London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Kook Dongwan to be Glenfiddich Artist in Residence

43 Inverness Street has begun a collaboration with the Artist in Residency programme at Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Moray, Scotland in selecting artists from Korea. This is the first year that the programme has chosen an artist from Korea, Kook Dongwan, and 43 Inverness will continue to help the programme in introducing Korean artists. [Read More]

Sungjoo Kim wins Asian women of achievement award

Sungjoo Kim, CEO and chairperson of luxury fashion brand MCM Holdings AG has been given the Chairman’s Award, most prestigious award, at the RBS-sponsored Asian women of achievement awards celebrating the contribution of Asian women across British business for “overcoming widespread prejudice and family opposition to become one of her country’s most highly respected entrepreneurs”. [Read More]

Korean portrait honours Queen’s jubilee

Kim Dong-yoo’s pop art portrait of the Queen, made up of 1,106 tiny pictures of Lady Di, will be included in the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibition “The Queen: Art & Image” (17 May – 21 Oct) celebrating her Golden Jubilee, says the Chosun Ilbo. The work was displayed at the Korean Eye: Fantastic Ordinary exhibition … [Read More]

Cute photos of a Buddha’s Birthday ceremony in Seoul

Some great pics of some young monks getting their head shaved for the first time this Buddha’s birthday at Jogye Temple, Seoul, in today’s Metro. Some of them don’t like it! Links: Children become Buddhist monks as tears flow during ceremony, Metro, 13 May 2012 Buddhist monks caught gambling, smoking and drinking at party, Telegraph, … [Read More]

The DMZ as eco-tourism – and as a garden

South Korea is turning the DMZ into eco-tourism zone, says Lucy Williamson on the BBC. Hwang Jihae’s DMZ Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show this year is looking increasingly relevant. Links: LKL’s complete coverage of Hwang Jihae’s gardens at Chelsea 2012 and 2011 Quiet Time: DMZ Forbidden Garden on Facebook. Please donate using the Paypal … [Read More]

Wonder Girls rapper in top 25 beauty list

Nice to see the Wonder Girls in the news. I wonder how JYP managed to get Yu-bin onto the list of 25 Sexiest Musicians Under 25, compiled by US website Complex Music. Yu-bin, who replaced the band’s previous main rapper Hyuna, comes in at number 20. Judge for yourself, but I think she should be … [Read More]

Chinese upset in kimchi cabbage row

“The Koreans stole Dano from us, and now they’re stealing our cabbages,” say Chinese netizens, according to the Korea Times, following a report that the UN’s Codex Alimentarius Commission will decide to adopt the name “kimchi cabbage” as an international standard for the cabbage formerly known as “Chinese”. [Read More]