London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Korean films at BFI Flare 2024

Last year BFI Flare had a Korean focus, giving us four feature films and a short. It’s only natural that this year’s offering won’t quite match up to last year’s feast, but still we have one feature and a short: Heavy Snow (폭설) Dir: Yun Su-ik (2023, 77 mins) Cast: Han So-hee, Han Hae-in Monday … [Read More]

Gallery: Hanji – Paper Compositions

The KCC’s summer exhibition was co-sponsored by the Hanji Development Institute, which is affiliated with the Hanji Theme Park in Wonju, Gangwon-do. Wonju was noted for its mulberry trees, and hence its hanji, in the Sillok from King Sejong’s reign and thus competes with other areas of Korea such as Mungyeong and Jeonju for the … [Read More]

LKFF 2019 Teaser Screening #1: Winter’s Night

This looks like an interesting start to the KCC’s series of teaser screenings: Winter’s Night (겨울밤에) Director: Jang Woo-jin (2018, 98 mins) Starring: Yang Heung-ju, See Young-hwa Picturehouse Central, Monday 15th April 2019, 6:30pm | Book tickets Picturehouse Central welcomes back the London Korean Film Festival for a UK Premiere of Winter’s Night. One cold … [Read More]

Exhibition: The Winter Wonders of PyeongChang

News of the KCC’s first exhibition of 2018: The Winter Wonders of PyeongChang Korean Cultural Centre UK | Grand Buildings | 1 – 3 Strand | London WC2N 5BW 10 January – 17 February 2018 The Winter Wonders of PyeongChang is an exhibition presented by UK Sport and the Korean Cultural Centre UK. Opened exactly … [Read More]

K-Lit Trivia question

Which Korean author is the only person in Korea to have a railway station named after him? A nice little article in the JoongAngDaily about the springtime delights of Chuncheon in Gangwon-do provides the answer. Chuncheon was the birthplace of Kim Yu-jeong (김유정), in January 1908. I can’t say I’m particularly taken with the two … [Read More]

Pyeongchang wins the 2018 Winter Olympics

On Radio 4 this morning an Ex British Olympic chief tipped Pyeongchang to win the 2018 winter olympics by 10 votes today. # Congratulations to the bid team. BBC Sport – Pyeongchang will host the 2018 Winter Olympics http://bbc.in/nDPICE # Inevitably, a lot of the attention became focussed on Kim Yu-na, “Kim Yu-na’s Pyeongchang fashion” … [Read More]

Yonsama “longs for” Kim Jong-il

Bae Yong-joon in funny photoshopped propaganda poster for DPRK. Doesn't look much like him though. “I want to live in the loving arms of gracious General Kim Jong-il” he’s saying. http://bit.ly/at7z0F #. The image is from the DMZ Museum in Goseong, Gangwon-do, which showw both sides using (South Korean) celebrity pictures to lure the other … [Read More]

Korea’s gardening pedigree

For those, such as me, who have hitherto doubted Korea's gardening pedigree, this article in the Korea JoongAng Daily is well worth a read. Nice pics too. http://bit.ly/9jFO2f # The article covers: Seoul Iris Garden Chollipo Arboretum in Taean, South Chungcheong Hantaek Botanical Garden in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do Yoo Botanic Garden in Pocheon, Gyeonggi-do Korea Botanic … [Read More]

PyeongChang beaten fair and square?

So Korea is not to host the 2014 winter games. Beaten by Sochi in Russia. Cynics will say that the real winners from PyeongChang’s energetic campaign were CNN, who gave PyeongChang’s campaign global reach by screening the commercials (HT to Tom Coyner). Despite the optimism (above), did Korea ever have a hope? A cutting article … [Read More]