“I was into all kinds of art when I was growing up. One time I wanted to be a painter, then I thought of becoming a fashion designer, I wasn’t sure about singing,” CHE, a Seoul-born singer-songwriter, says thoughtfully as he speaks about whether music was his intended career path from the start. Exposed to […]
It was 2019 when I met Gimu at Seoul Fashion Week for the first time. And, as bizarre as it might sound, it took me just 10 seconds to realise that he is one of the nicest and funniest models I came across. Although we have experienced a language barrier at times, his smile, positive […]
BE is BTS’ fourth (Korean) studio album and follows the record-breaking Map of the Soul: 7 from earlier in the year (February 21). Released on the 20th November, six months after the later, BE is a project album that is best understood as a personal response to COVID-19. BE is grounded in reality; while the […]
While her husband is out of town on a business trip, florist Gam-hee (Kim Min-hee) decides to embark on a venture of her own to reconnect with three different old friends living across Seoul. Although reciting a script, Gam-hee routinely mentions to every friend how her and her husband haven’t spent a day apart since […]
“I was drawn to how I can express my own thoughts and emotions through the lyrics or the melody”, says Jaechan, a 19-year-old member of a South Korean group, DONGKIZ, when asked if music was his future. While not all of the members thought of starting their adult lives as a part of a K-pop […]
It has been just over two years since SURL, a pop/rock band, debuted. Although they are fresh-faces in the South Korean music market, Ho-seung, Han-bin, Myung-seok and Do-yeon have already won over not only a domestic audience but also gained a decent European fanbase. In September of 2018, SURL released their 1st official song called […]
Nomadland is a curious beast; a sobering look at the ramifications of an ageing, expanding workforce in the gig economy following the 2008 recession, critical of the corporations who have forced people into this position, while also feeling at first glance like it’s pulling some of its punches. At least, that’s how this writer interpreted […]
Dancing has been a way of life for Jay Kim, a former 1Million Dance Studio choreographer and contemporary dancer, since he was 13 years old. Known for his artistic choreography for K-pop idols such as Taemin of SHINee, Luhan (former member of EXO), The Boyz, Jay Park, and an emerging group called KAACHI, Jay Kim […]
The London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) celebrates its fifth edition in 2020. In keeping with the times, LEAFF presents a unique approach to the festival’s programme between 10th and 13th December. LEAFF 2020 opens with the gripping Korean box office hit, BEASTS CLAWING AT STRAWS, directed by Kim Yong-hoon which was awarded the Special Jury […]
What really happens to idols after leaving their K-pop groups? Following several years of training and sometimes years of performing, regardless of their level of fame, the future is often bleak. There are various reasons for why idols part ways with their companies, but from what one has seen, it is often because of the […]
VIEW OF THE ARTS 