There is no secret that the K-pop industry is highly competitive. With the 5th generation of idols on the horizon, it’s the rookie groups that often have to work extremely hard to secure a long-term position in the market. 82MAJOR is one of those rookie groups. Debuting in October of this year, they already showed…
Author: View of the Arts
View of the Arts is run by female arts journalists and works with a diverse team of writers and film critics.
Kang Hui: Brushing Life’s Canvas with Smile Boy – Exclusive Interview
In the midst of a chilly Seoul afternoon, as snowflakes gently graced the city, I had the pleasure of meeting Kang Hui, a South Korean model, actor, and painter. Filled with warmth, Kang Hui shared insights into his creativity, where art intertwines with life, inspiration births vibrant canvases, and Smile Boy takes centre stage. In…
Xdinary Heroes Rock London: Quirky, Energetic, and Unapologetically Bold!
Looking at the Korean Rock scene, one can see that the history, although not as extensive as its Western counterpart, is long enough to experience the greatness of local talent. While Punk-rock has imprinted itself more on the Korean audience than Rock, the latter has still found its own spot on the market. From No…
Crush Navigates Everyday Life with His New Full-length Album, “wonderego”
Almost four years after the release of 2019’s From Midnight To Sunrise, the K-R’n’B singer Crush is back with his emotionally packed full-length album, wonderego. Celebrating his tenth year in the industry, he made a successful return in 2022 with the Hip-hop single, Rush Hour featuring BTS’s J-Hope. The release went on to become a…
18th London Korean Film Festival: “Dr. Cheon and The Lost Talisman” Review (Closing Night)
Spoilers ahead Demons and spirits conjure two emotions for movie lovers: it either piques their interest to watch or has them running away in fear. The opening credits of 2023’s Dr. Cheon and The Lost Talisman do just that with the cryptic quote, “Seoul Kyung is a talisman with spells and glyphs written on Hanji…
18th London Korean Film Festival: “Hail to Hell” Review
In recent years, South Korean independent cinema has been taking the world by storm. Just look at Past Lives – a hidden gem of the country’s cinema. Another interesting film that is worth one’s attention is Lim Oh-jeong‘s Hail to Hell. Screened at this year’s London Korean Film Festival, the compelling film takes us on…
18th London Korean Film Festival: In Conversation with Lim Oh-jeong, Director of “Hail to Hell”
In modern cinema, where certain themes are revisited time and again, director Lim Oh-jeong manages to breathe new life into the well-worn subject of bullying with her debut feature film, Hail to Hell. In our exclusive interview with View of the Arts, Lim shares insights into the film’s narrative choices, character development, and cinematographic approach. …
Korea On Stage In London – Show Review
In its fourth year, Korea On Stage aimed to present a spectacular night to celebrate 140 years of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Korea. Hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration, the Korea Culture Heritage Foundation, the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), and My Music Taste, the event was held at London’s OVO Wembley Arena…
Bang Yedam’s Emotional Prelude: “Miss You” Pre-Release Single Review
Prior to his solo beginnings, singer-songwriter Bang Yedam saw his rise to fame in 2012 by competing in season two of the reality TV show SBS’ K-Pop Star. His talent landed him second place, leading him to sign with agency YG Entertainment. It was this that led him to triumph in the survival show YG…
KOREA ON STAGE IN LONDON: Xdinary Heroes – Exclusive Interview
The day that we discovered Xdinary Heroes was a happy one. Under JYP Entertainment’s sub-label, Studio J, this South Korean Rock band is literally EXTRAORDINARY. Consisting of Gun-il, Jungsu, Gaon, O.de, Jun Han, and Jooyeon, these six musicians are rewriting the Korean Rock ‘N’ Roll rulebook. Xdinary Heroes officially emerged on the music scene on…
A Palette of Dreams: Kang Hye-jeong on Her Art, Inspiration, and StArt – Exclusive Interview
Kang Hye-jeong, a prolific South Korean painter known for her fascinating, vibrant abstract art, has created a harmony of colours that takes any art lover into a universe of untamed imagination. Her approach to the Impasto technique, combined with her creativity, paints a very lively picture of mythical horses, flourishing landscapes, and humans. Kang’s artwork…
Jeon Hyunkyung on Her Love for Fine Art, Themes of Femininity, and StART
Represented by CHAMAN Gallery in Seoul, Jeon Hyunkyung is an extraordinary painter. And while presenting her work at this year’s StART Art Fair at Saatchi Gallery in London, I noticed that her stunning canvases are adorned with women whose confident gazes and postures depict various emotions — sometimes flashy and elegant, at other times instinctive,…
Jungkook’s Star Shines Brightly on “Golden” – Album Review
Jungkook is the youngest member of the mega-group BTS and the last to debut as a solo artist. With eleven songs, his debut album, Golden, runs at just under 32 minutes. The album features two pre-release singles, the record-breaking “Seven” (feat. Latto) and “3D” (feat. Jack Harlow) which sees the return of David Stewart (part…
Moon Jong-up: From B.A.P to Solo Stardom
In January 2012, Moon Jong-up was unveiled as a member of the idol group B.A.P, a sextet that would impress many K-pop fans globally. In B.A.P, he served as a sub-vocalist and main dancer, showing off his versatile talent. The group made its official debut just nine days later, releasing the single album Warrior. I…
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