As is often the case, I was out of town for the London East Asia Film Festival, so I missed the international premiere of the Director’s Cut of Cho Jungrae’s The Singer. I’m not sure if the previously available version has had a formal international premiere – probably not, given the devastation that Covid has … [Read More]
Category: Pansori
Interview: Cho Jungrae (The Singer, 2020)
I watched Cho Jungrae’s 2020 movie The Singer earlier this year online, after being told by a friend of the director that it was available on Amazon Prime. It struck me as a fresh take on the pansori movie genre: instead of telling a pansori tale more or less straight like Im Kwon-taek’s Chunhyang, it … [Read More]
K-music 2020 online: Jaram Lee
The final show in the K-Music Encounters series features leading pansori singer, Jaram Lee, where she will discuss and perform The Old Man and The Sea, based on Ernest Hemingway’s masterpiece and recreated in pansori form. Lee goes back to the basics of pansori, and only with traditional Pansori linguistics and simple percussion, she brings … [Read More]
Pansori workshop at SOAS with the Korea Pansori Preservation Association
The Korea Pansori Preservation Association are in town for their K-music concert on 6 October, and they’re taking advantage of their trip to run a workshop at SOAS the day before: P’ansori workshop Saturday 5 October 2019, 2pm – 5pm Main Building, Room G52 | SOAS | 10 Thornhaugh St | Bloomsbury | London WC1H … [Read More]
K-music 2019: Celebrate Pansori, 6 October @ Kings Place
The second concert in this year’s K-music festival. K-music 2019: Celebrate Pansori Sunday 6 October 2018, 7:30pm Kings Place (Hall One) | 90 York Way | London N1 9AG Tickets £15 + booking fee | Book tickets The Korea Pansori Preservation Association preserves the rich history of traditional Korean opera, studying the art and sharing … [Read More]
The 2019 K-Music festival: the official press release
The schedule for the 2019 K-Music festival was released last month, giving everyone the time to plan their diaries. Here, rather belatedly (it’s been a busy few weeks), is the official press release. Tickets are already on sale. K-Music 2019 London’s Festival of Korean Music Thurs 3 Oct: Jambinai, Purcell Room Sun 6 Oct: Celebrate … [Read More]
A review of the London Korean cultural year 2018
Every year at this stage in the year, I look back on the cultural highlights, whether they be live performances, exhibitions, movies or books that I have encountered over the past twelve months. Every year I lament that I’ve been unable to cover everything, that I’m getting slower and that there’s been even more to … [Read More]
K-music 2018: Ahn Sook-sun, 3 November @Purcell Room
Event of the year so far has been the Changgeuk Trojan Women, in which Ahn Sook-sun played a significant part. I’m thinking this fourth concert in the 2018 K-music festival could be even better. Note the early start time. The event is preceded by a free talk. Ahn Sook-sun: Heungbuga (흥부가) Saturday 3 November 2018, … [Read More]
Theatre visit: a changgeuk Trojan Women
An adaptation of a Greek play more than 2400 years old interpreted through the medium of an early 20th century Korean performing practice does not immediately sound a promising theatrical experience, except perhaps to the handful of people who appreciate both Euripides’s take on Homer and Changgeuk’s adaptation of Pansori. Nevertheless, the Purcell Room had … [Read More]
The 2018 K-Music festival: full programme announced
The schedule for the 2018 K-Music festival has been released in plenty of time, giving everyone the time to plan their diaries. Here is the official press release. Tickets are already on sale. K-Music 2018 2 October – 20 November 2018 Tickets on sale from Friday 6 July – www.serious.org.uk/k-music Find out more at www.k-music.co.uk … [Read More]
National Changgeuk Company in Trojan Women
I hope I’m not setting my expectations too high, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this is near the top of my list of events of the year. Trojan Women National Changgeuk Company of Korea | Ong Keng Sen Queen Elizabeth Hall Sat 2 June, 7.30pm | Sun 3 June, 5pm | Tickets £22 – … [Read More]
Event news: K-music 2017 — AUX, 15 Oct
This concerts promises to be intensely exciting, and Rich Mix is the perfect venue for it. AUX (억스) Rich Mix | 35-47 Bethnal Green Road | London E1 6LA | richmix.org.uk Sunday 15 October 2017, 8:30pm Book tickets Psychedelic pansori-rock from Korea crashlands in Shoreditch en route to the Womex festival. AUX bring together screaming … [Read More]
Event news: K-music + Korean Sounds – East Meet West: Love, 11 Oct
The fourth Korean Sounds concert this year, which also forms part of the K-Music festival, is on the theme of love: Korean Sounds – East Meets West: Love Wednesday 11 October, 7.30pm Kings Place, Hall One Tickets from £9.50 Book here: Kings Place/Korean Sounds Universally and in all ages, music has been a messenger of love … [Read More]
K-music 2017: full programme announced
It seems wrong to be posting details of events in the Autumn when summer has only just started, but I’m a great believer in being able to plan your diary a couple of months in advance, and there’s lots here that you will want to come along to. K-Music 2017: Full Programme Announced 15 September … [Read More]
Concert notes: Pansori night at the Cadogan Hall
On the rare occasions that Pansori is performed in London I always get a sense of disappointment. The Pansori Night at the Cadogan Hall as part of K-Music was no exception, though there were mitigating factors. With a pansori the whole point is the story that unfolds before you. You know where the story is … [Read More]
K-music – now in Brussels too
The KCC in Brussels now on its third Korean Film Festival, and is launching its first K-Music festival this year. Programme details below. DATE TIME ARTIST/TITLE VENUE NORMAL PRICE 23-09 20:00 Sook-sun Ahn OPENING BOZAR, Studio 12.00€ 30-09 20:00 Kun-woo Paik Recital BOZAR, Hall M 12.00€ 02-10 20:00 Korean & Belgian Ensemble Concert with Roby … [Read More]