London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Qi Masters in Broadgate Circle and the Scoop

Details of two upcoming outdoor events in the City, sponsored by the Innersound Foundation Sunday 19th July 2009 – 1:00pm-2:00pm at “The Scoop” Riverside – Near Tower Bridge Monday 20th July 2009 – 12:30pm & 5.45pm at The Broadgate Circle – Nearest Tube: Liverpool St AN ANCIENT ENERGY DANCE Qi Masters from South Korea are … [Read More]

Contemporary Dance at Dulwich Picture Gallery

Dulwich Picture Gallery is hosting four performances of a contemporary dance production over two weekends in celebration of its new exhibition, The Polish Connection. The dance performance has been developed in relation to an installation by Antoni Malinowski. Working from the 18th Century portraits of King Stanislaw the vectors of the Polish King’s gaze are … [Read More]

Nanta: Catch it while you can

It’s impossible not to admire the hard-working, multi-talented Koreans who perform in the energetic shows like Breakout (2007), Jump (2002), and, the original, Nanta (1997), which is currently showing at the Rose Theatre. And it’s impossible not to be entertained. There’s probably little to say about Nanta which hasn’t already been said. The performers are … [Read More]

Nanta comes to the Rose Theatre

Readers who are familiar with Jump and Breakout will need no persuasion to come along to Nanta as part of the New Malden Festival. Koreans seem to specialise in high energy non-verbal performances with a wide international appeal, and Nanta is no exception. It won the top prize at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1999 … [Read More]

Korea’s best-loved folk tale at the KCC

I’m Still Hungry!, Moby Duck’s new show for family audiences aged four and over, will be coming to the Korean Cultural Centre on 13 June 2009. The show, in English, is based on Hae wa Dal, Korea’s best-loved folk tale. When a tiger’s just eaten your mother and still looks hungry, it’s a good idea … [Read More]

Myosung Breaks Convention

For the past few years, Sadlers Wells theatre has hosted a breakdancing fest over the Mayday bank holiday weekend. And for the past few years I have only realised it was happening after it was over. This year, I’ve done slightly better (realising it is going on half way through), thanks to the Weekend FT, … [Read More]

Love and loathing: This isn’t Romance

It was a good time to launch a play called “This isn’t Romance”. Helium-filled red valentine’s day hearts floated from the balcony of the Soho Theatre, encouraging the passing trade. But people turning up on the Friday night (its second night) expecting to buy tickets were disappointed. It was a sell-out performance, and deserved to … [Read More]

In-sook Chappell: This isn’t Romance

Soho Theatre and Akbar Kurtha present This Isn’t Romance By In-Sook Chappell 12 February – 7 March, 7.30pm Soho Theatre | 21 Dean St | Soho | London W1D 3NE In-sook Chappell was born in Seoul and brought up in Essex. Now living in London, she worked as an actor and a model before turning … [Read More]

Yi Chul Jin at Durham and SOAS

Dr Yi Chul Jin (이철진) has been in London for 6 months as part of a residency at SOAS. Dr Yi is head of the Korean Dance Art Academy, and is one of the likely candidates to be the next holder of the national intangible cultural property number 27, the Seung mu. There are two … [Read More]

Dance Theatre ON and The True Story of Ah Q

“That was world class” said a knowledgeable member of last night’s audience at the Laban Theatre in Greenwich. I think I probably agree. The visual impact of the dance, the variety of music – from Korean hip hop to Mozart via experimental electronica, the extreme rhythmic complexity… all of it seemed, to an untutored eye … [Read More]

Ah Q: Korean modern dance, Chinese story, Greenwich theatre

Hong Sungyop’s Dance Theatre ON presents The Story of Ah Q Dance Theatre ON’s UK premiere Date: Tuesday 04 November 2008 Time: 7:30pm (70min without intermission) Venue: LABAN, Creekside, London SE8 3DZ Tickets: £15 / £10 (concessions) Box Office 0208 469 9500 (via Greenwich Theatre) Book online www.purchase-tickets-online.co.uk/peo22430/ (follow links to Laban Theatre) Produced by … [Read More]

Some of my favourite gugak fusion videos

A lazy post with a link to a performance of a number entitled “Seoul in panic” by the gugak fusion band Sorea. Modern music performed on traditional instruments, with dancing both traditional and modern. It could be taken straight from a Korea, Sparkling promotional video. It works rather well: The b-boys are from Extreme Crew. … [Read More]

B-boys promote Korean tourism at KCC

It’s now more than a year since the somewhat controversial launch of the Korea, Sparkling tourism brand. As I suspected at the time, people would get used to it in due course, and now the logo has become a familiar feature on the various tourist literature available. The branding, together with the Han Style campaign … [Read More]

An evening with the Korean Artists Association

Press Release The Korean Artists Association UK was formed by 7 Korean artists in 1997, at a time when the activities of Korean artists in the U.K. were not broadly recognized. Over the last 10 years the Association has organized a number of activities and has grown in membership. Korean artists living and working in … [Read More]