August 2023

K-culture

Written by Sung Ji yeon
Photos courtesy by KCC Brussels

Global Potential of Korean Musicians

The potential of Korean musicians has been highlighted on the global stage once again at this year’s Queen Elisabeth Competition. The Queen Elisabeth Competition is held every year in the order of violin, piano, cello and voice, and Korean performers have stood out in each competition. A large number of Koreans advanced to the finals in piano in 2021, in cello in 2022 and in voice in 2023. Previous Korean winners include Haeran Hong (vocal, 2011), Sumi Hwang (vocal, 2014), Jiyoung Lim (violin, 2015) and Hayoung Choi (cello, 2022).
During the 2023 competition, 18 out of the 64 finalists were Korean singers. Among them, Taehan Kim, Kyungmin Kwon and Inho Jeong made it to the finals, with Taehan Kim winning the grand prize and Inho Jeong placing fifth. One of the judges, soprano Sumi Jo, said, “I am proud of the exceptional, well-prepared Korean singers.”

Korean finalists and judge after awards (From left: Kyungmin Kwon, Sumi Jo, Taehan Kim, Inho Jeong)

Behind-the-Scenes Efforts

The Korean Cultural Center of the Republic of Korea to the Kingdom of Belgium & the EU (hereinafter referred to as KCC Brussels) has worked long and hard to further solidify Korea’s musical status on the global stage by supporting Korean musicians and helping them establish their place in the music world. This is the ninth consecutive year of the KCC Brussels’ sponsorship and cooperation with the Queen Elisabeth Competition (by an annual Memorandum of Understanding since 2015). And the winners of the competition are invited each year to a gala concert. For example, KCC Brussels organized a special concert for Jiyoung Lim and Hayoung Choi in December 2022 at the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp.
The KCC Brussels also holds and sponsors concerts centered on Korean performers through a continuous exchange with the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel which is an institution of higher musical education as well as an agency for young musicians.
In February, the Center held a concert for Trio Pantoum, one of the most-promising trios in Europe. The trio consists of Bo Geun Park (cello), Hugo Meder (violin) and Virgile Roche (piano), and has recently been selected for the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel’s artist residency program. More than 100 spectators gathered for the concert and left highly satisfied with the incredible program and performances.
In April, the KCC Brussels held a baritone recital for Daegyun Jeong in the multi-hall that accommodates around 120 people. The recital was so popular that it was completely sold-out in a few days after opening the reservation. The actual recital was also very well received. Baritone Daegyun Jeong led the performance with songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Henri Duparc and Franz Schubert. Jeong also introduced the Korean folk song “The Boat Song” during his encore.
In addition, the KCC Brussels supported the collaboration between pianist Su Yeon Kim and the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, which will take place during the closing performance of the “Musiq’3” music festival in Brussels this July. As such, the KCC Brussels is creating opportunities to introduce Korean musicians to music lovers in the home of classical music.