Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Lim Yun-chan to release new ‘Tchaikovsky: The Seasons’ album in August
Pianist Lim Yun-chan / Courtesy of Universal Music
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Pianist Lim Yun-chan will release his new album “Tchaikovsky: The Seasons” on Aug. 22 through Decca Classics, reinterpreting the Russian composer’s 12-part piano suite as a personal reflection on the final year of a human life. Pre-release track “June. Barcarolle. Andante cantabile,” the sixth piece in the set, dropped on streaming platforms Friday.
Rather than a simple journey through the calendar months, Lim’s interpretation offers an emotional journey through sorrow, memory, joy and ultimately acceptance.
“‘The Seasons’ contains the story of a life nearing its end,” Lim said in a statement. “It begins with someone sitting by a hearth, the fire gradually dimming, lost in a mix of sorrow, reverie and hope. Eventually, they return to the present, accepting everything and quietly organizing the day that will never come again.”
Lim Yun-chan's "Tchaikovsky: The Seasons" features cover art by Korean artist and Lim’s longtime friend Choi Ho-yeon. Courtesy of Universal Music
The album was recorded at the Menuhin Hall in Surrey, the U.K., and features cover art by Korean artist and Lim’s longtime friend Choi Ho-yeon, mirroring the album’s introspective tone. Lim praised Choi on Instagram as an artist “whose brush and words trace the still, fleeting memories of those tender ancient hours which this music recalls, and dares to resurrect as eternal reverie.”
“Tchaikovsky: The Seasons” is Lim’s second album of 2025, following the release of his live recording of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 earlier this year. His 2024 studio debut, “Chopin: Etudes,” earned widespread critical acclaim and won three BBC Music Magazine Awards, further establishing the young pianist as a standout talent in the classical world.
Lim performed “The Seasons” throughout his 2023-2024 tour season, receiving praise from critics and audiences alike for the emotional transparency and maturity of his interpretation.