With the 19th London Korean Film Festival on the horizon, audiences will be able to experience many wonderful films, and one of those films is It’s Okay! (Also known as It’s Okay It’s Okay It’s Okay! – 괜찮아 괜찮아 괜찮아!), a tender coming-of-age story that presents Kim Hye-young’s impressive directorial debut. First premiering internationally on…
19th London Korean Film Festival: “It’s Okay!” Review
It’s Okay!, the directorial debut of Kim Hye-young, is a coming-of-age film centered around the trials and tribulations of In-young (Lee Re), who in a cruel twist of fate loses her mother and sole caretaker during a triumphant performance of a traditional fan dance by the Seoul International Arts Company. As the beat of the…
Riaan & Dane: Promising Soloists Make Their Debuts
2024 has been a fantastic year for Asian musicians. BABYMETAL are still going strong, Beabadoobee, Audrey Nuna, Laufey, Peggy Gou, Griff, Sarah Kinsley, and ATARASHII GAKKO! all dropped huge albums, and beloved artists of their niches like yeule, ONE OK ROCK, two of the three DPRs (and endless others) all made releases in the past…
9th London East Asia Film Festival: “Exhuma” Review
What do a Feng Shui master, a mortician, and a shaman all have in common? No, this isn’t the setup for a terrible joke; instead, it’s the main plot of the Korean supernatural horror film Exhuma. Although the film starts off slowly, it effectively introduces the main characters and their backgrounds. Additionally, it provides an…
9th London East Asia Film Festival: Jang Jae-hyun and Producer Kim Young-min on Their Latest Project “Exhuma”
Jang Jae-hyun, a South Korean film director and screenwriter, earned acclaim for his work on blockbuster films such as The Priests (2015), Svaha: The Sixth Finger (2019), and Exhuma (2024). His career took off when he worked as an assistant director on the period drama Masquerade (2012). Jang Jae-hyun was also praised for his short…
9th London East Asia Film Festival: “Locust” Review
Every generation has its angry young men, rebelling against the cultural conformity of the era. From James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause and Marlon Brando in The Wild One pushing back against the stifling conservatism of the Eisenhower age, to the various turn-of-the-century studies of disaffected adults stilted by middle-class life, these are snapshots…
COME: From Producing for K-pop Stars to Creating His Own Sound – Exclusive Interview
South Korean singer and producer Kim Jong Myoung, widely known as COME and operating as Zomay in his production work, has steadily built a significant place in the K-pop industry. With his ability to adapt to the diverse artistic visions of major artists, he has collaborated with some of the biggest names, contributing to great…
Iconic and Unapologetic: NANA Youngrong Kim on Korea’s Drag Scene, Creative Process, and Pioneering in Fashion – Exclusive Interview
South Korea’s drag scene is home to some of the most creative and talented queens out there. The community is thriving with performers ranging from cabaret singers like Hurricane Kimchi to Dragula’s Hoso Terra Toma. In Itaewon, Seoul’s main LGBTQIA+ district, you’ll find diverse communities and clubs, including Trance, one of the longest-running LGBTQIA+ nightclubs…
That’s a Wrap! Seoul’s 2nd C.at Work Festa Concludes Succesfully with Over 16,000 Visitors
Now in its second year, C.at Work Festa again proved to be a great success, drawing in both pre-registered attendees and passersby alike. Positioned as a dynamic celebration where trends and culture meet, the event offered diverse engaging content. Bringing the rich diversity and global impact of K-culture, from fashion to art, this year’s edition…
Sindy On Her Career and Collaborations – Exclusive Interview
Sindy’s journey through the music took her in various directions. From her early days of learning piano at just three years old to performing in her teens, music has been an ever-present force in her life. While her path may have begun in South Korea, it soon led her to Japan, where she blossomed into…
BFI Announces Full Programme for ECHOES IN TIME: KOREAN FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE AND NEW CINEMA
The BFI has announced the full program for Echoes in Time: Korean Films of the Golden Age and New Cinema, a major new season running from 28 October to 31 December at BFI Southbank. Curated by Young Jin Eric Choi and Goran Topalovic, the season spotlights two transformative eras in Korean cinema: the Golden Age…
Hong Kong Cantopop Duo, TWINS, Announces UK Stop for Their World Tour
TWINS is a well-known Cantopop duo from Hong Kong, created by Emperor Entertainment Group (EEG) in 2001. The group features Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung, two part-time models turned singers who quickly rose to fame across Asia. From their early days, TWINS captured the hearts of young teens with their catchy, upbeat music, but by…
A.C.E 2024 Europe Tour: A.C.E Aced It with Rewind US! – Concert Review
The story of EartH Theatre, now known as Evolutionary Arts Hackney (EartH), is as fascinating as the shows it holds. Originally built in 1936, this Art Deco building was once a beloved community hub. It thrived as a cinema for decades until the last film was screened in 1984. In the years that followed, the…
Sunburnkids: Unmasking the “Elephant in the Room” – Exclusive Interview
Creative individuals often express their vulnerability in stark contrast to those who choose to conceal their emotions behind layers of metaphor and abstraction. For South Korean artist Sunburnkids, the release of his debut full-length album, Elephant in the Room, presents a daring leap into the deep recesses of his life, unearthing scars he once kept…
