Hitting Below the Belt: Pyongyang Spills the Beans on Secret Summit Talks. Aidan Foster-Carter at 38 North http://bit.ly/o9rRmv #. It’s standard practice for North Koreans to ask for cash. Now they’re portraying it as bribes. [Read More]
Category: Asides (page 54)
A review of Makers of Modern Korean Buddhism
Here’s a link to a review of Jin Y Park, ed. Makers of Modern Korean Buddhism on H-Net: a book which has been on my reading pile for far too long. http://bit.ly/o5grgG #. The book’s rather heavy going though… [Read More]
Pyeongchang wins the 2018 Winter Olympics
On Radio 4 this morning an Ex British Olympic chief tipped Pyeongchang to win the 2018 winter olympics by 10 votes today. # Congratulations to the bid team. BBC Sport – Pyeongchang will host the 2018 Winter Olympics http://bbc.in/nDPICE # Inevitably, a lot of the attention became focussed on Kim Yu-na, “Kim Yu-na’s Pyeongchang fashion” … [Read More]
Korean musicians at the Tchaikovsky competition
Korea does well at the Tchaikovsky competition. Voice Results: Female: 1st Prize: Sun Young Seo (South Korea); Male: 1st Prize: Jong Min Park (South Korea). Piano results: 1st Prize: Daniil Trifonov (Russia); 2nd Prize: Yeol Eum Son (South Korea); 3rd Prize: Seong Jin Cho (South Korea). On BBC Radio 3 Music Matters on 2 July … [Read More]
Jeon Ji-hyun with Li Bing Bing in US Vogue
Annie Leibovitz photographs Jeon Ji-hyun with Li Bing Bing in July's US Vogue to mark the release of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. http://bit.ly/iUJsCo # [Read More]
Chung Myung-whun awarded Chevalier des Arts et Lettres
Conductor Chung Myung-whun to join distinguished list of Koreans winning France's top cultural honour – the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres http://bit.ly/iv5hKW # [Read More]
Haegue Yang’s exhibition in Oxford
Joongang Ilbo has an interesting interview-feature on Haegue Yang’s exhibition in Oxford. http://bit.ly/kbwxFI #. I wondered about going on a day trip to her exhibition this weekend, but then realised I needed to do something practical with my own clothes dryer instead. [Read More]
The 5 Most Anticipated Korean Movies in Second Half of 2011
The 5 Most Anticipated Korean Movies in Second Half of 2011: a useful preview from Namhanman http://bit.ly/l0Minb # Sector 7 (7광구) (Kim Ji-hoon) My Way (마이 웨이) (Kang Je-gyu) Only You (오직 그대만) (aka. Always) (Song Il-gon) The Front Line (고지전) (Jang Hoon) La Quotidienne (오늘) (Lee Jung-hyang) [Read More]
Lee Ufan at the opening of Marking Infinity
The opening of Lee Ufan’s “Marking Infinity” at the Guggenheim. Lee tells his audience how he spent three weeks wrestling with the curved interior space of the Frank Lloyd Wright rotunda. http://twitpic.com/5h3ui5 [Read More]
China claims Arirang as its own
Why 'Arirang' isn't listed among Korea's cultural assets – and why it soon will be thanks to the Chinese. Interesting article in the Chosun Ilbo http://bit.ly/jFz2MM with a counterblast by Roboseyo (Nobody owns Arirang) # [Read More]
Noodles in NYC K-town
A farewell lunch of noodles at Shanghai Mong in NYC K-town yesterday. Thanks, Insoon. I'll see you in Seoul next year. http://twitpic.com/5gndzp # [Read More]
Culture ministry to launch K-pop academy
Do we need another K-pop academy? Government support for the film industry was needed in the 1990s, but there are plenty of commercial K-pop operations. But we should welcome support for Korean indie music. http://bit.ly/iSJR5f # [Read More]
Korean unions target Standard Chartered and KEB
"There is a serious attempt … to tarnish StanChart’s reputation" in Korea. (FT) http://on.ft.com/jWUhFl #. Continuing the theme: Korean Bankers Take to the Streets – a good summary of what's going on at KEB and SC First right now http://on.wsj.com/l5WXBV # [Read More]
Margaret Drabble reviews Park Kyung-ni’s Land
Margaret Drabble reviews Park Kyung-ni’s Land in the Times Literary Supplement: “a remarkable and important work in which Eastern and Western traditions fruitfully meet” http://bit.ly/iQ7SBn # [Read More]
Pororo and the Axis of Evil
Pororo and the Axis of Evil: the South Korean animation industry outsources work north of the border. And it might get Pororo banned in the US. WSJ and Chosun. #. The creators of Green Days told me no such outsourcing takes place now because of strained North-South relations. [Read More]
Goldsmiths BA Art Degree Show 2011
Goldsmiths BA Art Degree Show 2011 is sure to have lots of Korean work, including Sungfeel Yun and Rae Koo. Till 27 June. http://on.fb.me/mLH7Vg # [Read More]