The Litro Summer Literary Festival has a few things of Korean interest, not least of which is the very welcome presence of Krys Lee, who apart from hosting a masterclass on Korean poetry and participating in a panel session on female writers will also be introducing Im Sang-soo’s adaptation of Hwang Sok-yong’s The Old Garden … [Read More]
Venue: SOAS (page 7)
BKS event: The Two Ambassadors
The annual event hosted by the British Korean Society with our ambassadors to the Koreas. Highly recommended: An Update on the UK-Korea Relationship Tuesday 22nd May 2018, 6.30pm to 9.00pm SOAS, University of London Alumni Lecture Theatre | Paul Webley Wing | Senate House | Thornhaugh Street | Russell Square | London WC1H 0XG Book … [Read More]
Lee Yil: seminar and book launch of selected writings on Contemporary Korean Art
Artist Bada Song and critic / lecturer Paul O’Kane spent a large part of last year helping to translate and edit an important new collection of mid-to-late 20th century writings of renowned Korean art critic Lee Yil (1932-1997), “the main observer of “Dansaekhwa”, or Korean monochrome”. That work has now come to fruition, with the … [Read More]
Screening: The Propaganda Game
The SOAS North Korea Society invites you a screening of the film ‘The Propaganda Game’. The Propaganda Game Dir Álvaro Longoria (2015, 1h 38min) Wednesday 21 March at 7pm SOAS, 22 Russell Square Room T101 Check for updates on the event’s Facebook page The Propaganda Game is a 2015 documentary film about North Korea by … [Read More]
Brother Anthony’s poetry talks in St Andrews and London
Brother Anthony of Taizé, the noted – and prolific – translator of Korean literature and poetry, is coming to the UK in March and will be appearing at the StAnza International Poetry Festival in St Andrews on 10 March and giving two talks in London on 13 and 15 March. Details below: Past & Present … [Read More]
Korea Through My Queer Eyes: a talk with Heezy Yang
Coming up next week, a very informal talk session with South Korean artist and activist Heezy Yang (a.k.a. Hurricane Kimchi). Korea Through My Queer Eyes 21 February at 19:30–21:00 G3, SOAS The topics will include Seoul Pride, Military Service, Queer Youth, Parents and Family, Night Life, Drag Culture, Art & Entertainment! About Heezy Yang Heezy … [Read More]
Javier Cha on the uses of digitised historical data
Last night at SOAS there was a choice of two early evening events to start the weekend. I only heard about the appearance of South Korean queer artist and activist Heezy Yang (aka Hurricane Kimchi) two hours before the event, and I had already prepared myself mentally for the Centre of Korean Studies seminar on … [Read More]
The Korea Crisis, the Moon Jae-in Government, and Olympic Peace
Somewhat late notice of a highly topical talk: The Korea Crisis, the Moon Jae-in Government, and Olympic Peace Prof. Chung-in Moon Special Presidential Advisor for Unification, Foreign and Security Affairs Emeritus Professor of Political Science, Yonsei University, Korea 30 January 2018, 5-6.30pm Venue: SOAS, Brunei Gallery Room B202 All welcome | No registration required Organised … [Read More]
SOAS conference: Colonialism and its Reverberations
A good half-day conference coming at the beginning of February. Check the event’s Facebook page or the SOAS website for updates. Colonialism and its Reverberations: ‘Comfort Women’ and Historical Revisionism in Korea and Japan Professor Yonson Ahn (University of Frankfurt), Professor Vladimir Tikhonov (University of Oslo), Professor Chong Yeonghwan (Meiji Gakuin University) 3 February 2018, … [Read More]
Spring 2018 season of lectures at SOAS
Here are the seminars announced for the Spring 2018 season at SOAS. Check the SOAS website for updates. 19/01/18 Korean Wave Reception and Participatory Fan Culture in Latin America: Prof. Wonjung Min 03/02/18 Colonialism and its Reverberations: ‘Comfort Women’ and Historical Revisionism in Korea and Japan Professor Yonson Ahn (University of Frankfurt), Professor Chong Yeonghwan … [Read More]
A Review of London Korean cultural year 2017
It feels like it’s been an incredibly busy year, and as I come to write this review I realise that, much more so than in previous years, many of the things that have been memorable I haven’t had time to write about – and maybe won’t. I’ve written separately about the films it was possible … [Read More]
Seminar: Queer Korean Trans & Diaspora Dissident Identity
News of a student-organised seminar at SOAS: Seminar: Queer Korean Trans & Diaspora Dissident Identity 1 December at 17:00–19:00 SOAS, S113 of the Senate House (Paul Webley Wing) building Hosted by Queer Asia and SOAS North Korea Society Registration required via Eventbrite Check the event’s Facebook page for updates How do bodies, borders, queer, and … [Read More]
BAKS / SOAS conference: North Korea and North-East Asian security
Notice of a conference on North East Asian security in the Paul Webley Wing of the Senate House, which will be followed by the BAKS AGM in Room 4426 of the SOAS main building. North Korea and North-East Asian security: Reconciling conflicting national interests Saturday, 2 December 2017, 2:00 – 5:00 PM SOAS, Paul Webley … [Read More]
Autumn 2017 season of lectures at SOAS
Here are the seminars announced for the Autumn 2017 season at SOAS. Check the SOAS website for updates. 29/09/17 Reimagining the Self: North Korean Multiple Migrants’ Remaking Time and Place in Contemporary Japan Dr Markus Bell 06/10/17 The Confucian (Im)perfection of Renunciation – Implications of holding and abandoning a public position for Joseon literati Dr. … [Read More]
Event news: SOAS Korean Music summer school
This is a great opportunity to be introduced to the techniques for playing some of the best-known Korean traditional instruments: Korean Wind, Strings and Percussion with Hyelim Kim Monday 17th – Friday 21st July, 6-8pm Venue: SOAS, Russell Square, College Buildings Course Fee: £115 (Concessions £95) | Book via SOAS online store Korean traditional music, known … [Read More]
Hurricane Kimchi appears on BBC World News
Heezy Yang, the South Korean artist, performer and activist, is also known for his fabulous alter-ego, the drag queen Hurricane Kimchi. Currently in London for the Queer Asia conference at SOAS where he is performing alongside Chinese feminist and LGBTQ activist Whiskey Chow, he appeared on BBC World News yesterday: Yang has illustrated several LGBT … [Read More]














