London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Korean artists at Focus Art Fair

The awaited comeback of FOCUS Art Fair to London in 2023 promises an innovative blend of technology and traditional art, fostering harmony in the FOCUSPHERE (FOCUS-sphere). Serving as an incubator, FOCUS nurtures a mutual bond by uniting and nurturing young galleries, enabling their seamless integration into the FOCUS community and amplifying their creative expressions and … [Read More]

Artist talk: Advancing Lines: Constellation Links

In this discourse, we explore the concept of ‘Directionality’, which represents the trajectory from one celestial point to another. Among the foundational elements of form – point, line, and plane – it is the ‘line’ that carries a distinct sense of direction. These converging points, where directional lines intersect, radiate with a captivating brilliance reminiscent … [Read More]

Hemyeong: Constellation Links, at Bonhams

Bonhams is delighted to present a special exhibition of works by Korean artist Hemyeong Kim from 7 – 13 October 2023, supported by LG OLED. Hemyeong (Seong Heui Kim) is one of the most established artists in Korea. Having started with the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, her most notable clients range from … [Read More]

Jaeyeon Yoo: Dream Weaving, at Union Gallery

UNION Gallery is pleased to present London-based Korean artist, Jaeyeon Yoo’s Dream Weaving exhibition. The array of works brings together the artist’s latest body of paintings, delving into the transcendent and enchanting realm of dreams and memory via the interplay of shifting boundaries between reality and imagination. The central axis is to create a surreal narrative that … [Read More]

Elegance in Porcelain: Exploring the Legacy of Joseon Dynasty White Ceramics

White porcelain held immense value during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). It symbolised not only the Royal family and intellectuals’ pursuit of moderation, dignity, and freedom but also embodied the aspirations and pride of the Joseon people. Furthermore, it served as a potent symbol of Joseon’s power, encapsulating the life, dreams, and pride of its citizens. … [Read More]

Book review: JM Lee – Painter of the Wind

In The Investigation (2012, English version 2014), JM Lee gave readers an historical novel combined with a course in poetry appreciation. Somehow, it didn’t work for us. In Painter of the Wind, Lee gives his readers an historical novel combined with a course in art appreciation and it works a lot better. The novel was … [Read More]

Book review: Make, Break, Remix

Trying to encapsulate a country’s design aesthetic, even when looking back at the past, is a challenge. With Korea, one might start suggesting that the monochrome art movement of the last 50 years or so, the simplicity of hanok architecture and the purity of Joseon dynasty white porcelain points towards an overriding aesthetic of restraint … [Read More]

Jinjoon Lee’s Audible Garden, at the KCC

This summer, the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) and the Korean Cultural Centre UK (KCCUK) co-present Audible Garden, the solo exhibition of work by new media artist Jinjoon Lee as part of a yearlong celebration of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the UK. Drawing inspiration from … [Read More]

Young In Hong in Threads: Breathing stories into materials, at Bristol’s Arnolfini

Arnolfini welcomes you to discover Threads, a major exhibition featuring 21 contemporary international artists and makers, who use textiles as their chosen medium. Celebrating material and making, these artists use the storytelling power of textiles to connect with past traditions, find commonalities between cultures, time and place, and to ‘breathe stories into materials’.* Threads encompasses … [Read More]

Shinuk Suh: Veiled Memories, at Daniel Benjamin Gallery

The solo exhibition of Shinuk Suh, Veiled Memories elicits an uncanny aura suggested by its title, indicating a departure from his previous practices. This sensibility contributes to the serene atmosphere within the exhibition hall, which brims with energy and remains free from the clamor of small mechanical sounds and vibrations. However, delving into the process … [Read More]

Sang Woon Nam: Blue, at Aleph Contemporary

As a satellite exhibition of Korean Art London 2023 – which opens for three weeks in July at Mall Galleries, London SW1 – Blue offers the opportunity to take a deeper dive into Sang Woon Nam ’s ultramarine lotus leaf paintings. Known for his signature colour, which he has dubbed ‘Blue Moon’, it took Nam … [Read More]

Blurred Traces: Beom Jun & Mimi Jeong, at J/M Gallery

Gallery M Platform presents the Blurred Traces summer duo exhibition, featuring the abstract artist Beom Jun and the ceramic artist Mimi Jeong. This exhibition represents a conceptual intersection of literature, craftsmanship, and endlessly layered abstract paintings of mountains – resulting in remarkable artworks that convey an ironic and metaphorical expression of their artistic practice. Sometimes, … [Read More]