It was a cold and frosty evening in New Malden1. But inside the Barton Green Theatre it was warm and cosy. From the outside, the building looks like a cricket pavilion, but if so the green itself would not be large enough for a proper game. Inside it’s a small, welcoming community theatre, with slightly … [Read More]
Featured Posts
Five from the archive
Gateways to Korea
Peter Corbishley digests some recent Korean history lectures at SOAS and the KCC, and a recent book by Alexis Dudden My introduction to the nasty side of Korean history over March and April of this year began with a heartwarming UK personal interest story from 1908. At the Korean Cultural Centre 10th March, Patrick Cockburn … [Read More]
Gig review: Jeon Jeduk and Park Juwon at Pizza Express
What can one say about a pair of such flawless musicians? Jeon Jeduk, blind since birth, has been compared with Toots Thielemans and Stevie Wonder; Park Juwon… I’m not sure who he’s been compared with, but as I listened to his set I was reminded of the stunning album Passion Grace and Fire by guitarists … [Read More]
Are you being Serbed?
Aashish Gadhvi reviews Korea v Serbia at Craven Cottage on 18 November Two years ago Fulham’s Craven Cottage played host to a friendly match on a chilly winter evening between Korea and Greece, which went down a success. The stadium was full of crazy Korean fans singing and chanting throughout the match as Korea walked … [Read More]
LKL Critics’ Choice 2011: Philip
2011 all told was not a bad year for K-pop, and K-indie too is reaching listeners through more outlets. My own record-buying was somewhat slower than in previous years, but nevertheless I picked up enough to have a lot of rejects in my pile. And here are five of the disks that will stay with … [Read More]
E J-yong group interview: “driven by the desire to try something new”
The following interview took place at the Korean Cultural Centre UK on February 23rd 2012, prior to a KCCUK screening of ‘Actresses’ and Q&A. Eastern Kicks: ‘An Affair’ was your debut film; can you tell us how you got into filmmaking and how you got to make that film? E J-yong: It’s quite a long … [Read More]
Veterans honoured on Kingston’s Fairfield Recreation Ground.
Veterans of the Korean War were honoured yesterday in an event marking the 75th anniversary of the start of the War on 25 June 1950. The event was divided into two: the formal ceremony in the morning, and the afternoon entertainments, in between which was a generous Korean lunch provided by the organisers. The dignitaries … [Read More]
1884 letter rediscovered in Cambridge giving insight into Kapsin coup
Earlier this month the Cambridge University Library blog uploaded an article telling the story of a letter recently rediscovered among the papers of Sir Harry Parkes by Jiyeon Wood, who is in charge of the Korean and Japanese collection at the library. According to Professor Kim Jong-Hak from Seoul National University: “[Prominent politician and leader … [Read More]
K-music – the archive
Here are all the concerts that have been part of the K-Music story over the years, together with links to reviews where we have been able to cover the events, or where we have identified reviews on third party websites. Although not branded under the K-music moniker, the series of five Korean concerts presented on … [Read More]
In introduction to the KCCUK’s 여운 | Lingering Fragments summer screening season
As in other recent summers, the KCC is collaborating with Birkbeck in curating a season of experimental and documentary films. The press release introducing the season is reproduced below. The season comprises the following programmes: 18 June: Han Okhi and Kaidu Club: A Cinema of Outsiders 25 June: Korean War Commemorative Screening: Forbidden Fatherland 2 … [Read More]
2025 travel diary 1: arrival and the foodie alleyways of Ikseondong
Gwanghwamun, Seoul, Wednesday 28 May. Following the trend of more recent Korea trips, there is no particular theme this year. I simply want to meet up with old friends, make new ones, and experience a few new destinations. Plus, I had to deliver the first of my waistcoat commissions to the friends who had requested … [Read More]
Andrew Ahn’s The Wedding Banquet – the perfect opening to BFI Flare 2025
BFI Flare launched yesterday with a humdinger of an opening movie: Andrew Ahn’s reimagining of Ang Lee’s 1993 The Wedding Banquet. Ahn’s partner in creating this update, James Schamus, also co-wrote Ang Lee’s version. While the original film features a single gay couple and a marriage of convenience, the reboot has two gay couples, which … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Bestselling and beloved – Korean Literary Treasures
While primarily envisaged as a home for temporary displays of visuals arts, the KCC exhibition space over the years has hosted a number of exhibitions featuring historical or literary themes. 2024 started, for example, with an exhibition looking at the early relations between the UK and Korea, celebrating 140 years of diplomatic relations, and later … [Read More]
Festival of Korean Dance 2025 – programme details announced
Here’s the official press release for the 2025 Festival of Korean dance. This year, in addition to performances at The Place in London, the festival tours to Bournemouth, Salford and Newcastle. A Festival of Korean Dance returns for its eighth year with 17-strong ensemble headliner and a live rock band Presented by the Korean Cultural … [Read More]
Snowy Day – a new collection of Lee Chang-dong short stories
I’ve been following Korean literature in translation now for around 25 years. Back in the day, I’d buy everything I could lay my hands on – after all, there wasn’t much of it around, so there wasn’t much financial commitment involved. At the time, most of the literature available was originally written more than thirty … [Read More]