By Anna Lindgren In 2005 I came across a band making music unlike anything I had previously heard coming out of South Korea: Bloody Cookie. A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get an interview with Bloody Cookie’s lead vocalist, Binna (right). Some years ago, Binna decided she wanted to launch a girl … [Read More]
Music (page 98)
Celebrity news round-up: January 07
Rain, LKL’s man of the year 2006 has started 2007 on a low-note with a speeding ticket in Hong Kong at the start of his gruelling tour. He also underwhelmed one reporter at a Singapore press conference who found him just a little dull. This wasn’t a reflection on his performance on-stage (and I’ve yet … [Read More]
Uhm Jung-hwa #9: Prestige
Uhm Jung-hwa: Prestige (2006) After all the high jinks required to get this album off the ground, my expectations of the music to be enjoyed therein were low. They were triumphantly met. There’s nothing terribly objectionable about anything on this album, but then there’s nothing terribly arresting either. The thing which most sticks in the … [Read More]
An offer he could refuse
The Japan Times discloses Kim Jong-il’s love of Western classical music, and of one interpreter thereof in particular. Seiji Ozawa, formerly chief conductor of the prestigious Boston Symphony Orchestra, and now at the Vienna State Opera, received an approach from the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryun), at Kim’s request, to become conductor … [Read More]
SoundDay in Hongdae
I’m glad no-one volunteered to chaparone me round the music clubs of the Hongdae area last night. I wouldn’t have had half so much fun. For starters, if you’re with someone else or with a group of people, you have to go at the speed of the most vocal or you probably end up staying … [Read More]
ARCO 2007: a Huge Korean festival in Madrid this February
Just received from the organisers of ARCO 2007 in Madrid. Film, music, dance, literature and of course contemporary art. To call it a feast undersells it. And that’s not all: this is just the stuff they know about already. There’s some other stuff they haven’t finalised. I haven’t taken all this in yet, but I … [Read More]
The London Korean Links Awards 2006
In the year-end spirit of reviewing the highlights and lowlights of 2006, here are the winners of the first LKL Awards – a personal and unscientific selection. The awards are in the following categories: Man of the Year Woman of the Year Best cultural promotion: Briton in Korea Best cultural promotion: Korean in Britain Best … [Read More]
Chosun Ilbo’s top K-pop of the year
Here’s their list: Best Album Best Song 1 Vibe: Re-feel Vibe: He & She (equal with Lee Sung-chul) 2 Lee Seung-chul: Reflections of Sound Lee Seung-chul: Shout it out (equal with Vibe) 3 SG Wannabe: 3rd Masterpiece Baek Ji-young: I won’t fall in love again 4 Nell: Healing Process Eru: Black Glasses 5 Sung Si-kyung: … [Read More]
Kings College Choir in Seoul
I’d be interested to hear if any Seoulites who happen to visit this site went to hear the King’s College Choir at the Seoul Arts Centre on Saturday. Not cheap, at up to 120,000 won per ticket. Part of the magic of King’s is the acoustic of the chapel itself and the very English sound … [Read More]
For your daily dose of celebrity gossip…
As I’ve mentioned before in my periodic reviews of my wesbite’s statistics, celebrities are a big generator of traffic. Lee Sabi continues to be the most searched-for celeb which results in my site being hit, and the Celebs category seems to be the most popular. Readers will have gathered that, yes, every once in a … [Read More]
Sumi Jo and Dong Suk Kang at Cadogan Hall
While Western classical music is outside my self-imposed remit, I thought I’d pass on news of an upcoming recital at the Cadogan Hall (5 Sloane Terrace, London, SW1X 9DQ) on 14 December featuring soprano mega-star Jo Sumi with violinist Kang Dong-suk and two pianists, Pascal Devoyon and Vincenzo Scalera. Details on the Cadogan Hall website. … [Read More]
Think Korea: the Finale
Details of the closing events of Think Korea 2006 Korean Traditional Performance 11 December 2006 7:30pm Manchester, Bruntwood Theatre, Royal Northern College of Music 13 December 20067:30pm Croydon, The Fairfield Hall Introduction The National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts is an organization which began more than 1400 years ago. Its forerunners can be traced … [Read More]
Freestyle #3
(July 2004) Primarily for rap-lovers. Strangely, 5 out of the 14 tracks have no musical content whatsoever, being recordings of one end of a phone conversation. Not understanding Korean, I don’t know whether there is any deep significance in these tracks. The first four tracks I can happily live without. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, … [Read More]
BoA #5: Girls on top
BoA’s 5th Korean album is leagues ahead of her 2nd, (No 1). Since then, she’s worked on her voice, and her managers have hired some decent songwriters and pushed the music in a more international direction. Let’s get the final track, 가을 편지, out of the way first, as it’s atypical. It comes as a … [Read More]
BoA #2: No.1
With the emphasis on electronic sounds rather than compositional inspiration, this is not a recommendable album. The robotic drum machine, brainless key shifts and silly noises do not make for engaging listening. BoA’s voice is nothing remarkable, a bit nasal – though not unpleasant. Perhaps the video is worth watching, but I’m not going to … [Read More]
Loveholic #3: Nice Dream
Loveholic’s 3rd is another great CD, full of good tunes, well arranged, and well sung by the excellent Ji-sun. She has a pleasing, breathy top end to her voice, a nice casual mid-range, but she is also capable of some ballsy rock chick bottom notes. The band that Loveholic most seem to bring to mind … [Read More]