London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Korea Calling at the Thames Festival 2011

Korea returns to the Thames Festival this year (10-11 September) with a range of entertainments. The Taekwondo demonstrations are always popular, plus this year there’s the Sookmyung Gayageum Orchestra. If you’ve ever heard a Beatles number performed on massed Gayageums, you were probably listening to these ladies. They’ve also been known to accompany B-boys, which … [Read More]

Three outcomes of the London Riots

Three Korea-related outcomes of the London riots this year: Big Bang will not be coming for the Thames Festival (though the guilty verdict on Dae-sung didn’t help either. # Third Window Films, great supporters of Korean movies, hit as Sony’s main CD and DVD replication centre is burnt down: huge amount of stock destroyed. http://on.fb.me/npACjW … [Read More]

Concert notes: Baramgot at the South Bank

When Baramgot visited London two years ago they played to a sparsely populated mediaeval church in the middle of the Barbican complex. This year, the performance was in the more comfortable environment of the Purcell Room, and the audience was much bigger. What we gained in comfort was somewhat lost in atmosphere – the echoing … [Read More]

Winterplay launches UK album with civilised gigs

Last weekend saw Winterplay’s UK debut and launch of their first western album on Universal. Three gigs in two remarkably different settings. Their first performance was in the Cultural Centre on Friday 10 September. Demonstrating the remarkable flexibility of the space, the area next to the reception desk had been converted into a stage, with … [Read More]

LKL reports from the Thames Festival 2010

2010 is Korea’s fourth year of participation in the Thames Festival, and each year the participation seems to get more ambitious. This year, the location moved from Tower Bridge, where there are possibly fewer punters strolling by, to the high-profile Jubilee Gardens, under the shadow of the London Eye, where the crowds are much more … [Read More]

This weekend: Korea at the Thames Festival

A reminder of the timetable for the Korean events by the London Eye this weekend. Weather is forecast to be better on Sunday. All timings approximate and subject to change. Saturday 11 September: 12:00 – Taekwondo demo 13:00 – Taekwondo workshop 13:30 – BreakOut (Extreme Dance Comedy) 14:30 – B-boy experience 15:00 – Winterplay jazz … [Read More]

An early celebration of Chuseok for Children

The Korean Cultural Centre UK is proudly hosting a free family workshop to celebrate Chuseok at the Centre on the 11th and 12th of September, coinciding with all the Thames Festival events on the south bank. Animation screening (Pororo, Dibo), traditional Korean folklores by a professional storyteller, contemporary amd traditional board games are waiting for … [Read More]

Baramgot at the South Bank

Baramgot’s Barbican concert in 2008 was undoubtedly the live performance of the year. Won Il’s creative traditional Korean music ensemble are in town this weekend to perform at the Thames Festival, and will be staying to give a concert at the Purcell Room on 13 September. Too often the reinvention of traditional music can turn … [Read More]

Laid-back jazz from Winterplay at the KCC

I tweeted last Saturday (thanks to Anna at Indieful ROK) that Korean acid jazz / jazz-pop band Winterplay were coming to perform at the KCC as part of their trip to London for the Thames Festival. The news was broken by 10Asia, and now the details have been confirmed by the KCC. Winterplay’s agency is … [Read More]

All Eyes on Korea at the Thames Festival 2010

Returning to the Festival for a fourth year, the Korean Cultural Centre UK present All Eyes on Korea, a celebration of Korean culture in Jubilee Gardens. Leading talents from a wide range of Korean arts and cultural groups have been selected and include extreme dance comedy from Break Out – an energetic extravaganza, returning to … [Read More]

Photos from the Thames Festival

It was a perfect day in More London, by Tower Bridge, and the crowds were out in large numbers to enjoy the Thames Festival. The Korean contingent had taken possession of The Scoop for the weekend, and over 70 performers had come over from Korea to entertain the festival-goers. Reflecting the current marketing push to … [Read More]

Visit GoKorea.co.uk and enjoy the Festival

As most readers will know, this weekend’s Thames Festival is a fun event, and more importantly has a lot of Korean performers entertaining the crowds and bringing the best of Korean culture to London. The Korean “Village” is sponsored by Asiana Airlines, Expedia, H.I.S., the Korea Tourism Organisation and the Korean Cultural Centre UK. In … [Read More]

Thames Festival – food, film and fun

Here the official press release about the Korean representation at the Thames Festival this year: A Scoop of Korea Bringing Korea to the Heart of London at the Mayor’s Thames Festival, 12th – 13th September LONDON, UK (1st September, 2009) – ‘A Scoop of Korea’ is being held as a part of The Mayor’s Thames … [Read More]