Head out from Gangnam in any direction. Within a few miles you’ll hit places where people are living out their rock bottoms. Seedy karoke joints, hostess bars, dumpy apartments. From its opening shot, The Shameless is out to remind you of this cold hard fact.
“The Shameless” isn’t…
Yes, it’s that time of year again. Undoubtedly the biggest Korea-related event in the UK’s cultural calendar is back and, for it’s tenth birthday, it’s even bigger than ever. This year’s London Korean Film Festival runs from 2 to 14 November and is presenting…
Many people in the West are fascinated by the oddities and incongruities of the Kim dynasty who have ruled North Korea since the 1950s. Kim Jong Il in particular gained a reputation as an eccentric man-child with a penchant for luxury goods. Often tales of his predilection for Hennessy…
There’s been a lot of buzz today in Asian film internet circles about a certain website stealing a massive amount of content from various sources. Japan Cinema, a website which has been operating for over five years now with a seemingly loyal readership, has been plagiarising many if not…
As woman, no, a person, who cares about gender issues and women’s rights, you have to learn to take a step back on a fairly regular basis if you want to actually enjoy Korean entertainment.
I like to think I have become pretty skilled at this over the years…
Image above: The cast of popular 2013 drama Flower Boy Next Door
If you are into Korean dramas or Korean pop music, you have probably heard the term ‘flower boy’ (kkotminam 꽃미남) being used to refer to delicate, slightly feminine-looking boys. In dramas the ‘flower boy’ is the cute, generous…
South Korea society, like many others, is deeply patriarchal. While it has advanced technologically and economically at an alarming rate, society continues to straddle both Western influences and traditional Confucian values. Although it is predominantly patriarchal, more and more women are taking part in the corporate work force, even securing…
