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The LKL quiz of the year 2017

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by Philip Gowman on 15 January, 2018

in 2017 year-end posts | DPRK | In the news | Shamanism | Tabloid

I’m currently going through my 2017 press cuttings and trying to make sense of them, in the hope that as in (some) previous years I’ll be able to pull together a series of posts summarising some of the most newsworthy stories of the year. In case I don’t manage to get that done (after all, […]

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Trump book finds unexpected reader

by Philip Gowman 12 January 2018
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I’m not sure who did the photoshopping (I came across it on this tweet, so I’ll credit @darren_tenerife) but it’s too good not to share: Keywords: General post tags: Trump

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So now you know

by Philip Gowman 19 February 2017
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You couldn’t make this up. Or maybe you could. Even though I suspect it’s a fake cover posted online to make people go out and buy the paper itself (which I would do if it weren’t cold outside), it’s still too good not to share. Thanks to Paul Matthews for spotting this gem (also to […]

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Gangnam Style remembered on Strictly

by Philip Gowman 14 November 2016
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Thanks to would-be Labour finance minister Ed Balls for brightening up our dull Autumn on the BBC’s celebrity talent show Strictly Come Dancing. Consistently at the bottom of the scoreboard, he is saved by the popular vote. In the most recent episode he had the guts to do a Gangnam Style inspired Salsa, choreographed (with […]

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Two leaders and their shoes

by Philip Gowman 12 November 2016
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A couple of photographs doing the rounds of social media this week: Sources: Park Geun-hye | Kim Jong-un

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Found in London’s Japan Centre: kimchi lemonade

by 앤서방 17 August 2015
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Kimchi flavoured lemonade is down in price – can’t imagine why. But according to Rocket News, who have also sampled curry, octopus and chili pepper Ramune sodas: “It’s damn good!” Keywords: General post tags: Japan

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KWK Performance: Ongals in Babbling Comedy, 1-2 Aug

by Events Editor 28 June 2015
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These guys were hugely entertaining when they came to the Edinburgh Fringe (LKL review here), and they’ve also entertained us at the Thames Festival. They are also the first comedy act to have performed at the Seoul Arts Centre – so do support them when they come to the Rose Theatre Perfordian Factory: Ongals in […]

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Alcohol advert ban for young celebrities?

by Philip Gowman 25 April 2015
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The BBC picked up on a story in the Chosun Ilbo that celebs under 25 could be banned from leading teenagers astray by advertising booze. A bill proposing the clamp-down was passed by the National Assembly’s committee on health and welfare on 23 April. Reportedly prompted by Kim Yu-na’s Hite advertisements in 2012 (when she […]

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Korean girls on One Direction

by Philip Gowman 28 March 2015
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Last week one of the interviewees in Yoon Sungwon‘s video says Zayn Malik is “too buttery” and that he “reminds me of a camel.” A couple of days later it’s announced that he’s leaving One Direction. “I can’t do this anymore,” he told a tabloid newspaper. The same girl says that Harry Styles’s nostrils are […]

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Looking back at 2014: Domestic news

by Philip Gowman 15 February 2015
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Our final look back at 2014: mainly domestic news stories from South Korea: The Sewol and safety culture The MV Sewol capsized on 16 April, causing the death of 304 passengers. A number of factors contributed to the disaster, including lax safety inspections, unsafe modifications, unsecured cargo, overloading, and an inexperienced crew hired on temporary […]

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Burberry – the favoured brand of Korean flashers

by Philip Gowman 5 October 2014
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In the last decade, British fashion brand Burberry manage to rescue itself from the chav associations caused by too liberal licensing of its check design to companies it couldn’t control. But you can’t control the use to which a raincoat is put. And according to the Hankyoreh: Burberry coats have long been sought after in […]

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Now, what’s that book by Salman Rushdie called?

by Philip Gowman 2 September 2014
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North Korea’s rant about Channel 4’s planned TV series has now been translated into English on the KCNA Japanese website. Like most of their rants, it’s entertaining in small doses. I’ve often wondered why they invest in a translator that is only semi-competent. Here’s a select quote from the press release: The British authorities should […]

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Some amazing street art of Bae Doona

by Philip Gowman 21 August 2014
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Thanks to @Sean_Macdonald_ for posting on Twitter a photograph of some street art of Bae Doona in Cloud Atlas. The painting is about a 5 minute walk from King’s Cross Station on the Caledonian Road. Keywords: People: Bae Doo-na

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The Kimchi Slap (in case you haven’t seen it elsewhere)

by Philip Gowman 27 July 2014
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Here’s the full clip from the MBC TV Drama Everybody, Kimchi. The incident in question is at 1’30”: If you’re happy with .gifs, here’s the cut-down version. I wonder how many shirts were ruined rehearsing this scene… Keywords: General post tags: kimchi

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Dance videos, tasteless films and hair promotions – different ways to annoy the DPRK authorities

by Philip Gowman 19 July 2014
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It’s not just the Americans and the Brits who annoy the North Korean establishment with their irreverant lèse-majesté. Now the Chinese are doing it too. So far the video has been left online: And a reminder of the two other things that recently got the DPRK establishment annoyed: an upcoming American comedy film, and a […]

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Eating yeot, or not

by Philip Gowman 1 July 2014
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Ask A Korean has a great post on the reason why a disgruntled fan might want to lob a few toffees at the returning Korean football team. He has a few explanations why “Eat Yeot” is considered an insult. The article promted an LKL reader to add a different story about eating yeot as a […]

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Kim Yuna’s Lark of Emergency and other popular classics

by Philip Gowman 21 March 2014
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Browsing in the Hankyoreh yesterday I came across some charming pictures of Queen Yuna. This particular one, with the famous yellow logo on the CD cover … … got me googling for Deutsche Grammophon compilations of Kim’s backing tracks. And I came across this: Scrolling down to the tracklist I find that the label hasn’t […]

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