Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.
Lim Yun-chan's recital at Tongyeong Festival sold out in 58 seconds
Pianist Lim Yun-chan / Courtesy of MOC Production
By Park Jin-hai
The 2025 Tongyeong International Music Festival, with star pianist Lim Yun-chan as its artist-in-residence, has witnessed an unprecedented surge in ticket sales immediately after its release.
The Tongyeong International Music Foundation announced on Friday that tickets for the 2025 festival sold out within a minute of their release, following the announcement of the festival's theme and resident performers. The opening performance, featuring Lim as a soloist with the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra, was the first to sell out in 58 seconds.
The festival, set to take place from March 28 to April 6, 2025, under the theme of "Journey Inwards," in Tongyeong in South Gyeongsang Province, selected Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen as the composer-in-residence while appointing pianist Lim and Spanish cellist Pablo Ferrández as artist-in-residence performers.
Since the young virtuoso Lim, who shot to fame after becoming the youngest winner of the Gold Medal at the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, was appointed as the festival's artist-in-residence last month, the program has been generating immense interest. Anticipating fierce competition for tickets, many potential attendees inquired about becoming supporting members to gain early access to ticket sales.
"We had to cap the number of supporting members due to overwhelming demand, and new memberships have been suspended since the second half of this year," the foundation said.
The "Lim Yun-chan effect" is evident across the board. With the festival taking place in a relatively remote location, accommodations around the Tongyeong Concert Hall have been fully booked due to numerous inquiries.
The 10-day festival will feature a total of 29 official performances. World-renowned musicians and ensembles will participate, including early classical music maestro René Jacobs and the B'Rock Orchestra, the world's leading contemporary music ensemble Ensemble intercontemporain, violinists Ilya Gringolts and Kim Hyun-Seo, pianists Sunwoo Yekwon, Mun Ji-yeong, Kim Tae-hyung, Sun Youl, horn player Yoo Hae-ree, "pansori" master Lee Jaram, sopranos Hwang Su-mi and Georgia Jarman, tenor Miles Mykkanen, baritone Kim Gi-hoon and the K'ARTS Sinfonietta conducted by Yoon Han-kyeol.