Sadlers Wells seems to be the venue of choice for big budget, but free, Korean shows. Hot on the heels of the musical Another Sun, we will be getting the Little Angels, who will be performing at Sadlers Wells on 2 October in aid of the British Korean War Veterans. Two performances, 3pm and 7:30pm. … [Read More]
Music (page 83)
Winterplay launches UK album with civilised gigs
Last weekend saw Winterplay’s UK debut and launch of their first western album on Universal. Three gigs in two remarkably different settings. Their first performance was in the Cultural Centre on Friday 10 September. Demonstrating the remarkable flexibility of the space, the area next to the reception desk had been converted into a stage, with … [Read More]
Lee Jae-min and the Robot Dance in the 1980s
“Until just now I was unaware that Korea too had synth pop in the 80s. And people that did the robot dance: 이재민. http://youtu.be/LBV8wGW1aYY” Thanks to Indieful RoK for the link to this 1987 video. [Read More]
Korean Jazz to Korean Ceramics via the Daily Telegraph
How does one get from a Korean jazz singer resident in France to a Korean artist resident in the UK via Britain’s best-selling broadsheet daily newspaper? There are many celebrity twitterers, but there is only one remotely famous person that I happen to “follow”: pianist Stephen Hough (@houghhough). I came across his Daily Telegraph blog … [Read More]
The Philharmonia Orchestra in Sorok-do
Video of London’s Philharmonia Orchestra in tour to Korea in May 2010, including concert in Sorok-do. Ashkenazy with Cho Yong-pil, sponsored by Lady Rothermere. http://bit.ly/d8LyYB. Also reported in the Korea Times. # [Read More]
Baramgot at the South Bank
Baramgot’s Barbican concert in 2008 was undoubtedly the live performance of the year. Won Il’s creative traditional Korean music ensemble are in town this weekend to perform at the Thames Festival, and will be staying to give a concert at the Purcell Room on 13 September. Too often the reinvention of traditional music can turn … [Read More]
Laid-back jazz from Winterplay at the KCC
I tweeted last Saturday (thanks to Anna at Indieful ROK) that Korean acid jazz / jazz-pop band Winterplay were coming to perform at the KCC as part of their trip to London for the Thames Festival. The news was broken by 10Asia, and now the details have been confirmed by the KCC. Winterplay’s agency is … [Read More]
Nah Youn Sun’s second European release: Same Girl
Here at LKL we’re pretty excited about an upcoming CD release from our favourite female singer, Nah Youn Sun, on the ACT label. If you can’t wait for the European release, you can catch the Korean release at YesAsia. Same Girl Released 27th September 2010 At Youn Sun Nah’s 2009 debut in Munich’s Unterfahrt jazz … [Read More]
The entertainment industry in the news
Some recent articles on the spread of K-pop in 2010, and on the darker side of the industry. K-Pop Online: Korean Stars Go Global with Social Media – TIME http://bit.ly/c5oA73 #. Underage celebs suffer mistreatment, says the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (Korea Times, 27 Aug) Sexy moves provoke debate over teen idols, says … [Read More]
Another Sun: It’s educational, but it’s not for foreigners
I was chatting to my companion during the interval of Another Sun, the big-budget Korean musical, at Sadlers Wells last night. “It’s educational,” she said, “but I don’t think it’s for foreigners.” I pressed her on the educational point. The plot of the musical is said to be based on the Korean foundation myth about … [Read More]
Korea’s Hip Hop heritage
Bea Lesaca of HardKnockRadio traces the origins of Korea’s Hop Hop culture. Do You Know About Hip Hop’s Korean Roots? Hip Hop in Korea has grown so much over the past 20 years. Personally, I believe that a large part of it is thanks to break dancing, which delivered this culture to a larger audience. … [Read More]
Concert notes: Uangel at the KCC
When I heard that Uangel (http://uangelvoice.com), a Korean popera group, was going to be performing at the Korean Cultural Centre I jumped at the chance to go. Recently performing at the Edinburgh Fringe and on a humanitarian tour of hospitals, this last minute addition to their tour was a real treat. The hall at the … [Read More]
UANGEL visits the KCC this Friday
An impromptu performance by a vocal quintet, en route from Edinburgh to Seoul, at the KCC this Friday: UANGEL VOICE CHOIR From Edinburgh Fringe Festival “Mighty sounds from the smallest of sources… they sing beautifully, creating superbly rich harmonies” -Herald Scotland- At the Korean Cultural Centre 7 pm, Friday 20th August You raise me up … [Read More]
Invisible Bonds opens with varied performance at KCC
The annual performance at the Korean Cultural Centre by the UK Korean Artists Association is becoming something of an institution. This year it is accompanied for the first time by a one-week exhibition of works by some of their visual artists. It has always been a popular event, but this year with both visual and … [Read More]
Dhayoung Yoon at St Dunstan-in-the-West
Fri Aug 20th 2010, 1:15–2:00 pm St Dunstan-in-the-West, 186a Fleet St, London, EC4A 2HR Programme * Scarlatti: Sonata in D Major K.213 * Brahms: Sonata in F minor Op.5 Artist info Dhayoung Yoon was born in South Korea in 1989. She first started playing the piano at the age of 6 with Myungsook Ko at … [Read More]
Anna interviews Kinzli & the Kilowatts
Great interview with London-based Korean singer Kinzli & the Kilowatts by Anna over at Indieful ROK: http://bit.ly/cSLWUb She first started singing in the Korean orphanages. Below: Kinzli’s Safe Place for Us #. Links: Kinzli & the Kilowatts on MySpace [Read More]