When I travel abroad, if I have the opportunity I’ll usually try out the quality of the local Korean restaurants. Often, as when I was in Germany in May, the Korean menus are easier to understand than those in the local restaurants, and I’m always on the look-out for opportunities to initiate colleagues into the … [Read More]
LKL articles by Philip Gowman (page 2)
July events 2011
Exhibitions: The KCC’s exhibition A Room continues all month, as does Haegue Yang’s Teacher of Dance exhibition at Modern Art Oxford, and Traditional Transformed: Contemporary Korean Ceramics at the V&A. Soon Yul Kang demonstrates her tapestry weaving techniques at Art in Action, Wheatley, Oxon, 21-24 July If you happen to be across the pond, don’t … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Lee Ufan – Marking Infinity at the Guggenheim
Lee Ufan’s current exhibition at the Guggenheim New York is his first major show in the US, and only the third by an Asian at the prestigious space – the previous being by Cai Guo-Qiang (I Want to Believe, 2008) and fellow Korean Paik Nam-june (The Worlds of Nam June Paik, 2000). With three-dimensional installations … [Read More]
Tesco to celebrate FTA by bringing kimchi to Koreatown
As the ratification of the US-Korea seems to bumble on interminably, the EU-Korea treaty comes into effect on 1 July. To celebrate, Tesco is running a “Taste of Korea” promotion during July. Tesco is huge in Korea, which is the firm’s second biggest presence after the UK, with £5 billion in revenues and 354 stores: … [Read More]
Is this the only modern Korea-related novel published by Penguin Classics?
The number of Korea-related publications in the Penguin Classics list can probably be counted on the fingers of one hand, and most are by ancient Confucian sages. The publisher’s blurb below says that if you like Lee Changrae’s The Surrendered you’ll like this: Richard E Kim’s The Martyred. Lee didn’t do a good sales job … [Read More]
KTLit.com in the Press
Charles Montgomery of KTLit.com gets featured in the Korea Herald: Putting Korean literature on the map – http://bit.ly/h9gADi # [Read More]
Five Korean winners at Asian Film Awards
Lee Chang-dong among five Korean winners at Asian Film Awards http://bit.ly/i54Noc. The complete Korean list: Best Director, Screenplay (Poetry) Editing (I Saw the Devil) Actor (Yellow Sea) Supporting Actress (Housemaid). # [Read More]
Yeondoo Jung shortlisted for the Pictet Prize
Congratulations to Yeondoo Jung – shortlisted for the Pictet Prize for his Evergreen Tower http://bit.ly/fQjSVB # [Read More]
Arirang TV on healthy legs. Ugh.
Ghastly, cheap, trashy Arirang TV piece on "healthy" legs (http://bit.ly/ektinf) (for which of course read "fat") causing lively debate at Korean Studies portal http://bit.ly/ebT4F4 # [Read More]
I Love You – South Korea’s sleeper movie of 2011
South Korea's Sleeper Movie: 'I Love You', a drama about elderly romance starring actors in their 60s and 70s. http://on.wsj.com/euKwpx # [Read More]
Darcy Paquet featured in Chosun Ilbo
Feature on Darcy Paquet of koreanfilm.org in the Chosun Ilbo. Looking forward to the style magazine he's contributing to. http://bit.ly/dNlEVC # [Read More]
Warren Buffett on opportunities in Korea
"We’re looking at buying entire businesses in Korea. It’s a hunting ground." Warren Buffett on opportunities in Korea http://bit.ly/g0YNgY # [Read More]
Two new collections of literature in translation
Two welcome new publications of Korean literature in translation: Park Ji-won’s novels debut in English after 200 years: "Translation of Overlooked Worlds" http://bit.ly/ijKbQs # "Waxen Wings: The Acta Koreana Anthology of Short Fiction" Well worth a look – at http://bit.ly/g3PeGB # [Read More]
Where to start in Korean literature, and five “Classics” to avoid
Charles Montgomery has a great post on where to start in translated Korean literature, and in another article shares Five Korean “Classics” To Avoid: Heartless (Yi Kwang-su, 1917) Aunt Suni (Hyeon Ki-young, 1978) Between Heaven and Earth (Yun Dae-nyong, 1996) A Man (Hwang Sun-won) and Buckwheat Season (Yi Hyo-sok, 1936). One day, I’m going to … [Read More]
DPRK in the Football World Cup
“North Korea will receive at least US$10 million from FIFA for fielding its national team in the World Cup” says the Chosun Ilbo http://bit.ly/bccbuj. That should keep its nuke programme going for a while… # An amazing invention by the Dear Leader: the invisible mobile phone. http://bit.ly/cT9Aw8 # British blogger in Pyongyang reports on the … [Read More]
Brother Anthony translates Until Peonies Bloom
UNTIL PEONIES BLOOM: Brother Anthony brings the complete poems of Kim Yeong-Nang to an English-speaking audience. http://bit.ly/d1TdT0 # [Read More]