Wednesday’s talk on the Japanese manga Kenkanryu was packed to overflowing — a strong contrast with the generally much sparser attendance at the Centre for Korean Studies seminars. Whether that’s a reflection of the greater number of people enrolled in Japanese Studies courses, or the popular culture subject matter I don’t know. In these few … [Read More]
Category: Event reports and reviews (page 49)
Mime at Barton Green with Ko Jae-kyung
It was a cold and frosty evening in New Malden (1). But inside the Barton Green Theatre it was warm and cosy. From the outside, the building looks like a cricket pavilion, but if so the green itself would not be large enough for a proper game. Inside it’s a small, welcoming community theatre, with … [Read More]
Concert notes: Choi Jin at SOAS
Concerts at SOAS always seem to have a good turn-out. Monday (19 November) was no exception when Choi Jin and colleagues presented a programme of modern compositions and arrangements of music for traditional Korean instruments. Keith Howard provided some informative introductions to the music to be performed, which provided useful context as well as some … [Read More]
Hanbok by Lee Rhee-Za
Hanbok by Lee Rhee-Za: an exhibition in the seminar rooms of the Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore SW7 2EU. Review by Peter Corbishley In fact this is three, or perhaps, at least at the opening event, three and a half, exhibitions rolled into one. The first was a display of copies of garments typically … [Read More]
A Biennale footnote
As an appendix to my other two posts on Korean involvement in the 2007 Venice Biennale it is worth noting two other London Korean links. Firstly, in an interesting Anglo-Korean-US partnership, London gallery Haunch of Venison and Seoul’s Kukje Gallery (plus New York’s James Cohan Gallery) united to bring video artist Bill Viola’s work Ocean … [Read More]
Starbucks morality: a review of Han Hyeong-mo’s Madame Freedom (1956)
Han Hyeong-mo: Madame Freedom (1956) Round 2 of the Korean classic film double bill… In Shin Sang-ok’s 1961 film which formed the first part of the double bill on 5 November, a widow cannot talk to a man outside her family, and is expected to obey her mother-in-law. Admittedly, the film is set in the … [Read More]
Brief Encounter with Chopin – Shin Sang-ok’s My Mother and Her Guest
Shin Sang-ok: My Mother and Her Guest (1961) It was a shame to see two of the most interesting films in the London Korean Film Festival — My Mother and Her Guest and Madame Freedom — so sparsely attended. The Barbican had generously allocated its largest screen (capacity 286) in anticipation of enthusiastic interest — … [Read More]
Anglo-Korean Bridge At The House Of Commons
By Jennifer Barclay ‘You getting wet, love?’ asked the policeman outside the Houses of Parliament, where it was drizzling on the evening of 25 October. I was early and getting a little damp, but sure my ticket bearer would show up soon. Instead, the policeman ushered me inside, giving me an opportunity to gaze on … [Read More]
The Minimalist Fringe: Lee Ufan’s Biennale collateral show
Lee Ufan: Resonance Palazzo Palumbo Fossati Collateral Event in the 52nd Venice Biennale, 10 June – 21 November 2007 The Venice Biennale “Collateral Events” programme (Fringe, to you and me) is crammed with free exhibitions funded by generous sponsors. For example, while Tracy Emin flew the flag for Britain in the official British pavilion, there … [Read More]
Pseudo-scientist inventing reality: a visit to Lee Hyung-koo’s work at the Venice Biennale 2007
Lee Hyungkoo: The Homo Species Korean Pavillion, 52nd Venice Biennale, 10 June – 21 November 2007 In a Biennale dominated by the theme of war, AIDS, destruction and desolation, it was comforting to find some of the country pavillions conforming to national stereotypes. The French pavillion dissected a love letter written by a rather callous … [Read More]
Hanbok day at the V&A – reader reviews and photos
Because of vacation and some railway engineering work LKL’s usual correspondents were unable to cover yesterday’s V&A Korean culture day. This post is therefore an open invitation to anyone who did manage to go along to please leave your comments or observations below. The Korean Cultural Centre UK, who supported the event, took some photos, … [Read More]
Festival Film Review: Secret Sunshine at the BFI London Film Festival
Caution: this post contains spoilers. It was slightly disappointing to see Screen One of the Odeon West End (seating capacity: 500) somewhat under half full for the London premiere of Lee Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine last Monday. By contrast, No Mercy for the Rude, a film which (from its description at least) is much more in … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: To the furthest verge
I-MYU’s new gallery space was launched last week with a show by two Korean and one Korean-American artist. The gallery itself is situated in the slightly unfashionable north-east fringes of the City. Unfashionable at least from the perspective of us City types, but if your eyes stray slightly northwards on the map from I-MYU’s street … [Read More]
Shades of Shamanism: Chuseok celebrations at the British Museum
Peter Corbishley‘s sketch of the BM’s Chuseok festivities. Times change. The small but significant Korean Collection at the British Museum includes a Moon Jar which so inspired the English potter Bernard Leech. But the drum beat of Shamanistic trance was not perhaps what Dr Sloane or the Smirke family had in mind for the front … [Read More]
Dramatic pictures of Chuseok at the BM
Samuel Cho has a great collection of photos from the Chuseok celebrations at the British Museum last month, really capturing the energy of some of the performances. Here’s a sample: Links: See the remainder of his album at www.samuelcho.com [Read More]
Chuseok at the BM — part sprint, part marathon
It is a commonplace observation that Korea is caught between two larger neighbours. Similarly, in marketing terms, the Korean events at the British Museum last Saturday were dwarfed by the blitzkrieg advertising for the Chinese “First Emperor” and the Japanese modern design exhibitions, both also at the British Museum at the same time. But although … [Read More]