Having arrived back in town from the Edinburgh Fringe around midnight the previous evening, I was never going to make it to the 11am speeches and other formalities that kick off the traditional Korean Independence Day celebrations in New Malden. But it was clear that there had been a good turnout: by the time I […]
Category: Koreans in UK
Book review: Min Kym — Gone
Min Jin Kym: Gone — A Girl, a Violin, a Life Unstrung Viking, 2017, 256pp When Min Jin Kym’s Gone came out, I mentally heaved a sigh of relief. Here’s one Korea-related book, I thought, among the dozens that will be published this year, that I don’t need to read. The story of how her […]
War Veterans honoured in Kingston’s Guildhall
Yesterday a group of Korean musicians and performers entertained a group of British veterans from the Korean War in Kingston’s Guildhall. The event was organised by the Korean Veterans Association UK, a group of volunteers committed to the continuing remembrance of the sacrifice made by soldiers who came to the aid of the Republic of […]
Little Pyongyang – screening and Q+A
A screening and associated events in aid of Connect North Korea. Separately, a reminder that you can contribute to their Crowdfunding campaign to launch their community centre to provide targeted assistance to North Korean refugees in the UK. Lush Film Fund presents… Little Pyongyang Thursday 21 June 2018 7:00pm – 10:00pm Lush Studio Soho | […]
Min Kym’s stolen Strad – the Classic FM podcast
“This is the story of violinist Min Kym and what happened when her instrument was taken from her. It’s a tale of giddy love, devastating loss and the healing power of music.” Listen to the podcast here, with a summary on the Classic FM website here.
UK gets its first elected Korean councillors
Congratulations to Ha Jaesung and Kwon Bora, who have become the first Koreans to be elected councillors in the UK following the local elections on 3 May. Ha was elected to the Kingston Council for the Lib Dems, while Kwon was elected to Hammersmith and Fulham for Labour. He stood for the first time in […]
Connect: North Korea launches community centre crowdfunding campaign
LKL is happy to pass on this press release from Connect: North Korea: In 2003, the first North Korean refugee arrived in the UK. Today, nearly 700 North Korean refugees live in New Malden, Surrey. Upon arriving in the UK, North Korean refugees are ill-equipped to integrate and settle into British society and few services […]
Sad news
Kim Hyewon, a 22 year-old student who was studying English here fell to her death after jumping in the air to pose for a photo at the edge of the Seven Sisters. According to the Telegraph: A statement by witness Young Choi, 24, said: “I went to the Seven Sisters for tourism. Another Korean girl, […]
Look forward, not back: how best to work with North Korean exiles
If I had been given a fiver every time a journalist or PhD student asked to be put in touch with North Korean refugees in the London area I wouldn’t be exactly rich, but there would be a few more books overflowing from my already full bookcase. Whether it be for reaction to the latest […]
Event news: Support for North Korean Exiles – a talk in New Malden
EAHRNK will be hosting an event in New Malden on April 5th in conjunction with TNKR (Teach North Korean Refugees). Come along to find out how you can get involved in North Korean human rights: Empowerment and Integration: Support for North Korean Exiles Wed 5 April 2017 | 19:00 – 21:00 New Malden Methodist Church […]
Exhibition news: Korea Town, at Wimbledon Space – and a Korea Day
It’s a bit difficult to tell from the below announcement what artists are participating in this Wimbledon College of Art show. The accompanying blog post assumes almost a similar amount of insider knowledge. But it may be of interest to this readership. There is a Korea Day at the college on 4 February in the […]
The folding plug makes it on to the high street
Seen in Maplins Canary Wharf branch yestserday: The electrical and gadget retailer is stocking the folding plug designed by Choi Min-kyu. Fantastic news that the product has made it onto the high street. We first noticed the idea back in 2009, and saw the next iteration in 2013. Looking at the elegant USB chargers I […]
Event news: an introduction to the UK Exceptional Talent visa
The KCC is hosting a talk aimed at a Korean-speaking audience on the UK’s Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa on 29 November. Full details on the KCC website.
Event news: the 1st Global North Korea Freedom Week
News of next week’s Global North Korea Freedom Week, said to be the first, arrived in my inbox recently. Don’t ask me to interpret how the timetable below works. Perhaps a more accurate version can be found on the www.ifreenk.com website, but my mcaffee web filter won’t let me go there. 1st Global North Korea […]
Event news: Korean Cultural Day(s) at New Malden Methodist Church
It was nice of someone to post this in the LKL Facebook group yesterday. Too late to provide much advance notice, but I’m posting it now for the archives. I hadn’t heard of the Association of Korean Communities in the UK before. This sort of event used to be sponsored by an organisation called the […]
Event news: Chuseok celebrations in Kingston
There will be some Chuseok festivities on Saturday 17 September in Kingston marketplace, 12-4pm, organised by Korean British Cultural Exchange and supported by Kingston Council. It is said to be the first Korean street/outdoor festival to be held in Kingston town centre, and is certainly to be welcomed as an alternative focus to celebrate Koreanness there now the summer festival in […]
Award for Korean Information Centre Co-founder
Congratulations to Bona Shin of the Korean Information Centre in New Malden for winning the Mayor’s Community Award for outstanding service to the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames. The award was presented on 31 March 2016. The Korean Information Centre opened on 2 February last year with the aim of building a healthier and happier Korean […]