The Korea Times has a nice article reminiscing about the Queen’s visit to Andong’s Hahoe Folk Village in 1999, where she celebrated her 73rd birthday. The village has set up a temporary memorial for the Queen for visitors to pay their respects in the period leading up to the state funeral on 19 September. The … [Read More]
Category: News and Current Affairs
Free Chol Soo Lee: theatrical release
In 1970s San Francisco, 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee is racially profiled and convicted of a Chinatown gang murder. After spending years fighting to survive, investigative journalist K.W. Lee takes a special interest in his case, igniting an unprecedented social justice movement. Nearly five decades later, Free Chol Soo Lee excavates this largely unknown yet essential … [Read More]
Tiger is Coming: Dolpagu
South Korea’s award-winning theatre company Dolpagu presents the UK Premiere of XXL Leotard and Anna Sui Hand Mirror, a groundbreaking theatre production exploring gender and social class across generations. Junho must keep his secret – he likes to wear women’s leotards. Wearing them stops him stressing about his upcoming college entrance exam. Hee-joo finds out his secret and posts a photo … [Read More]
Young Jean Lee’s Straight White Men at the Southwark Playhouse
It’s not often we get plays by writers of Korean heritage getting a substantial run in a London theatre, so show your support for this one. After two attempts at scheduling a run during 2020, we’re hoping this will be third time lucky. Straight White Men Southwark Playhouse | 77-85 Newington Causeway | London SE1 … [Read More]
London and Seoul unite with giant Hockney video screening
CIRCA, a new platform showcasing digital art both online and in a public space in the heart of London, has commissioned a digital artwork from David Hockney which will be on show in London and Seoul, plus LA, New York and Tokyo, during May. In London, the display will be on the big screen at … [Read More]
V+A Korean programme receives boost from MCST
Great news for the V&A’s programme of Korean activities and gallery: V&A announces landmark partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism 17 June 2020: The V&A has today announced a new five-year partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Korea. This major grant will enable the redevelopment of the museum’s … [Read More]
Sky Castle: would you believe, the first K-drama I’ve ever watched. And what fun it is!
People might find it strange that, despite the fact that I’ve been following Korean culture for 20 years now, I’ve never watched a complete TV Drama series. There have been several reasons for this, but basically it boils down to lack of time, and the prohibitive cost of the DVD boxed sets. I made the … [Read More]
Korea Society Webcast: Korean Election Analysis
Stanford University Professor Gi-Wook Shin joins Korea Society Senior Director Stephen Noerper for a timely breakdown of the April 15 Korean legislative elections. Professor Shin, Director of the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Director of Korean Studies, and William J. Perry Professor of Contemporary Korea, examines the voice of the electorate and impact of the National … [Read More]
KEI webinar: The Implications of South Korea’s National Assembly Elections
This webinar, organised by the Korea Economic Institute of America, seems to be open to anyone interested, but you do need to register with KEI. The Implications of South Korea’s National Assembly Elections Thursday, April 16, 2020 9:00am-10:00am U.S. EDT | 2:00pm-3:00pm U.K. BST | 10:00pm-11:00pm KST Livestreamed via Zoom Register via KEI website Featuring: … [Read More]
Bora Kwon interviewed in the Guardian
Bora Kwon, Labour councillor for Hammersmith and Fulham, and one of only two councillors of Korean background in the UK, gets a nice interview in the Guardian this week. She talks about her life in the UK, politics and of course health. Read the interview in full here. You can follow Councillor Kwon on Twitter … [Read More]
Book review: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
Cho Nam-joo: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 Translated by Jamie Chang Scribner, 2020, 163pp Originally published as 82년생 김지영, Minumsa, 2016. Kim Jiyoung, as the blurb on the back cover of this translated novel tells us, is every woman. Her given name is unremarkable, familiar, and of course her family name is the most common in … [Read More]
Wolfson College workshop: Korea’s Strategy – Economic Success, Popular Culture, and Global Art CANCELLED
Another Covid-19 casualty. This conference is postponed and will hopefully be reconvened at a later date. Wolfson College Oxford is hosting an afternoon workshop on topical themes related to South Korea. Korea’s Strategy: Economic Success, Popular Culture, and Global Art Friday 20 March 2020, 1pm – 4pm Wolfson Auditorium | Wolfson College | Linton Road … [Read More]
2020 LSE East Asia Forum: Youth in the East Asia – Pioneers of Change CANCELLED
Another Coronavirus casualty The LSE hosts its second big conference of the year: 2020 LSE East Asia Forum: “Youth in the East Asia: Pioneers of Change” Saturday 28 March 2020, 10am – 5pm Old Theatre | Old Building | London School of Economics | London WC2R 1DH Tickets | £15.00 (Early Bird Student) | £30.00 … [Read More]
Korea beyond the headlines: the 2020 LSESU Korea Future Forum
Claire Evans, a member of the LSE Student Union’s Korea Future Association, introduces this Saturday’s conference. The LSE Student Union’s Korea Future Association takes pride in being the largest student-run organisation in the world dedicated to discussion of Korean peninsula issues. Its annual conference, the Korea Future Forum, brings together leading experts from around the … [Read More]
2020 LSE SU Korea Future Forum: Korea’s Ascent to the Global Stage
News of this years Korea Future Forum at the LSE: LSESU Korea Future Forum 2020: Korea’s Ascent to the Global Stage LSE Old Theatre | Houghton St | London WC2A 2AE Saturday, 29 February 2020 from 10:00-17:30 £10.00 (Early Bird Student) | £30.00 (Early Bird Standard) | Buy tickets Official website: lsesukfa.com Panel 1. Fourth … [Read More]
Glittering Hands screens at SOAS
SOAS Korean Social and Environmental Justice Society host a moving documentary that will appeal to those who loved Planet of Snail. You can watch an Arirang interview with the director here. Glittering Hands 반짝이는 박수소리 + director Bora Lee-Kil Q&A Wednesday, 29 January 2020 at 18:30 SOAS | Thornhaugh Street | London WC1H 0XG Room … [Read More]