If you find yourself in the Sloane Square area over the Easter period, do pop in to the Garrison Chapel in the new Chelsea Barracks development. It’s a lovely, airy space used primarily for exhibitions, and currently there’s a group show, launched on International Women’s Day, featuring work by eighteen female artists. One of those … [Read More]
Featured Posts - page 5
2024 Festival of Korean Dance programme details announced
Last year, the Festival of Korean Dance for the first time played to audiences in Salford, Coventry and Brighton. The year the festival extends its reach into Scotland, with its first performance in Glasgow. Salford, Newcastle and Bournemouth will also get to experience one of the productions. The full press release follows, with links at … [Read More]
Review: Hera Hyesang Park’s stunning London debut
When faced with the choice of attending a recital by an opera singer I usually politely decline, whatever the reputation of the singer. The prospect of what is usually a selection of operatic arias performed outside of their dramatic context holds little appeal for me, particularly if the recital is accompanied by a piano reduction … [Read More]
Youngsun Yoon’s Kiss: a minimalist study in the difficulty of communicating
Over the years, Londoners have had a few, but not many, opportunities to see the work of a Korean playwright on stage. The count increases if you include musicals or performances in provincial theatres or at the Edinburgh fringe, where each year you can normally find at least one 50-minute Korean stage production, but if … [Read More]
Kim’s Convenience: a great family night out
On a cold January night, if you’re looking for some warm and cozy entertainment, Kim’s Convenience fits the bill admirably. The Park Theatre’s intimate stage has a homely feel. The scene, needless to say, is a convenience store, provisioned, as it happens, courtesy of New Malden’s Korea Foods. Audience members in the front row of … [Read More]
A review of the Korean cultural year 2023
2023: a year when an environmental artist from Gwangju shared a hug with the King; four K-pop princesses went to Buckingham Palace and received honorary MBEs; and the tolling bell of Jirisan’s Daewonsa temple was broadcast on BBC Radio 4. The year marked the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UK … [Read More]
A look back at LEAFF and LKFF 2023
We didn’t get around to writing any detailed reviews of the films that screened at the two big festivals in the autumn of 2023, so it’s time to try to pull some thoughts together before the memories fade entirely, jostled sideways by new ones. There were some sparkly new films which were fun to watch … [Read More]
2024 New Year Address to the Nation by President Yoon Suk Yeol
Sourced from the presidential website: My fellow citizens, and 7 million overseas Koreans, The year of the blue dragon has dawned. I wish everyone a Happy New Year. What wish did you make in the first morning of the New Year? While everyone’s wish may differ, I believe we all share the same hope – … [Read More]
Report on 9th Enlarged Plenum of 8th WPK Central Committee
Sourced from KCNA.KP. The overseas North Koreans provided additional analysis on Twitter. Pyongyang, December 31 (KCNA): The Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), the great guide of our country and people, has defended the eternal vitality of socialism, the ideal and future of mankind, and vigorously led its steady development, while confirming the validity of the … [Read More]
A look back at the books we encountered in 2023
When it comes to fiction, 2023 was a year that defied my expectations. Those novels that I hoped or expected to enjoy turned out to be disappointments; those that I thought might be heavy going turned out to be enjoyable. It was a reminder to try better to abide by the maxim of approaching a … [Read More]
Season’s Greetings to all our readers
Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all of LKL’s readers, friends and contributors. Have a peaceful break. Thanks as usual are due to Jieun Kim aka The Drawing Hand for the festive design for the LKL Christmas Card. She and I are delighted at how many of you seem to be collecting … [Read More]
The Sight and Sound top 100: what’s buried in the detail?
Back in December 2022, Sight and Sound released its updated list of The Greatest Films of All Time. This list, which was first presented in 1952, is prepared every ten years. For the first time, in this most recent iteration a Korean film made it into the top 100. There are no prizes for guessing … [Read More]