London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

The 2014 Fringe – a round-up of the reviews

Now that the 2014 Fringe has come to an end, here’s a summary of the reviews of the Korean shows. I’m surprised the Taekwondo show didn’t get any professional reviews, as I heard that the BBC loved it. Show LKL rating Other ratings Brush Review Fringe Guru The List Broadway Baby ThreeWeeks Leodo: Paradise Lost … [Read More]

Edinburgh Fringe visit: two Korean monodramas and one Korean American

Korean acts coming to the Fringe have often majored on the non-verbal: percussion, taekwondo, comedy, physical theatre, music and dance. Last year, with Othello – Two Men, we discovered that more traditional theatre, heavy on text, can work well despite the language barrier – provided surtitles are visible. This year the Korean contingent was bolder … [Read More]

Leodo: Paradise Lost — Norian Maro returns to the Fringe

Here’s the official press release for Norian Maro’s 2014 Edinburgh Fringe production Leodo: Paradise Lost. The show has developed out of last year’s production, Pudasi, which LKL reviewed here. The Stage has already given this year’s upgraded version a four-star review: “The talented seven-member ensemble never flags in energy, choreographic skill or audience engagement” The … [Read More]

Edinburgh Fringe Preview: Brush – a charming piece of theatre for children

Last year at the Fringe we had Climb a Willow to the Sea God’s Palace, a lovely 45-minute performance from Kkumdongi Puppet Theatre telling a Korean fable using puppetry and painting geared towards a younger audience. This year for the younger festival-goers we will have Theatre Haddangse performing Brush. The company gave a special preview … [Read More]

Korean performers at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe

As usual, the Edinburgh Fringe will host a range of Korean performers this year with something to suit all tastes and ages. Kkachidong theatre company, who two years ago introduced me to the legend of Grandmother Mago, returns to tackle something more grounded in history: the life story of dancer Choi Seung-hee. Norian Maro from … [Read More]