London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Korean crafts abroad featured in the Korea Times

It’s always nice when things you’ve seen in London get coverage in the English language press back in Korea. In May this year the Korea Craft & Design Foundation brought a number of Korean craftsmen to the Saatchi gallery, including master lacquer craftsman Chung Hae-cho. We heard at the time that the Victoria and Albert … [Read More]

Korean art – two millennia of globalisation

“Why did it have to end so early?” asked a member of the audience at the conclusion of the British Museum’s study morning “Korea at the Crossroads” last weekend, 13 November. Strictly, the event had overrun by about five minutes, but you knew what she meant. More to the point would have been the question … [Read More]

Toegye Yi Hwang’s Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning

In the British Museum’s Korea Gallery can be found a wood block printed book, The Ten Diagrams on Sage Learning, written by Korea’s most famous Confucian scholar, Yi Hwang (이황, also known by his pen name, Toegye, 퇴계) (1501-1570). The volume is on loan from the British Library. The work was completed in 1568 and … [Read More]

Korean ceramic tea bowls and tea culture

Eunjung Shin continues her series on themes from the past, inspired by objects in the British Museum’s Korea Gallery. One thousand years ago, drinking tea was an important social activity in Buddhist Korea. After Buddhism was introduced from China in the 4th century it flourished up until the end of the Koryo dynasty (935-1392) in … [Read More]

Korea’s 21st Century Music: There and Now

Notice of a concert of traditional and fusion music at the British Museum on 30 October: Korea’s 21st Century Music: There and Now The British museum, BP Lecture Theatre Tickets: £5 – Concessions £3 Friday 30th October 2009: 19.00~20.30 Booking Tel: +44 (0)20 7323 8181 www.britishmuseum.org As a part of this autumn’s programme of traditional … [Read More]