The Edinburgh Fringe is back, and this year there are nine Korean acts performing. Exciting dance performances, world music, theatre and pansori puppetry: something for everyone. Find all the details here, with booking links to the official Fringe website. Plan your Korean August in Edinburgh here! [Read More]
Category: World music
Australian Art Orchestra X the Third Orchestra at Club Inégales
At short notice .. a ONE-OFF Club Inégales night on Saturday 4th June! Our friends in the Australian Art Orchestra are passing through town on their way to Berlin, and we thought it would be great for you to hear their special new project, ‘Hand to Earth’ and then bring them together with members of … [Read More]
Pure Emotions: an interview with Park Jiha
To coincide with the release of Park Jiha’s new album, The Gleam, which we reviewed yesterday, LKL managed to have a quick conversation with the artist to ask about how light and space influence her musical voice: London Korean Links: How did you get into music? How did this journey in the world of sound … [Read More]
Music, space and light: Park Jiha’s The Gleam
The concept behind Park Jiha’s new album ‘The Gleam’ is immediately compelling. The musician finds her inspiration in light and its interaction with the human form during the day. In part, the project was also conceived for a special performance in Tadao Ando’s Meditation Hall at San Museum in Wonju, Korea. Ando’s architecture features light … [Read More]
Park Jiha: Two-day residency at Cafe OTO
We’re really excited about Park Jiha’s upcoming visit to London, and looking forward to hearing some live performances from her new album – The Gleam – released on tak:til / Glitterbeat last Friday. We’ve got a review and exclusive mini-interview with the artist coming soon on LKL. In the meanwhile you can stream the album … [Read More]
The Sound of Nature: Dal:um live at Southbank Centre
“Korean traditional instruments contain the sound of nature.” This is the opening line of Ha Suyean’s answer to my question regarding what Dal:um would like their international audience to know about ancient Korean instruments gayageum and geomungo. “For someone coming to these two ancient instruments for the first time, what will they discover?”, I had … [Read More]
K-Music 2021: Dal:um
Dal:um are a Seoul-based musical duo who challenge the sonic possibilities of Korea’s most well-known traditional string instruments: Dal:um Saturday 6 November 2021 7:45pm, Southbank Centre / Purcell Room | Belvedere Road | London SE1 8XX | Buy tickets Monday 8 November 2021 8pm Norwich Arts Centre | 51 St Benedict’s Street | Norwich NR2 … [Read More]
K-Music 2021: Black String & Nguyên Lê
To mark the band’s 10th anniversary, Black String return to the K-Music Festival with their old friend, musical companion, and one of the most versatile jazz guitarists Nguyên Lê. This is an extremely rare opportunity to watch them perform together presenting the masterpieces from Karma, their collaborative work. Black String & Nguyên Lê Grand Junction … [Read More]
K-Music 2021: Sinnoi + Dongyang Gozupa
Before heading to WOMEX in Porto, Dongyang Gozupa joins the K-music festival to perform at the Coronet Theatre for a double bill with Sinnoi, a quartet led by vocalist Bora Kim, ‘her flawless voice gliding between the purest of high tones and animalistic growls’ (Songlines). An exciting night with a true mixture of fresh sounds … [Read More]
K-music 2021: Kyungso Park & Soona Park with Angharad Jenkins
One of the pleasures of the K-music festival is the opportunity to hear interesting collaborations by musicians from different parts of the world. This is the first such collaboration of K-music 2021. Kyungso Park & Soona Park with Angharad Jenkins Sunday 17 October 2021, 7:45pm Purcell Room | Book tickets A unique experience of North … [Read More]
K-Music 2021: ADG7
There’s a great line-up for K-music this year, and we’re really looking forward to the opening gig: ADG7 K-Music Festival Opening Wednesday 06 October 2021, 7:30pm LONDON Kings Place (Hall One) | 90 York Way | London N1 9AG | Book tickets ADG7 will open K-Music 2021 with hits from their debut album Ak Dan Gwang Chil, … [Read More]
Gayageum / gomungo duo Dal:um release debut album
Those of you who followed the online K-music festival last year will have noted the “New Talent” strand, which included gayageum / gomungo duo Dal:um. If so, you’ll be as excited as I am that they’re coming to London in person for the 2021 festival – they’ll be appearing in the Purcell Room on 6 … [Read More]
Korean performers at the 2021 Edinburgh Fringe Online
The Fringe website isn’t so searchable this year but so far I’ve managed to find three Korean groups performing – all available to be watched on demand. For me the highlight will be the return of dancer Sun-hoo Yoo with her production After4. We found the performance in 2017 one of the best things we’ve … [Read More]
A review of the Korean cultural year 2020
It would be an understatement to say that the cultural year 2020 has been markedly different from previous years. The pandemic has had a huge impact on the cultural scene, with most live events cancelled and event promoters falling back on the internet to provide us with our cultural fixes. Some of these attempts have … [Read More]
New Creativity in the UK’s East Asian Music Scene: A Symposium
Tangram, a collective of artists and performers exploring Chinese and Western musics, collaborates with SOAS to present an event with a broader East Asian perspective. Kim Hyelim and Choi Youngsook participate for Korea. New Creativity in the UK’s East Asian Music Scene Thursday 10 December 2020, 7-8pm GMT | Friday 11 December 2020, 3-5pm GMT … [Read More]
Shin Seung-tae’s new Trot persona
When Lee Hee Moon announced the disbandment of his glam rock minyo outfit Ssing Ssing last year, I forewent gnashing of teeth and rending of garments, prophesying instead that an abundance of interesting projects must surely follow. And Lo, it did come to pass. Female vocalist Chu Da-hye started her band, Chudahye and The Chagis … [Read More]