Two classic films from Korean cinema’s golden age provided a fascinating compare-and-contrast exercise last Monday night at the Barbican. Encouragingly, the films were better attended than the comparable double-bill last year (Madame Freedom and My Mother and her Guest). Maybe that reflects the growing literacy of UK audiences when it comes to Korean film. Or … [Read More]
Category: Festivals (page 49)
Please leave your comments on the Korean Film Festival
It’s over for this year. From my own perspective, it’s been a great festival. I didn’t manage to get to all of the screenings, but I got to the ones I really wanted to. We had two top-notch films from Korea cinema’s golden age (The Housemaid and Obaltan / Aimless Bullet), a retrospective of one … [Read More]
Good, bad or weird? A look at Kim Jee-woon’s classic western
Now the festival is over, perhaps it’s time to set down some thoughts on the lead film, Kim Ji-woon’s Manchurian western. This was one of the most hotly anticipated films in recent years, on a par with Lady Vengeance and Secret Sunshine. Kim Ji-woon has built up an enviable track record with his past films. … [Read More]
Kim Ji-woon in London: bigger, faster
Following a screening of The Good, the Bad and the Weird, director Kim Ji-woon discussed influences, genre experimentation and working with stars in a lively Q&A chaired by Tony Rayns. Entertaining and informative, the session offered valuable insight into Kim’s creative process and Korean cinema’s growing UK audience. [Read More]
Lee Byung-hun on being the bad guy
Lee Byung-hun, in town for the launch of the London Korean Film Festival, took advantage of his trip to have some interviews and engage in other promotional activities. He impressed the crowds at the opening screening of The Good the Bad and the Weird, and again the next day at the post film discussion, with … [Read More]
Stars launch Korean Film Festival
In what must be the biggest-budget launch of the KCC’s third London Korean Film Festival, director Kim Ji-woon and actor Lee Byung-hun were brought to London to introduce the flagship film of the festival, The Good the Bad and the Weird. Tony Rayns, the UK’s most established Korean film expert, was also there to celebrate. … [Read More]
Night and Day: Hong Sang Soo in Paris
Claire O’Connell reviews Hong Sang Soo’s latest film, Night and Day, screened last week at the BFI London Film Festival What do you do when you are being sought by the Korean police for possessing cannabis? Run away of course. This is how the painter Sung-Nam (played by Kim Young-Ho) ends up in Paris from … [Read More]
Of Origin and Future: an I-MYU exhibition in Cork Street
As part of Asian Art in London I-MYU Projects is holding a special exhibition in Mayfair’s Cork Street entitled Of Origin and Future. The press release follows. 30 October – 8 November Alon Zakaim Fine Art, 30 Cork Street, W1S 3NG. Asian Contemporary Art is not a combination of Asian Art and Contemporary Art: it … [Read More]
Linda Wrigglesworth collection under the hammer
Last year during Asian Art in London I paid Linda Wrigglesworth a visit. She has an interesting collection of antique textiles and Korean costume alongside her own more modern takes on the oriental style. I particularly liked the rather fine 19th century purple official’s robe (below), not that I would have a use for it … [Read More]
Asian Art in London 08: the Korean angle
The beginning of November is always a time for the West End art galleries and Kensington antique dealers to draw our attention to Asian Art. While a lot of the attention is always on the bigger countries, Korea gets a look-in. The full guidebook for the programme can be downloaded from the Asian Art in … [Read More]
The London Korean Film Festival 2008
The programme for the 2008 London Korean Film Festival has been announced. A great line-up with something for everyone. From the latest releases, there’s the biggest film of 2008 (The Good, the Bad and the Weird), plus one or two I’d forgotten about, but which with a bit of thought are obvious choices: last year’s … [Read More]
Become an LKL reviewer: win a FREE ticket to the BFI London Film Festival
We’re always on the lookout for new talent to join the enthusiastic team at LKL. To entice you think about writing the occasional contribution, here’s a tempting offer. Drop me an email via the contact form volunteering to write a film review every now and then, and we’ll send you a free ticket to a … [Read More]
Korea at the Thames Festival 1 – Jump! and Last For One
By Saharial Looking out at the rather dull day I am having today, it would be hard for me to believe that the weekend was full of summer sunshine if I hadn’t got a little toasted at the Thames Festival on Saturday. After a long walk from St Pancras to Waterloo and then a nice … [Read More]
Korea at the Thames Festival 2 – Stick Throwing and Kimchi Pancakes
By Matthew Jackson The Korean section of the Thames Festival 2008 was bigger, more spectacular and altogether more chaotic than the ‘Sarangbang’ of last year. When I showed up on the Saturday afternoon, I was introduced to a traditional Korean game which involved throwing sticks at a target, as one of the sticks narrowly avoided … [Read More]
The big, the small, and the predictable: K-film at the 52nd BFI London Film Festival
Is it a reflection on the current state of the Korean film industry that the films to be shown at the 52nd BFI London Film Festival don’t really surprise me? In previous years the organisers have managed to select films which are out of the ordinary, maybe one or two that I hadn’t heard of. … [Read More]
Korea at the Thames Festival 2008
Those who experienced Korea’s input into the Thames Festival last year won’t want to miss out this year. As last year, the festival coincides with one of the most important holidays in the Korean calendar, Chuseok. This year we have performances from Last For One (above), probably Korea’s best-known b-boy crew and victors in the … [Read More]