London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

The Roundup: Punishment (범죄도시 4) – UK theatrical release

‘Monster Cop’ Ma Seok-do (Don LEE) investigates an illegal online gambling business led by a former STS Baek (KIM Moo-yul) and an IT genius CEO Chang (LEE Dong-hwi). Ma proposes an unexpected alliance to Jang (PARK Ji-hwan) and begins hunting down the criminals. LONDON ODEON Haymarket / Wimbledon / Kingston CINEWORLD Leicester Square / O2 … [Read More]

Screening: The Flower in Hell (지옥화)

Join the KCCUK for a screening of “The Flower in Hell,” an early masterpiece by director Shin Sang-ok that vividly portrays the societal dynamics of post-war Korea. Set in a weary Seoul, the film follows a gripping love triangle involving Yeong-sik, leader of a munitions-stealing syndicate, Dong-sik, his searching brother, and Sonya, Yeong-sik’s unapologetic lover … [Read More]

Korean Documentary season at Sheffield’s Showroom Cinema

This season focuses on bringing contemporary Korean documentary to Sheffield and showing the breadth of films that are emerging in the Korean documentary market. Experience modern Korea through the lens of these captivating stories that explore diverse topics from cats to football, from North Korean politics to LGBTQ+ parenting. From the streets of Seoul to the forgotten countryside, each documentary … [Read More]

Voices of Freedom: Performances, Escapee Talks, Documentary & Director Q&A

You’re Invited to “Voices of Freedom”: An Evening of Reflection, Tribute, and Unity Join us for a profound journey through the stories of North Korean defectors and the forgotten POWs of the Korean War, hosted by the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council. This unique event weaves together inspiring lectures, a compelling documentary screening, and heartfelt performances … [Read More]

Korean films at BFI Flare 2024

Last year BFI Flare had a Korean focus, giving us four feature films and a short. It’s only natural that this year’s offering won’t quite match up to last year’s feast, but still we have one feature and a short: Heavy Snow (폭설) Dir: Yun Su-ik (2023, 77 mins) Cast: Han So-hee, Han Hae-in Monday … [Read More]

Korean Film Night: A Tour Guide (믿을 수 있는 사람)

Han-young, a North Korean defector, gets a license to guide Chinese tourists thanks to the language skills she acquired as a refugee in China. She works diligently but faces many challenges, from coworker rivalry to assimilation, all while desperately searching for her missing brother. The irony of Han-Young’s position is emblematic of marginalized peoples’ struggles … [Read More]

[Manchester] Jane Jin Kaisen: Halmang, at esea contemporary

Manchester’s esea contemporary presents internationally acclaimed artist and filmmaker Jane Jin Kaisen in her first UK solo show ‘Halmang’. Jane Jin Kaisen was born on the volcanic island of Jeju, fifty miles south of the Korean Peninsula’s coast. In this first UK solo exhibition of her work, Jane Jin Kaisen weaves oceanic cosmology and landscape … [Read More]

[Manchester] Jane Jin Kaisen: Community of Parting screenings

Community of Parting (2019) traces a different approach to borders, translation, and aesthetic mediation by invoking the ancient shamanic myth of the Abandoned Princess Bari and engaging female Korean shamanism as an ethics and aesthetics of memory and mutual recognition across time and space. Rooted in oral storytelling and embodied by female shamans, the myth about … [Read More]

12.12 The Day (서울의 봄) Theatrical release

After the assassination of President Park, martial law has been declared. A coup d’état bursts out by Defense Security Commander Chun Doo-gwang and a private band of officers following him. Capital Defense Commander Lee Tae-shin, an obstinate soldier who believes the military should not take political actions, fights against Chun Doo-gwang to stop him. According … [Read More]