A Kingston University MA Design student has been working on a project which, she hopes, could save hundreds of lives in countries where there is a risk of earthquakes. Younghwa Lee has designed a door, which can collapse so that it becomes a protective shelter. “My starting point was the inherent strength of a door … [Read More]
Category: Living abroad (page 10)
The North Korean EU Residents Society
The North Koreans have a European Union Residents Society?? Based in New Malden of course, headed by defector Kim Ju-il (right). Read their letter in the FT http://bit.ly/90ayMs #, also reported by the Front Line Club: Ordinary North Koreans and the ruling class are deeply humiliated by Kim Jong-il’s begging to China. (Image: BBC) [Read More]
Middlesborough footballers in North Korea
Middlesborough women footballers refresh the town’s 1966 World Cup links with North Korea in a goodwill trip to the country http://bbc.in/aH1lTn #. Rebecca Stephenson was the first female footballer from the west to score a goal in North Korea [Read More]
Korean Jazz to Korean Ceramics via the Daily Telegraph
How does one get from a Korean jazz singer resident in France to a Korean artist resident in the UK via Britain’s best-selling broadsheet daily newspaper? There are many celebrity twitterers, but there is only one remotely famous person that I happen to “follow”: pianist Stephen Hough (@houghhough). I came across his Daily Telegraph blog … [Read More]
Foreigners struggle to preserve Seoul’s hanok heritage
Foreign hanok defenders battle obliteration of Seoul’s architectural heritage. Andrew Salmon writes for Yonhap on David Kilburn and Peter Bartholomew (above). http://bit.ly/97IhMI Also echoed in the Joongang Ilbo. #. I’ve been trying to arrange for David Kilburn to give a talk on preservation at the KCC in London, but I think the whole thing is … [Read More]
Economic growth the priority for Korea in Laos
Even for those familiar with the world of development aid, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) – the Korean government overseas aid organisation – may be a bit of an unknown entity. Arguably lacking the stature of a USAID or the pedigree of a DfID, KOICA has had to build its reputation from scratch in recent … [Read More]
Just the right amount of spice … and loads of meat
A lunchtime trip to the Old Justice pub in Bermondsey I think I’d just been given the thumbs-up. I had just introduced some of my co-workers to Korean food for the first time. I wouldn’t say it was representative of your regular Korean food experience, but it was certainly popular with the Canary Wharf workers. … [Read More]
British-raised Korean in Miss Universe hopes
Korean beauty raised in England is in the running for Miss Universe 2010. http://bit.ly/bafwll # Miss Korea Kim Joori (22) is 172.5cm tall. She was born in Seoul, but raised in England studying ballet since she was five. Kim majored in ballet at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Russia, and hence is fluent in both … [Read More]
The Korean Festival 1 – British Summer 1
The Kingston Korean Festival (14 August this year), timed to take place as close as possible to Korea’s Independence Day on 15 August, is always at the mercy of the British summer weather. We all knew that rain was likely at some point during the day, and when there were a few spots during the … [Read More]
Anna interviews Kinzli & the Kilowatts
Great interview with London-based Korean singer Kinzli & the Kilowatts by Anna over at Indieful ROK: http://bit.ly/cSLWUb She first started singing in the Korean orphanages. Below: Kinzli’s Safe Place for Us #. Links: Kinzli & the Kilowatts on MySpace [Read More]
Choi Eudon “One to Watch”
Korean-born fashion designer Eudon Choi, Royal College of Art graduate and "one to watch" – featured in Elle Magazine bit.ly/9fAddE # [Read More]
Hanna Bites the Dust
This is not new news to many of you, but I only found out about it a week or so ago. My favourite Korean food store in the centre of town, Hanna Supermarket in Store Street, is closed down. And by the looks of things, pretty permanently: There are other Korean food stores in town, … [Read More]
Kaya launch their website
Congratulations to KAYA, Ji Eun Jung (Kayagum) & Sung Min Jeon (Guitar), on the launch of their website and two albums: http://bit.ly/dwbkR8 #. And if you go to Kaya Restaurant in Albemarle Street you’ll likely hear some of their music being played. [Read More]
Whose generation? The hallyu in South-East Asia
Darren Southcott finds the Korean Wave alive and kicking in South-East Asia Had I heard of the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, while I was in the UK I would probably have assumed it was an Asian take on a Central American football terrace tradition. The closest I ever came to being subsumed by it was … [Read More]
The attractions of North Korean restaurants
If ever you're on holiday in Cambodia this looks like the restaurant to visit. A North Korean noodle restaurant known for its beautiful waitresses – including the “North Korean Kim Tae-hee:” http://bit.ly/bHmvzR # …but if you work in South Korea you haven't got long to get there: an average of only 4.1 days for your … [Read More]
White Badge: Korea and the Vietnamese War
In a year that we remember the 60th anniversary of the first post-WW2 US military involvement in Asia, it was a great idea to invite Director Jeong Ji-yeong (정지영) to the UK. Jeong is known for a number of well-received films, including Nambugun, a film which gives a nuanced view of the Korean War from … [Read More]