London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Nanta: Catch it while you can

It’s impossible not to admire the hard-working, multi-talented Koreans who perform in the energetic shows like Breakout (2007), Jump (2002), and, the original, Nanta (1997), which is currently showing at the Rose Theatre. And it’s impossible not to be entertained. There’s probably little to say about Nanta which hasn’t already been said. The performers are … [Read More]

Yoon Bok-hee: a Korean Kitten in Kingston

“Aigoo!” grumbled veteran pop diva Yoon Bok-hee as she bent down to untangle a kink in the microphone cable. Her back didn’t seem to be giving her any problems though. She told us twice, to much applause, that she is now 63 years old, and very sprightly she is too. This was all part of … [Read More]

Nanta comes to the Rose Theatre

Readers who are familiar with Jump and Breakout will need no persuasion to come along to Nanta as part of the New Malden Festival. Koreans seem to specialise in high energy non-verbal performances with a wide international appeal, and Nanta is no exception. It won the top prize at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1999 … [Read More]

Yoon Bok-hee comes to Kingston

Koreans seem to keep some of their favourite stars well hidden from the West. Google singer Yoon Bok-hee in English, and you don’t find much. The Kpopwiki is able to provide a discography but no biography, while the occasional article in the Korea Times mention her only in passing: recently for performing the role of … [Read More]

Condensation: Haegue Yang at the Venice Biennale

A press release giving details of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2009 Condensation: Haegue Yang June 7–November 22, 2009 Korean Pavilion 53rd International Art Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia Commissioner: Eungie Joo In the exhibition “Condensation”, Haegue Yang explores private or hidden spaces that might be considered nebensächlich (marginal or insignificant) but to the … [Read More]

Library: Chun Woojung at the Venice Biennale

Details of one of the Collateral Events at Venice. Text courtesy of curator James Putnam Library Chun Woo-jung (천우정) 53rd International Art Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia Collateral Event curated by James Putnam “The universe (which others call the Library)…” Jorge Luis Borges, The Library of Babel The library is a potent metaphor for knowledge … [Read More]

Atta Kim: ON-AIR (Palazzo Zenobio, Venice)

Details of one of the Collateral events at Venice, text courtesy of Arte Communications: AttaKim: ON-AIR: collateral event of the 53rd International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia Inauguration: 5 June 2009 at 1.00 pm Preview: 4 – 6 June 2009; opening hours 10.00 am – 8.00 pm Open to the public: 7 June … [Read More]

Korean film at the Terracotta film festival

The new kid on the block when it comes to Asian film is Terracotta. They launched themselves last November by securing the rights to Im Pil-sung’s horror film Hansel and Gretel (which screens at the KCC later this month – 28 May), and they’re making a splash at the Prince Charles this month with the … [Read More]

3rd New Malden Arts Festival

Details of the 3rd New Malden Arts Festival, organised by Theatre For All. Date: 16 June 2009 ~ 11 July (4 weeks) Organised by: Theatre For All (www.theatre4all.com) Supported by: Kingston Council, Korean Cultural Centre UK, ASIANA AIRLINES 16th June YOON BOK HEE OPENING GALA CONCERT 16th June – 27th June NANTA (Cookin’) – Rose … [Read More]

UK Korean Festivals 2009

For those wanting to plan ahead, here is a list of all potential Korean events in the UK in 2009 which have “Festival” in their title. I’ll update this obviously work-in-progress post as I get more information. Clearly, everything’s provisional until the organisers send out their official press release or put details up on their … [Read More]

The divers of Jeju-do

LKL digests Barbara Hammer’s documentary “Diving Women of Jeju-do”, which screened in a recent film festival in London. Barbara Hammer’s brief documentary Diving Women of Jeju-do (2007) provides an intimate portrait of Cheju-do’s famous diving women, the haenyo. Barbara Hammer goes diving with the women, and took trouble to get to know their ways. She … [Read More]

Upcoming Haenyo film screening

Notice of a screening of a documentary on Cheju Island’s famous haenyeo (해녀) in a double bill of groundbreaking documentaries by celebrated lesbian experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer, as part of the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival: For hundreds of years women on the South Korean island of Jeju-do have sustained themselves by diving to … [Read More]

Korean Artists in London Art Fair 2009

Back in October last year Beccy Kennedy reported from the 4482 show: 40 Korean artists in London under one roof in a single exhibition. This week there are at least six Korean artists under one roof in Islington, represented by four galleries. Exhibiting in the London Art Fair are Albemarle Gallery (Lee Jaehyo and Park … [Read More]

May 18 – surprise hit of the LKFF

A modern historical drama about Korea’s Tiananmen Square incident might not sound like the most gripping of scenarios for a film, but May 18 certainly draws you in as a cinematic experience. One member of the audience had already seen the film twice on the internet, but came along to see it on the big … [Read More]