London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

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Selected publications

  • Booklist: Literature (68 titles)
    • SOAS online seminar: Translating the Korean War and the national division: reconstruction of narratives in division fiction in Korea

      The Korean War and the national division are important events when discussing Korea’s politics, society and culture. These events continue to affect every aspect of Koreans’ lives in modern Korean society from deep in their consciousness. Division fiction in Korea has been written to testify and remember the dark history of the Korean War and … [Read More]

      The rise of Korean sci-fi

      There’s a nice feature in yesterday’s Korea Times on the rise of Korean science fiction, with an interview with the leading lights behind the Science Fiction Writers Union of the Republic of Korea. I’ve enjoyed dipping into the collection of K-sci-fi in translation Readymade Bodhisattva that came out last year from Kaya. It whetted my … [Read More]

      Kim Un-su interviewed in Korea Times

      Anna Jiwon Park has a good interview with Kim Un-su (author of The Plotters, among other things) in the Korea Times this week. It’s a nice leisurely two-page read for the Weekender section, clocking in at 3,000 words. Park has an engaging conversation with him, and makes an interesting observation: His books not only have … [Read More]

      Korean Writing Today: Kang Youngsook and Kim Haeyeon

      Two Korean authors discuss the Korean literary world at the National Centre for Writing in Norwich, where they are writers in residence this month: Korean Writing Today Tuesday 26 November 2019, 7.30 – 8.30pm National Centre for Writing | Dragon Hall | 115-123 King Street | Norwich NR1 1QE Tickets £5 – includes glass of … [Read More]

      KWK Talk: A Korean Literary Evening with Deborah Smith, 4 Aug

      One of two discussions on aspects of contemporary Korean culture as part of Kingston Welcomes Korea – the other featuring Colette Balmain on the vengeful ghost in Korean movies. Deborah Smith’s translation credits include Han Kang’s The Vegetarian as well as Ahn Do-hyun’s fable mentioned below. The venue is New Malden Library – conveniently close … [Read More]

      Shin Kyung-sook seeks to withdraw short story

      Wow – this all happened very quickly. On 17 June author Lee Eung-jun wrote an article in Huffington Post Korea (in Korean) accusing Shin Kyung-sook of plagiarism: Shin is “an author whose works are often accused of plagiarism” and that he decided to risk his career by publishing the article as he wanted the allegations … [Read More]

      Google Korea remembers Hwang Sun-won

      Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of Hwang Sun-won’s birth on 26 March, 1915. Google Korea celebrated with one of their doodles, illustrating Hwang’s most well-known story, The Shower (소나기, 1959). The story was adapted as a movie by Lee Jin-mo in 1978; and Studio Meditation with Pencil is currently working on an animated version, which … [Read More]

      An evening with Bae Suah at SOAS

      Another highly recommended event linked to the London Book Fair 2014 cultural programme coordinated by the British Council: Border States and Mother Tongues: an evening with Bae Suah Wednesday 11 June 2014, 17.15-20.00 Room B104 (Brunei Gallery Building, 1st floor), SOAS, University of London, London WC1H 0XG. Bae Suah, currently in residence at Writers’ Centre … [Read More]