London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Director: Bong Joon-ho (page 2)

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Selected publications

Okja to screen in London cinema for 2 days

event date 28 Jun - 29 Jun 2017 posted

So the rumours were true. Okja will be screened at a Curzon cinema, but unless you are a night owl or don’t have a daytime job you will have to take out a Netflix subscription and watch it on your TV. Okja Director: Bong Joon Ho Length: 131 min Cast: Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, An Seo … [Read More]

Korean Women on screen, between the covers

posted updated 15 Aug 2022 by Philip Gowman 7 minute read

As many readers might know, I recently gave a talk at the British Korean Women’s Society on a pretty risky topic: I was asked to give a Western male’s perspective on Korean women.  I decided to play it relatively safe, and discuss the topic through the lens of Korean novels, films and artworks that are accessible … [Read More]

Mother to screen at the KCC

event date Thu 14 Jul 2011 venue KCCUK posted

The 74th evening screening at the KCC this Thursday, 14 July, is Bong Joon-ho’s 2009 hit Mother: Time and date: 7pm, Thursday 14th July Film Title: Mother Director: Bong Joon-ho Cast: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin Genre:Thriller Certificate: 15 (UK) Running Time: 128 mins Venue: The Korean Cultural Centre UK Ground Floor, Grand Buildings 1-3 Strand, … [Read More]

LKL’s top 10 K-films of the noughties

posted updated 14 Feb 2025 by Philip Gowman 6 minute read

Mark Russell led the way with his fascinating list of films of the decade – in which the biggest shock was that there was no Park Chan-wook. GI Korea also has a list, which redresses the balance somewhat. So here is mine. Over the years I’ve been reasonably diligent in giving marks out of 10 … [Read More]

Mother reveals Bong’s perversity

posted updated 23 Jan 2025 by Philip Gowman 5 minute read

LKL reports from the screening of Mother at the Bong Joon-ho retrospective at the British Film Institute on 14 November, with Q&A chaired by Tony Rayns. In a world obsessed with celebrity, youth and beauty, only a director of the stature of Bong Joon-ho could have got away with it. The big name star, Won … [Read More]

Quentin Tarantino’s K-film watchlist

posted updated 21 Aug 2020 by Philip Gowman < 1 minute read

Three Korean films are among Quentin Tarantino's top 20. Two by Bong Joon-ho, and not the Park Chan-wook you might expect: #. The full list: Battle Royale | Anything Else | Audition | Tsui Hark’s The Blade | Boogie Nights | Dazed & Confused | Dogville | Fight Club | Fridays | The Host | … [Read More]

Barking Dogs screens at the KCC

event date Thu 27 Nov 2008 venue KCCUK posted

The Korean Cultural Centre completes its retrospective of Bong Joon-ho’s works this month with his first feature, the entertaining Barking Dogs Never Bite (플란다스의 개) (2000), starring Lee Seong-jae and Bae Doo-na. As with Bong’s subsequent films, there’s plenty of humour amid the drama, and this one is well worth checking out, particularly for the … [Read More]

Bong Joon-ho month at the KCC

event date 09 Oct - 23 Oct 2008 venue KCCUK posted

This month gives you an opportunity to see two of the best films to have come out of Korea – or anywhere – this century. Both star Song Kang-ho, both are by director Bong Joon-ho, who debuted in 2000 with the amazing Barking Dogs Never Bite. On 9 October, there’s the film which provided koreanfilm.org.uk … [Read More]

The London Korean Links Awards 2006

posted updated 11 Dec 2020 by Philip Gowman 7 minute read

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]