Pianist Lee Hyuk Advances to Finals of Chopin Competition

Pianist Lee Hyuk.

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] Pianist Lee Hyuk (21, photo) has advanced to the finals of the 18th Chopin Competition.

According to the official website of the Chopin Competition on the 17th, the list of 12 finalists, including Korea's Lee Hyuk, was announced for the 18th Chopin Competition held in Warsaw, Poland, until the 20th. Held once every five years, this competition is considered one of the "world's top three competitions" alongside the Tchaikovsky and Queen Elizabeth competitions. In 2015, Cho Seong-jin won this competition.

This year's competition was postponed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year and is being held for the first time in six years. Over 500 participants applied, with a total of 96 advancing to the main round, and among the 23 who reached the third round of the main competition, finalists were selected. Lee Hyuk performed at 6 p.m. local time on the last day of the third round, the 16th.

The final results will be announced after 6 p.m. local time on the 20th, once the last performance concludes.

Meanwhile, Korean finalists in the Chopin Competition include Lim Dong-min, Lim Dong-hyuk, and Son Yeol-eum in 2005, and Cho Seong-jin in 2015. Cho Seong-jin was the first Korean to win the competition at the age of 21. The Lim brothers, Dong-min and Dong-hyuk, tied for third place.