Pianist Lim Yunchan is seen in this undated photo provided by Vincero. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean pianist Lim Yunchan, 21, widely regarded as one of the world’s most promising classical musicians, has drawn public attention after comments he made two months ago to an Italian newspaper resurfaced online — remarks in which he described his teenage years in South Korea as “painful” and “suffocating.”
In an August 22 interview with La Repubblica, conducted ahead of his performance at Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, Italy, Lim said his final years studying in Korea “felt like being in hell.” Asked whether he missed living in his home country, he replied, “No. I only return when I have concerts there.”
Lim cited South Korea’s intensely competitive culture as a source of deep distress during his youth. “The country is small and densely populated, so competition is fierce,” he said. “Everyone wants to get ahead, and sometimes that means hurting others.” He also recalled that when his talent began to attract attention at 17, “even politicians and business figures pressured me unnecessarily, which caused great sadness.”
South Korean Pianist Lim Yunchan performs after receiving the prestigious Gramophone Classical Music Award in the piano category and the “Young Artist of the Year” award during a ceremony in London on Oct. 2, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The comments have sparked widespread reflection and discussion online. Many Koreans expressed empathy, acknowledging the toll of the nation’s relentless academic and social pressures. “Competition in Korea is like a noose — no one lets go,” one commenter wrote, while others said Lim’s experience mirrors what many young people endure during the country’s hypercompetitive school years.
Lim, who began playing piano at age seven, was a prodigy educated entirely in Korea — graduating at the top of his class from Yewon School and later entering the Korea National University of Arts. He rose to international prominence after winning the 2019 Isang Yun International Piano Competition and became the youngest-ever winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022 at just 18.
Now based in Boston, Lim continues his studies at the New England Conservatory under his longtime mentor Son Min-soo, who also left Korea’s National University of Arts in 2023 to join the conservatory faculty.
Lim’s acclaimed 2023 album Chopin: Études swept three major categories — Recording of the Year, Instrumental Award, and Newcomer Award — at the BBC Music Magazine Awards this April, marking the first time in the award’s history that a single album won all three.
Pianist Lim Yunchan holds the Piano Award trophy and the Young Artist Award trophy he received at the Gramophone Classical Music Awards ceremony held in London on October 2, 2024. (Yonhap)
While his remarks have reignited debate about the darker sides of South Korea’s success-driven culture, many see Lim’s candid reflection not as criticism, but as an appeal to confront the emotional costs of excellence in a society that often equates self-worth with achievement.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
