I hate to say it, but I think Kara look better in the dangling-braces outfits they wore for their “Mister” routine than in these strange hanbok creations http://t.co/zGD38d8 # [Read More]
Music (page 77)
Festival visit: Jasmine Gwangju
Gwangju seems an event from the distant past, but in fact was only 31 years ago. This year, the archives which document the history of that brief uprising were listed by UNESCO in their Memory of the World register. With perfect timing, bearing in mind the democratic uprisings in the Arab world this year, the … [Read More]
FT asks for Unsuk Chin
The FT reviews Seoul Philharmonic / Chung Myung-whun playing Debussy and Ravel on DG, a release which coincides with their debut at the Edinburgh Festival http://t.co/Tf9s3on # The playing has precision and delicacy, showcased in the Mother Goose suite, but also the machine-like evenness characteristic of Asian orchestras. La Mer and La Valse are too … [Read More]
Three outcomes of the London Riots
Three Korea-related outcomes of the London riots this year: Big Bang will not be coming for the Thames Festival (though the guilty verdict on Dae-sung didn’t help either. # Third Window Films, great supporters of Korean movies, hit as Sony’s main CD and DVD replication centre is burnt down: huge amount of stock destroyed. http://on.fb.me/npACjW … [Read More]
Gayageum, Be the Legend at the KCC
Notice of a Gayageum concert tomorrow evening at the Cultural Centre. Judging by the names of the items on the programme and the accompanying photograph, this looks to be a concert that will include modern compositions for the modern version of the gayageum. Sooeun Kwak and La-on G Gayageum Ensemble: Gayageum, Be the Legend at … [Read More]
Korean performers at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe
Korean performers are continuing their tradition of bringing entertaining shows to the Edinburgh Fringe. Alongside the significant Korean productions as part of the main festival this year, you will find physical theatre, puppetry, traditional and indie music, and much more: Gaksi, Mago http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/gaksi-mago Category: Theatre Genres: drama Group: Kkachidong Venue: theSpaces @ Surgeons Hall Event … [Read More]
Top Korean artists at the 2011 Edinburgh International Festival
Every year we get a range of Korean performers at the Edinburgh Fringe. But the focus of the festival in 2011 is the vibrant and diverse cultures of Asia. Consequently this year we’ve got three top-notch groups who have been invited as part of the main festival itself. So for the first time this year … [Read More]
Gig Review: Dok2 at the Coronet Theatre
Saharial reports from Sunday’s live Kpop concert It’s not often that London is graced with the presence of Korean Hip-hop, but the Kpop Team announced proudly a month or so ago that they had arranged for Dok2 to have a concert in London, not just to showcase a talented act, but to hopefully pave the … [Read More]
2011: the year K-pop goes global?
I’m now losing track of the number of flashmobs, talent contests and auditions organised by fans, the Ministry of Culture or Korean TV stations, all with the aim of getting K-pop out of Korea and into … well just about anywhere overseas. K-pop has of course been big in Asia for a while, has tried … [Read More]
Rigged K-pop charts shock the industry
Why does this not surprise me one iota? Via allkpop: Rigged music charts shock the industry, as an administrator for a broadcasting station is charged with manipulating their music chart. http://bit.ly/ru7zlC # [Read More]
Another K-pop flashmob in London
Will there be another Trafalgar Square flashmob on 30 July? Dreamstage Korea: Global Flashmob Day http://on.fb.me/qdjZQc # [Read More]
Hyori’s former composer pays up for plagiarism
Lee Hyori’s former composer Bahnus ordered to pay Mnet $255,000 for H.Logic plagiarized material – 10 times what he got paid for the songs (via @AllKpop) [Read More]
London YG flashmob gets Korean media attention
Flashmobs don’t normally go on for an hour and a half, nor do they normally travel down to the London Eye and back filmed by most major Korean TV channels, nor do they dance, sing, wave banners and scream their enthusiasm for YG Family. This however is flash mobbing k-pop style and there are no … [Read More]
Kpop Flashmob, Food Fest with Samulnori, or photo exhibition with children’s event? You decide
This Saturday (9 July) offers several options for Korea enthusiasts. Fortunately it’s the only Saturday this month when Kiejo Sarsfield isn’t running one of her cookery classes, but even so you won’t be able to do it all. And don’t forget the ongoing exhibitions at the KCC and the V&A. 1. Discover Korea at Leytonstone … [Read More]
Korean musicians at the Tchaikovsky competition
Korea does well at the Tchaikovsky competition. Voice Results: Female: 1st Prize: Sun Young Seo (South Korea); Male: 1st Prize: Jong Min Park (South Korea). Piano results: 1st Prize: Daniil Trifonov (Russia); 2nd Prize: Yeol Eum Son (South Korea); 3rd Prize: Seong Jin Cho (South Korea). On BBC Radio 3 Music Matters on 2 July … [Read More]
Chung Myung-whun awarded Chevalier des Arts et Lettres
Conductor Chung Myung-whun to join distinguished list of Koreans winning France's top cultural honour – the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres http://bit.ly/iv5hKW # [Read More]