The organisers of the first London edition of the SXSW festival have done a great job in securing some enticing Korean movies – including two UK premieres and a world premiere – and scheduling them so that you can get to see them all. Here’s hoping there are sufficient interesting movies left for the festivals … [Read More]
Tag: Books on Screen
Selected publications
- Kim Aeran: My Brilliant Life tr Kim Chi-young, Forge 2021
- Jeong You-jeong: Seven Years of Darkness tr Kim Chi-young, Little Brown 2020
- Cho Nam-joo: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 tr Jamie Chang, Scribner 2020
- Kim Young-ha: Diary of a Murderer, and other stories tr Krys Lee, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2019
- Han Kang: The Vegetarian tr Deborah Smith, Portobello Books 2015
- Cheon Myeong-kwan: Modern Family tr Park Kyoung-lee, White Pine Press 2015
- Yi Cheong-jun: Seopyeonje, the Southerners’ Songs tr Ok Young Kim Chang, Peter Owen 2011
- Choe Yun: There a Petal Silently Falls: 3 stories tr Bruce Fulton, Ju-chan Fulton, Columbia University Press 2008
- Cho Son-jak: The Preview and Other Stories tr David R Carter, Kim Chan-young, Jain Publishing 2003
- Kajiyama Toshiyuki: The Clan Records tr Yoshiko Dykstra, University of Hawai'i Press 1995
- Kim Seong-dong: Mandala tr Ahn Jung-hyo, Dongsuh Munhaksa 1990
- Richard E Kim: The Martyred, Penguin 1964
Spring Night (봄밤) screens at ICA
Yeong-gyeong first meets Su-hwan at a wedding party. She is an alcoholic and he suffers from chronic arthritis. He carries her home after she passes out drunk, in an act of lissom grace. His health complications, her illness and debt, both of their failed marriages and ritualised self-destruction bind them, and the slim promise of … [Read More]
2024 in review part 3 – the film festivals and other screenings
In a somewhat disappointing filmic year in Korea, in London we could nevertheless celebrate the fact that a handful of the latest big-budget Korean movies continue to have limited-scope theatrical releases. In 2024 we got director Heo Myung-haeng’s contribution to the Roundup franchise, and the final instalment of Kim Han-min’s Yi Sun-shin trilogy, plus Jang … [Read More]
London Korean Film Festival Announces 2024 Programme
Here’s the official press release for this year’s London Korean Film Festival, released today. Some good things here! Korean Cultural Centre UK announces London Korean Film Festival 2024 Programme Opening Gala Film: Park Beom-su’s VICTORY Closing Gala Film: E.oni’s LOVE IN THE BIG CITY Special Screening: Choi Dong-hoon’s ALIENOID: RETURN TO THE FUTURE London, 1 … [Read More]
Book review: Concerning My Daughter
Kim Hye-jin’s Concerning My Daughter is set in a world of agency workers, where no-one has enough money, still less any job security; a world in which a university lecturer gets fired for being gay; a world in which a nursing home asks their staff to cut down on basic hygiene tasks and neglect their … [Read More]
Screening: Lee Man-hee’s The Road to Sampo
Korean Film Nights presents director Lee Man-hee’s final film ‘The Road to Sampo’ (1975). This film was digitally restored in 4K in 2021. The original film used for the restoration was the 35mm original negative film and the 17.5mm sound negative film both of which were collected in 1982. This event will be moderated by … [Read More]
March Korean Literature Night: The Road to Sampo
This March we will read the novel ‘The Road to Sampo’ by Hwang Sok-yong. This month will also feature a special discussion Zoom event, with all participants able to turn on the camera, speak, and discuss the work during the talk. Prof. Jieun Kiaer (Associate Professor of Korean Language and Linguistics, University of Oxford) will … [Read More]
LKFF Teaser Screening: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
After having had to cancel the Kim Jiyoung screening earlier this year as we went into lockdown, the KCC is resurrecting the event as we gradually emerge. The official announcement on the film festival website promises an introduction, though currently there are no further details. The planned screening in March was going to be by … [Read More]
Book review: Jeong You-jeong – Seven Years of Darkness
Jeong You-jeong: Seven Years of Darkness Translated by Kim Chi-young Penguin / Little, Brown 2020 Originally published as 7년의 밤, EunHaeng NaMu Publishing Co, Seoul 2011 It felt like a long wait. We’d seen the movie adaptation a few years ago (Choo Chang-min’s Seven Years of Night, which screened at the London Korean Film Festival … [Read More]
LKFF Teaser Screening: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982
The first LKFF Teaser screening of the year: Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 (82년생 김지영) + Introduction by Sarah Shin Dir: Kim Do-young (2019, 118 mins) Cast: Jung Yu-mi, Gong Yoo Tuesday 12 May 2020, 18:15 Barbican Cinema 2 | Beech Street | London EC2Y 8DS Tickets £12 | Buy tickets Based on Cho Nam-joo’s landmark … [Read More]
Book review: Kim Young-ha – Diary of a Murderer
Kim Young-ha: Diary of a Murderer and other stories Translated by Krys Lee Mariner Books, 2019, 200pp Originally published as 살인자의 기억법, Munhakdongne, 2013 Somewhat rashly, I approach Kim Young-ha’s novels with a keen sense of anticipation, particularly when translated by Krys Lee. Rashly, because with high expectations you usually set yourself up for a … [Read More]
Movie review: E J-Yong – My Brilliant Life
A feelgood Korean drama which the main character has a fatal and incurable disease, and who is writing an account for the benefit of loved ones when he is gone? Been there, done that. Well, not exactly: when the director is E J-Yong and the movie is an adaptation of a Kim Aeran novel, you … [Read More]
Film review: The Unfair / Minority Opinion
The Unfair (also known as Minority Opinion) screened as the penultimate movie in the Korean Novels on Screen season at the KCC. Based on a novel by Son Aram, it is the only film in the season where the underlying book has not (yet) been translated into English. Although the scenario is based loosely on the … [Read More]
Screening: My Brilliant Life + Kim Aeran Q&A
One of my favourite directors, and one of my favourite authors. I’ll be there. My Brilliant Life (두근두근 내 인생) With author Kim Aeran Q&A Director: E J-yong (2014, 117 mins) Cast: Song Hye-kyo, Kim Seung-wook, Gang Dong-won, Baek Il-seob Original novel by Kim Aeran Thursday 28 June 2018, 7pm, KCCUK | Book here My … [Read More]
Screening: The Unfair
Continuing the KCC’s season of adaptations of Korean novels: The Unfair (aka Minority Opinion, 소수의견) Director: Kim Sung-je (2015, 127 mins) Cast: Yoon Kye-sang, Yoo Hae-jin, Kim Ok-vin, Lee Gyoung-young, Jang Kwang Original novel by Son Aram Thursday 7 June 2018, 7pm KCCUK | Book via EventBrite Amidst a messy construction site skirmish at which … [Read More]
May Literature Night: Hwang Sok-yong’s The Old Garden
Continuing the KCC’s season of screen adaptations of Korean novels. May Literature Night: Hwang Sok-yong’s The Old Garden 30 May 2018, 19.00-21.00 Venue: Korean Cultural Centre UK Entrance Free – Booking Essential. Apply to [email protected] or call 020 7004 2600 with your name and contact details by Thursday 10th May. The booking system utilises a … [Read More]