London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

V+A Korean programme receives boost from MCST

Great news for the V&A’s programme of Korean activities and gallery: V&A announces landmark partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism 17 June 2020: The V&A has today announced a new five-year partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Korea. This major grant will enable the redevelopment of the museum’s … [Read More]

KCC to fund British Museum curator

Interesting that it’s the KCC doing this. Normally I would expect a chaebol or an NGO like the Korea Foundation to fund this sort of post. Anyway, below is the official press release from the British Museum website. This is an additional curatorial post, working under the existing senior curator Sasche Priewe, who will continue … [Read More]

2014 Travel Diary day 8: Two museums near Yongin

A day-trip South into Gyeonggi-do to visit two top museums. There are other things to visit near Yongin as well as the Folk Village. Eulji-ro, Seoul, Friday 13 June, 9am. The Ho-am Art Museum in Yongin is home to a number of treasures. The museum opened in 1982 as the permanent home for the collection of Samsung boss Lee … [Read More]

Tate acquires Suh Do-ho Staircase

Tate Modern has acquired a work by Suh Do-ho, a version of which was shown at the Hayward Gallery’s exhibition Psycho Buildings in 2008. This version was tailor-made to fit in a specific room in the Tate. Details below are from the Tate’s 2010-2011 Annual Report available as a pdf download from the Tate’s website … [Read More]

New book on Korean artefacts in Oxford

Oxford’s Bodleian Library announces the publication of a new book on historic Korean artefacts in the University’s collections. It accompanies an exhibition which runs 26 August to 26 September 2011 in the Proscholium at the Bodleian Library: Korean Treasures: Rare Books, Manuscripts and Artefacts in the Bodleian Libraries and Museums of Oxford University by Minh … [Read More]

Appeal from the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum

The text of a fund-raising appeal on behalf of the Glosters. Please donate generously. The 60th Anniversary of the Battle of Imjin, Korea is in April 2011 where The Gloucestershire Regiment as part of 29 Brigade fought with great distinction. To commemorate the occasion the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum in Gloucester will produce a new … [Read More]

Jeju’s destiny is set in stone

Darren Southcott, recently returned from a stint in Jeju-do, appreciates one of the island’s unique attractions: Jeju Stone Park In this age of globalisation, authentic Korea may seem elusive and challenging for the visitor to find, but there are many sites which seek to preserve the nation’s cultural spirit. Jeju Island, despite heavy tourist development, … [Read More]

The Tripitaka Koreana – part 1

Matthew Jackson continues his series of articles on the important treasures from Korea’s past One crowning achievement of Korea’s Buddhist heritage that is not included in the Bozar ‘Smile of Buddha’ exhibition is the Tripitaka Koreana. There is a practical reason for this, as it consists of 81,258 woodblocks, weighs 280 tons in total, and … [Read More]

The Pensive Bodhisattva comes to Brussels

By Matthew Jackson The centrepiece of the Bozar exhibition of Korean Buddhist Art, beginning in Brussels on the 10th of October, will be the Pensive Bodhisattva statue, Korea’s National Treasure No. 83. It is difficult to describe in words why the statue is regarded so highly as a work of Buddhist art, because its qualities … [Read More]