London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

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Selected publications

Sun-mi Hong plays at the Vortex

Sun-Mi Hong makes two appearances at the Vortex this month, first as part of a quartet led by Ant Law and Alex Hitchcock – with whom she collaborated for the first time at K-Music 2022 – and then at the end of the month leading her own quintet: 2 March: Same Moon in the Same … [Read More]

K-music 2023: Soojin Suh & Kit Downes

Korean creative force, experimental drummer Soojin Suh brings her Chordless Quartet for a collaboration with acclaimed keyboardist Kit Downes. The concept behind the Soojin Suh Chordless Quartet is to explore freedom from all polyphonic instruments as a metaphor for freedom in society. Recent releases by the quartet include 2018’s critically acclaimed Strange Liberation and its 2021 follow-up, Roots … [Read More]

K-music 2023: Sun-Mi Hong + Hyelim Kim

Drummer Sun Mi Hong, acclaimed for her sensational performance with her quintet at last year’s K-Music Festival, is set to make a highly anticipated return to K-Music 2023. Following her debut with the album Third Page: Resonance under the UK Edition label, she returns with an extraordinary quartet comprising renowned jazz vocalist Song Yi Jeon, esteemed pianist … [Read More]

K-Music Festival 2022: the official press release

We’re excited at the line-up for this autumn’s K-Music Festival. Here are the full details, with links to the individual gig notices. K-MUSIC FESTIVAL 2022: Korea across London this autumn Wednesday 5 October – Thursday 24 November 2022 This autumn, as an exhibition ‘Hallyu! The Korean Wave’ opens at the V&A, the K-Music Festival, now … [Read More]

K-music 2022: Sun-Mi Hong | Ant Law + Alex Hitchcock

Drummer Sun-Mi Hong was born in Incheon, Korea, but moved to Amsterdam to study at the Conservatoire and is now well established in the Dutch jazz scene, with a distinct style combining rooted groove with well-tempered outbursts. Her award-winning album ‘A Self-Strewn Portrait’ came out in 2021 and she releases a new album with her … [Read More]

K-Music 2021: Soojin Suh Coloris Trio & Camilla George

I know I should no longer be surprised at how well these collaborations work, but last year’s online meeting between Soojin Suh and Kit Downes was really rather good, so I’ll certainly be attending this gig, the last of the 2021 K-music festival. Soojin Suh Coloris Trio & Camilla George Wednesday 17 November 2021, 7:45pm … [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]

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]

K-music 2020 online: Sinnoi

The second online concert in the Critics’ Choice strand brings us the innovative trio Sinnoi. Critics’ Choice II: Sinnoi Wednesday 11 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive A unique presence on the jazz scene, Sinnoi has a minimalist composition with rich, deep musical interplay of improvised and delicate exchanges. Sinnoi was formed by Bora … [Read More]

K-music 2020 online: Gray by Silver + Gonia

The second of the two online concerts from the New Talent strand brings together two interesting jazz-infused acts: New Talent III & IV: Gray By Silver + Gonia Monday 9 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Gray By Silver Expressive pianist and composer Hanbin Lee leads this jazz group in expertly performed, emotional pieces … [Read More]

K-music 2020 online: Black String

Black String return to K-music in the second of the K-music Greats strand of the 2020 festival: K-music Greats II: Black String Saturday 7 November, 5pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive ACT artists and masters of traditional Korean music and jazz Black String burst on to the London scene in 2011, their rise to the … [Read More]

K-music 2020: the official press release

Despite the pandemic, Serious and the KCCUK have arranged a great line-up for K-music this year. Bookended by live performances to open and close the festival, there’s a range of exciting online performances which involve new collaborations between favourite K-music artists from the past as well as some new names. We’ve already posted about the … [Read More]

K-music 2020 livestream: Soojin Suh + Kit Downes

As an update to all the below, there will be a livestreamed collaboration between Soojin Suh and Kit Downes broadcast on the Serious YouTube channel, Tuesday 8 December at 7pm. More details here. =================== The November lockdown is the final nail in the coffin of this on-off gig. K-music 2020 is now online only. But … [Read More]

A review of the Korean cultural year 2019

A review of some of the highlights and trends in the Korean cultural year, primarily in London but also with half an eye to anything we might have seen elsewhere in the UK. The review is a personal one, inevitably skewed towards the events we managed to get to. Introduction This time last year I … [Read More]

Wacław Zimpel + Park Jiha play LSO St Lukes

An interesting double bill coming up at the end of January, as Park Jiha returns to London following her appearance at the 2019 K-music festival. LSO St Lukes is a better venue than Rich Mix: you’ll be able to get a better impression of Park’s other-worldly sounds in a more natural acoustic and without the … [Read More]