‘K-Classical’: Rebel with a Cause
Hyo Won Hwang
Reporter, eToday
Korean classical musicians are stepping into the global spotlight after decades of peripheral presence.
Moreover, with a documentary exploring the secrets behind their popularity released in Europe, the home of
classical music, perhaps adding a “K-” before “classical” will not seem too out of place.
This recent rise to prominence is owed to numerous young musicians winning honors at some of the world’s most
respected music competitions. In June last year, baritone Kim Tae-han became the first Asian male musician to
earn first prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium, one of the three major music competitions in
the world. In 2022, Yunchan Lim became the youngest person to win the Van Cliburn International Piano
Competition and Inmo Yang, the first Korean to claim first prize at the XII International Jean Sibelius Violin
Competition in Helsinki, Finland. These are but a few examples from an extensive list of winners.
Following these multiple achievements for classical musicians and singers came a victory at the Herbert von
Karajan Young Conductors Award last year. Grand prize winner
Yoon Hankyeol drew special attention as the first Korean conductor to win the award. He is currently active on
the global stage thanks to an exclusive contract signed in November last year with Askonas Holt, a leading
artist management company specializing in classical music in the United Kingdom.
As if to testify to the enhanced status of Korea in the field of classical music, some of the world’s most
famous orchestras—including the Berlin Philharmonic (Berliner Philharmoniker), Vienna Philharmonic, and the
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra—performed in Korea last year, with many other orchestras of high global esteem
expected to visit Korea this year as well.
Of course, the current success of K-classical did not come out of the blue. Rather, it is owed to the
accumulated efforts and achievements of Korean classical musicians spanning the past 50-odd years. Notable
early contributors would be the world-class singer Sumi Jo and conductor Myung-whun Chung, followed by
Seong-Jin Cho, the first Korean pianist to win the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in 2015.
What propelled Korea from the peripheries of the classical music world to its center in such a short amount of
time? Belgian classical music producer and documentary director Thierry Loreau, shares an answer based on his
observations as a non-Korean. In K-Classics Generation, a
documentary he directed, Loreau claims that the
remarkable rise of K-classical, following the success of K-pop, was owed to the classical musicians and young
audiences of Korea. When comparing Korean artists to Sicilians of Italy, he observes that many Korean
musicians do not hesitate to express rich emotions and artistic sensitivity during their performances. In
other words, this young generation of artists emerging on the global scene energetically delivers their
inner-most stories through music. The passionate dedication of Korean audiences should not go overlooked,
either. In Europe, most concert hall seats are occupied by senior citizens, but in Korea, some classical
musicians are received like rock stars. This unusual tendency has played a significant part in shifting the
central axis of the audience, says Loreau. Moreover, behind many classical musicians’ success in international
competitions, is the support of their devoted parents.
The unprecedented global popularity of K-classical has broken stereotypical perceptions of classical music in
Korea, yet where there is light, there is also shadow. While the fandom of award-winning artists leads the
Korean classical music market, the industry remains quite limited for those who have failed to earn such
honors. In a nutshell, classical music concerts in Korea depend on the fame of a few classical music stars
with ticket-selling power. The attention given to certain reputed artists tends to mirror the consumption of
luxury goods in that it attracts even those who may not be fans of classical music to concerts once or twice.
On the other hand, this means that talented Korean musicians who lack international awards or recognition are
faced with the reality of limited interest and opportunities to perform.
To curb the ever-growing dependence on star figures and promote support of all musicians, it is crucial to
render policy supports that back up the education and training of musical talents. Distinguished musical
festivals in Korea and resources for cultural tourism should be developed as stepping stones for the
international dissemination of K-classical. Though the media and public tend to pay special attention to
prodigies and musical geniuses, more importance should be placed on sharing Korean musicians’ outstanding
classical performances with as many people as possible.
Please note: This article has been authored by an expert outside the Korea Foundation. The views expressed
here may not reflect the KF’s official position.
KOREA FOUNDATION
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