Pianist Lim to marry

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff reporter

Star pianist Lim Dong-hyek, 26, will wed on June 13 at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand InterContinental Hotel, southern Seoul.

Lim's bride, identified by her surname Kim, is a business student one year his junior, according to the pianist's agency. The two met during dinner with a mutual friend and have been dating for two-and-a-half years. They plan to live in New York.

The pianist entered the international spotlight after making a mark in all three of the world's top competitions: third place in the 2001 Queen Elisabeth (which he notoriously refused to accept), third in the 2005 Chopin (which he famously shared with his elder brother Dong-min) and fourth in the 2007 Tchaikovsky.

In May 2001, at the age of 16, he became the youngest pianist to make a recording contract with EMI Classics and received the Diapson d'Or award in France for his debut album, which was overseen by Martha Argerich. The same year he became the youngest winner of the Long-Thibaud competition in Paris. In Korea he became the first classical musician with an online fan community with several hundred thousand members.

He will give a duo recital with cellist Gautier Capucon on June 26 at Seoul Arts Center as part of the 2010 Ditto Festival. They will perform the works of Rachmaninov, Chopin and more. Tickets cost from 30,000 to 70,000 won. Call 1577-5266 for more information.