We’re four years on from the zombie pandemic that ravaged the Korea that we saw in Train to Busan (2016). The port city proved to be no refuge from the rampaging menace, and the zombies took over the country. Some lucky few of the non-infected escaped by sea, but no country wanted to receive the […]
On Screen: Film and TV
Welcome to LKL’s Film & TV section. Here you can find our film reviews, general film news and articles about TV shows, as well as news of film screenings. You can find an index of our film reviews here. If you’re interested in Classic film, we’ve compiled an index of the free-to-view Korean Film Archive YouTube Channel here. LKL’s top 10 movies of the first decade of this century can be found here, and a poll of polls here. We’re still working on the lists for the second decade, but I’m guessing Parasite will feature prominently…
London Korean Film Festival 2020 – the detailed screening list
Here’s the detailed list of screenings in the 2020 London Korean Film Festival. You can find the official press release here. Check for updates on the festival’s official website, koreanfilm.co.uk. The KCC has also provided a graphic which shows the schedule in detail. Click on the thumbnails below to launch a full-size version, or download […]
LKFF 2020 announces its line-up
This is now the 15th edition of the festival organised by KCCUK. As is to be expected, this year is somewhat different, with many of the screenings taking place online. There’s plenty to enjoy in the programme. We’re particularly looking forward to Mark Morris’s selection of Mudang films. Here’s the official press release; we’ll be […]
Peninsula to get UK theatrical release
Well, the BFI London Film Festival wasn’t interested in any Korean films, but all credit to Frightfest for securing the zombie blockbuster Peninsula to open their festival on 22 October. Here’s the press release from the FrightFest website; UPDATE: unfortunately, since the festival has moved online-only as the pandemic situation has worsened, Peninsula will no […]
Korean films at the 2020 BFI London Film Festival (this won’t take long)
The programme for the 64th BFI London Film Festival was announced earlier this week. As one might expect, the format is somewhat different this year. The schedule boasts “over 50 virtual premieres and a selection of highly anticipated new feature film previews … with work from more than 40 countries”. However, despite the diversity of […]
Memories of Murder: one-off screening
Curzon Home Cinemas are reviving Bong Joon-ho’s first two features – Barking Dogs Never Bite and Memories of Murder – for home viewing. The latter will also be getting a screening at the Curzon Bloomsbury in a new 4K restoration. It may have a wider release, but at the time of writing there’s only one […]
BTS: Break The Silence movie theatrical release
Relive the Wembley experience from last year with this behind-the-scenes documentary from BTS’s Love Yourself: Speak Yourself world tour. Break The Silence: Persona Limited theatrical release from Thursday 10 September 2020 Visit www.breakthesilencethemovie.com for showtimes and to book tickets BTS WORLD TOUR ‘LOVE YOURSELF: SPEAK YOURSELF’ is over. The worldwide stadium tour topped the Billboard […]
Why Crash Landing on You had us hooked
What a preposterous scenario for a drama. A chaebol heiress goes paragliding, gets swept away by a freak tornado and lands north of the DMZ, where she is discovered by a North Korean soldier and ends up getting emotionally entangled. I loved it. Of course, the scenario is a lot more complicated than that. How […]
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 […]
Korean Film Nights return online with Trapped! The Cinema of Confinement
The KCCUK has been adapting its activities to fit the constraints of a Covid-19 world. Together with the Birkbeck Film Programming and Curating MA course they have curated a new season of four film nights on a suitable theme. The movies are all available on the Korean Film Archive YouTube Channel (LKL’s index here), but […]
Korean animations at the Annecy Festival
Thanks to Jordan, a member of the LKL Facebook Group, for alerting me to news that I’ve been eagerly anticipating for 5 years: the international premiere (I think) of The Shaman Sorceress, Studio Meditation with Pencil’s adaptation of the short story by Kim Dong-ni. It is screening at the Annecy Festival, where previous releases by […]
Udine Far East Film Festival online screenings
So we now have one small thing for which we can thank the COVID lockdown: online access to overseas film festivals. I hope they continue this innovation once things get back to normality. The Udine Far East Film Festival has four Korean movies that are available for viewing from the UK. The festival runs from […]
Sky Castle: would you believe, the first K-drama I’ve ever watched. And what fun it is!
People might find it strange that, despite the fact that I’ve been following Korean culture for 20 years now, I’ve never watched a complete TV Drama series. There have been several reasons for this, but basically it boils down to lack of time, and the prohibitive cost of the DVD boxed sets. I made the […]
8 Netflix K-Dramas for people who don’t like zombies
With the extra time spent at home, the lockdown is the perfect time for many of us to catch up on television dramas. Besides being a great way to pass the time without leaving the home, dramas can provide us all with a little escapism, giving a much-needed break from the often overwhelming news cycle. […]
The Korean Film Archive Youtube Channel
Continuing some suggestions of what to do when you’re stuck at home… Many of you will already be aware that the Korean Film Archive has a wonderful YouTube Channel with loads of classic Korean movies, with English subtitles, available for free. Thing is, I’ve never found an index of the channel. So, over the years […]
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 […]
Screening: Shin Sang-ok’s To The Last Day CANCELLED
This screening is now cancelled as the KCC has closed, in common with many cultural venues, as a result of the health situation. The second screening in the KCC’s On the Front Line season: To The Last Day (이 생명 다하도록) Dir Shing Sang-ok (1960, 109 mins) Cast: Choi Eun-hee, Kim Jin-kyu, Nam Koong Won, […]