It’s been a quiet week in comparison to the first two of the year, but it looks like there is some interesting music on its way. Hip Hop legend Tiger JK, his wife Yoon Mi Rae (aka Tasha) and Bizzy are forming a new project group called MFBTY (‘My Fan Better Than Yours’), releasing an … [Read More]
Category: VoDs (page 10)
Alexander Liebreich’s musical diplomacy in Pyongyang
Great BBC feature on Alexander Liebreich and his musical diplomacy with the Munich Chamber Orchestra in Pyongyang. http://bbc.in/100eliE. A briefer feature can be found on iPlayer here. LKL interviewed him in Tongyeong in 2012 when we visited the Tongyeong International Music Festival, of which he is artistic director. And a one-hour long documentary about his … [Read More]
Seasons Greetings, and enjoy our favourite seasonal tune: “Christmas Snowing” from Yell Owe Jam
Best wishes to all LKL’s readers, contributors and supporters, and thanks for staying with us over the past twelve months. We’ll be taking a break for a couple of days. Until we return, please enjoy this lovely Chritmas song from Yell Owe Jam, with vocalist Yedda (aobve left) and saxophonist Kim Heecheol. Thanks to our … [Read More]
Girl band is one of the DPRK’s Great Innovations of 2012
The KCNA has a press release which celebrates the many innovations in the year in which the DPRK became a great and prosperous nation. Immediately after an introductory passage praising the “ideologocial might” of the military, and before a listing of the many new factories and other technological achievements comes a brief paragraph on soft … [Read More]
오방색 O BANG SAEK: the 5th Korean Artists Association event at the KCC
The annual exhibition and performance by the Korean Artists Association UK at the KCC opens 28 November, lasting until 4 December. 오방색 O BANG SAEK An Exhibition & Performance by The Korean Artists Association UK Korean Cultural Centre UK 28th Nov. – 4th Dec. Opening Reception Wed. 28th Nov 2012 6.30 – 8.30 pm Performance … [Read More]
The Defector: Escape from North Korea — a new documentary to screen at IDFA Amsterdam
Last year the International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam featured the moving South Korean documentary Planet of Snail. This year the interest is north of the border, with a new documentary on North Korean defectors by award-winning film-maker Ann Shin. The Defector: Escape from North Korea Ann Shin, Canada, 2012, color, HDcam, 71′ THE DEFECTOR: … [Read More]
Haegue Yang inaugural artist for Der Öffentlichkeit in Munich
Installation artist Haegue Yang has been commissioned as the first artist to fill the Middle Hall of Haus der Kunst in Munich. The installation will be on display until September 2013. The first minute or so of the following video introduces the work, and the official press release follows. Haegue Yang / Der Öffentlichkeit — … [Read More]
He’s the UK Chuseok #1 – but will he ever be allowed to perform anything else?
In this evening’s UK popular music chart listings, PSY finally made it to the top slot, having reached number three last week. Not bad going for a track released in mid July the other side of the Eurasian landmass. It’s been interesting watching the Gangnam wave as it has spread from Seoul to the rest … [Read More]
How to get a Korean boyfriend
Many of you will have seen this already, but I only just came across it via Stephen Epstein’s and Rachel Joo’s fun article on Japanfocus.org on legs, abs, and the surprising de-emphasis of boobs in Korean pop culture. The entertaining video, from My Korean Boyfriend, is particularly fine in respect of its observation of “aegyo” … [Read More]
Recommended event this week: Beautiful Mind charity honours Paralympians
As we approach the end of All Eyes on Korea, the 100-day festival of Korean culture coinciding with the Olympics, South Korea is putting on one final spurt of energy to honour the paralympians. At the Thames Festival this weekend the Korean Village will be screening Marathon – a film about an autistic athlete. I’m … [Read More]
Video highlights of Lee Bul’s talk at the Hayward Gallery
For those who like me didn’t manage to get to Lee Bul’s talk “From Me, Belongs to You Only” at the South Bank recently, the KCCUK have posted a quick video giving highlights of the evening: [Read More]
Michael Karikis captures the other-wordly sound of the haenyo
Mikhail Karikis’s Sea Women project, installed in the Wapping Hydraulic Power Station for six weeks up to 7 July, comprised two separate but connected works. The less remarkable part was some video footage of the haenyo at work. In subject matter this was nothing that has not been seen before in other documentary films – … [Read More]
John Everard launches “Only Beautiful Please”
Former UK ambassador to Pyongyang John Everard has just launched his book “Only Beautiful Please” at a talk to the Korea Society. He caused a stir by saying North Koreans don’t like the Chinese, which links in with something the defector Kim Joo-il said in a letter to the FT in September 2010: North Koreans … [Read More]
The MBC K-pop event: HyunA and Queen will shine; EXO K have nothing to lose
The MBC K-pop and culture showcase at the indigO2 sold out in around 3 hours. For those who didn’t get tickets, what are we missing out on? Here’s LKL’s predictions: The headline acts 4Minute Cube Entertainment’s girl band 4Minute came to London last year for the United Cube concert in Brixton. In hindsight, I think … [Read More]
The world’s tallest LEGO tower, at Jamsil Stadium
The state visit of the Danish Crown Prince Frederik produces constructive results: the world’s tallest LEGO tower, at 31.9 metres, celebrating LEGO’s 80th birthday. Full story and photos: A tower of fun: World’s tallest Lego structure unveiled in South Korea to mark toy’s 80th birthday, Daily Mail, 13 May 2012 [Read More]
2012 Travel Diary 2: Suh Do-ho “Home within Home” at the Leeum
Seoul, Saturday 24 March 2012. The Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, a short walk from Hangangjin subway station (Line 6), is currently hosting what is claimed to be their first ever solo show there by a living Korean artist. Suh Do-ho has been a prominent international artist for over 10 years – since appearing for … [Read More]