[2026 Classic] Home to Cho Seongjin and Lim Yunchan, Yet Classical Concert Attendance Remains at 2%

Perceived as a Culture Enjoyed by Only a Select Few
Challenges Include Insufficient Support and High Ticket Prices
Need to Engage the Public Through Platform Diversification

South Korea is home to world-renowned pianists such as Cho Seongjin and Lim Yunchan, who are considered among the busiest in the world. However, only 2 out of every 100 people in the country attend classical music performances. This is the current state of the Korean classical music market. Despite the emergence of star performers, the market base remains fragile. Classical music is still perceived as a culture enjoyed by only a very small minority. The industry faces numerous challenges, including a market structure dominated by private planning agencies, insufficient government support, and high ticket prices. As public interest rises with the appearance of new stars, there is a growing call for the classical music industry to expand its connection with the general public.

Korean classical music has established a clear presence on the international stage. The World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC), under UNESCO, held an international career forum for next-generation performers in Korea last month, reflecting the steady emergence of new star musicians each year. Notable achievements include Cho Seongjin and Lim Yunchan, as well as cellist Choi Hayoung, who won the 2022 Queen Elisabeth Competition; baritone Kim Taehan, who won the 2023 Queen Elisabeth Competition; and pianist Kim Sehyun, who claimed victory at last year's Busoni Competition.

Despite the rise of star performers, the rate of classical concert attendance remains stagnant. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, only 2.3% of the population attended at least one classical performance in 2024. This figure was the second lowest among nine survey categories, following dance (0.6%). In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate was 6.1%, but it plummeted to 2.2% in 2020 when the pandemic began, and has since hovered between 1% and 2%. As a result, classical music is becoming increasingly distant from the public's interest.

High ticket prices are cited as the biggest barrier. Professor Noh Seunglim of Sookmyung Women's University pointed out at the WFIMC forum, "Last year, the price of an R-seat ticket for the Berlin Philharmonic's performance in Korea was 550,000 won. When converted to euros, that's 321 euros, while the most expensive ticket in Germany is only 150 euros." He explained, "In Europe, public organizations and concert halls lead the planning and there is a strong awareness of cultural welfare, but in Korea, the market is dominated by private planning agencies that must consider profitability." Government support is also difficult to expect. Budget allocation for only 2% of the population is hard to justify, and there is frequent criticism that more attention should be paid to promoting traditional Korean music. Ultimately, there is a growing consensus that the solution lies in the classical music industry itself expanding its connection with the public. In particular, it is worth noting that the online platform market has grown rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kang Gilho, head of public relations at the KBS Symphony Orchestra, analyzed, "One of the reasons the classical concert attendance rate has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels may be that audiences have migrated to online platforms." In fact, during the pandemic, the film industry saw its theater-centric structure shaken as online video services (OTT) grew rapidly. Similarly, classical music ensembles need to diversify their platforms beyond concert halls to reach the public. For audiences, online platforms offer the advantage of accessing a wide variety of music at relatively low cost.

The YouTube video of Lim Yunchan's performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in the finals of the 2021 Van Cliburn Competition symbolizes this potential. As of the 5th, the video had recorded over 18.57 million views, an exceptional achievement for a classical performance video. Among Rachmaninoff piano concerto videos, it holds the highest number of views.

Major overseas orchestras are already expanding their reach to audiences through digital strategies. The Berlin Philharmonic, considered one of the best in the world, launched its "Digital Concert Hall" in 2008, ushering in the era of streaming services. The Vienna Philharmonic, known for its conservative approach, does not have its own platform but is expanding its online presence through collaborations with Medici.tv, Apple Classical, and others.

KBS Symphony Orchestra Performance Scene [Photo by KBS Symphony Orchestra]

In Korea, the KBS Symphony Orchestra became the first domestic symphony orchestra to introduce the "Digital K Hall" in 2020. Last July, the Seoul Arts Center officially launched "Digital Stage," providing high-definition videos of not only classical music but also a variety of performing arts, including theater, opera, and ballet.

Kang noted, "While the scale is not large, the number of subscribers to Digital K Hall is steadily increasing, and we are also seeing the effect of online audiences returning to the concert hall." He added, "In the past, ticket buyers were mainly in their 40s to 60s, but recently, the audience has become much more diverse, including teenagers."

Classical music critic Ryu Taehyung commented, "Online platforms cannot replace live performances, but it is true that content that helps people understand classical music has significantly increased through YouTube and other channels."