“Bebefinn has disappeared!” In the middle of the night, Finn mysteriously vanishes into a tablet while playing hide and seek with Baby Shark! As Finn explores the magical Pinkfong World, his worried siblings, Bora and Brody, turn to Pinkfong for help. Using magical powers and a can-do attitude, Pinkfong guides them through exciting challenges. Can … [Read More]
Category: Animation
Ahn Jae-huun’s Gill (아가미) screens at Frightfest
Gon was on the verge of death when suddenly, gills started to grow and he could breathe again. Kang Ha and his grandpa rescue Gon, and together they become an odd family. Jae-huun Ahn is the director of Meditation with a Pencil, a Korean animation studio, whose previous critically-acclaimed works, including GREEN DAYS and THE … [Read More]
London East Asia Film Festival 2020
Fingers crossed: it looks like we might see some more great Korean movies in a real cinema in a Central London location before the year’s out, thanks to the London East Asia Film Festival. The festival also includes films from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. I’m particularly looking forward to Beauty Water: having caught … [Read More]
Korean short animations at LIAF
Once again we are grateful to LKL Facebook Group member Jordan for letting us know about some Korean (and one zainichi) animations that will be available online for a short while. We reproduce his post below for the benefit of those who don’t frequent the LKL FB group: London International Animation Festival The London International … [Read More]
Korean animations at the Annecy Festival
Thanks to Jordan, a member of the LKL Facebook Group, for alerting me to news that I’ve been eagerly anticipating for 5 years: the international premiere (I think) of The Shaman Sorceress, Studio Meditation with Pencil’s adaptation of the short story by Kim Dong-ni. It is screening at the Annecy Festival, where previous releases by … [Read More]
London Korean Film Festival 2019: the official press release
Here is today’s official press release that announces the line-up for the 2019 London Korean Film Festival: The London Korean Film Festival (LKFF) has launched its full programme of films and events for the upcoming 14th edition, taking place from 1st-14th November in London before embarking on the annual tour 18th-24th November. The Special Focus, … [Read More]
LEAFF open air screenings in Leicester Square
LEAFF is constantly coming up with new ideas to keep audiences involved and engaged throughout the year. This summer, they are hosting a two-day event of free open air screenings in Leicester Square. Sunday 28 July will feature four Chinese language screenings. LKL readers will be more interested in the screenings on Saturday 27 July, … [Read More]
Brief Festival Film Review: Kai
Lee Sung-gang (이성강): Kai (카이, 2016, 96 mins) Review by Robert Cottingham Snow Queen Hattan casts a spell over the peaceful village where Kai lives, and covers everything in ice. The River Spirit who is the protector of the village gives the brave young Kai the only key to fighting off Hattan and asks him … [Read More]
Event news: Talk & See with Hwang Sun-mi
A lovely book, and a charming film – though obviously the author prefers the original. Hwang Sun-mi will be on hand to discuss both this Sunday at a talk and screening. Talk & See with Hwang Sun-mi Sunday 16 August, 4pm £10 (Children free) Soho Hotel | 4 Richmond Mews | London W1D 3DH We … [Read More]
2015 Travel Diary day 11: a visit to Studio MWP
Daehakro, Seoul, Monday 8 June. This year’s trip to Korea had been full of pleasant surprises: people I had not expected to meet, things I had not been expecting to see. But the most pleasant surprise of all had been an invitation to visit Studio Meditation with a Pencil, creators of my favourite Korean animated … [Read More]
Google Korea remembers Hwang Sun-won
Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of Hwang Sun-won’s birth on 26 March, 1915. Google Korea celebrated with one of their doodles, illustrating Hwang’s most well-known story, The Shower (소나기, 1959). The story was adapted as a movie by Lee Jin-mo in 1978; and Studio Meditation with Pencil is currently working on an animated version, which … [Read More]
Festival Film Review: This Road Called Life
Following on from the success of their feature-length animation Green Days, Studio MWP worked with Korean TV broadcaster EBS to produce a trio of short films which adapt three familiar short stories which are studied by most Koreans in high school: Yi Hyo-seok’s Buckwheat Season, Kim Yu-jeong’s Spring, Spring, and A Lucky Day by Hyun … [Read More]
LKL’s latest must-see film of the LKFF 2014: The Road Called Life
It’s taking a while to go through the LKFF 2014 programme to prioritise those films which I simply *have* to go to see. So thanks to Frances Yoo from Studio Meditation with a Pencil for alerting me to the title that instantly has gone from “when I get round to it, I’ll look to see … [Read More]
LBF event 25 Mar: Books on Screen — Leafie, a Hen into the Wild
The fourth of the KCC’s Korean Literature on Screen events. The Hwang Sun-mi story on which it is based has been recently published in translation. Follow the links to LKL’s review of the novel and the film. As usual, pre-registration is required via the KCC website. Leafie, a Hen into the Wild 마당을 나온 암탉, … [Read More]
Expo visit: Korean design and cultural contents at KBEE
The Korea Brand and Entertainment Expo which coincided with President Park’s State Visit showcased contemporary Korean media art, K-pop, Korea’s premier garden designer and more. Also featured were key Korean designers: Kim Young-se (김영세) of Innodesign, whose designs reference the sleek black parallel lines of the trigrams in South Korea’s national flag, or the elegant … [Read More]
Couleur de peau: Miel, aka Approved for Adoption, screens at Leeds Young Film Fest
If it wasn’t for the fact that London has a date with Moon So-ri this Thursday, I’d be leaving work early, getting on a train to Leeds and sitting down to watch this film. I do hope it comes to London at some stage. It’s the animated autobiography of a Korean adoptee in Belgium. Korean … [Read More]