonight’s BBC Panorama programme. OK, so they also interviewed BR Myers, John Everard and a defector or two, but really it was not worth all the hype and … [Read More]
Keane’s 3rd Album: the Korean connection
A bit of trivia which I picked up when visiting HADA Contemporary’s current mini retrospective of Gwon Osang’s work. Gwon’s Deodorant Type series consists of 3-D sculptures made up of 2-D photographs of his models pasted on to a basic human form and then finished with high-gloss resin. It is the series of work for … [Read More]
Hahaha – the first Hong Sang-soo film I’ve enjoyed without trying
OK, it was the second time I had seen it. The first time, I had slept through it. But that was because I had been entering into the spirit rather too much by indulging in a drinking session of Hongian proportions beforehand. The second time round, there was the anticipation of seeing the lead actress … [Read More]
I can’t believe he asked her that
The context was this. It was the Q&A after the 4 April screening at BAFTA of Hong Sang-soo’s Hahaha, attended by the lead actress Moon So-ri, the first featured actor of the KCC’s Year of the Four Actors. Tony Rayns was talking to Moon So-ri about how she got her first screen role. Moon started … [Read More]
Twinsters – what a compelling story
On February 21, 2013, Samantha, an American actor living in Los Angeles, received a message via Facebook that would drastically change her life. It was from Anaïs, a French fashion design student living in London. Anaïs’ friends viewed a YouTube video featuring Samantha. They were immediately blown away by the identical appearance of Samantha & … [Read More]
Korea Rocks profile #1: Apollo 18
Four top bands are coming to the UK this month as part of the Korea Rocks tour presented by Hyundai Card Music. Here’s a profile of Apollo 18, who have featured in LKL’s Critics’ Choice two years running, 2009–2010, selected by Anna Lindgren and Mark Russell. Award-winning South Korean post-hardcore/post-rock act Apollo 18 formed in … [Read More]
Korea Rocks profile #2: Galaxy Express
Four top bands are coming to the UK this month as part of the Korea Rocks tour presented by Hyundai Card Music. Here’s a profile Galaxy Express, who featured in LKL’s Critics’ Choice for 2011. Award-winning South Korean rockers Galaxy Express formed in 2006 in Seoul. The trio of guitarist/vocalist Jonghyun Park, bassist/vocalist Juhyun Lee, … [Read More]
Korea Rocks profile #3: Goonamguayeoridingstella
Four top bands are coming to the UK this month as part of the Korea Rocks tour presented by Hyundai Card Music. Here’s a profile of Goonamguayeoridingstella, or Goonam for short, whom keen-eared filmgoers might have heard in one of the Leesong Hee-il films that screened at the BFI recently as part of the London … [Read More]
Korea Rocks profile #4: Gate Flowers
Four top bands are coming to the UK this month as part of the Korea Rocks tour presented by Hyundai Card Music. Here’s a profile of Gate Flowers: Playing a mix of hard rock and alternative rock, Korean quartet Gate Flowers’ debut eponymous EP netted them the government-sponsored Hello Rookie prize for being the most … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Hur Shan — new, playful, and portable revelations at Gazelli Art House
“You said my work wasn’t very portable,” smiled Hur Shan as we chatted at the opening evening of his two man show at Gazelli Art House. “Well, take a look!” It was true. I had said precisely that in my notice of the current exhibition, The Tainted, at Gazelli Art House in Dover Street. In … [Read More]