World-renowned pianist Im Yoon-chan (21) has recently gained attention online for his comments about Korea's competitive culture made during a past interview with foreign media.
Recently, a post titled “Pianist Im Yoon-chan, who is in the spotlight for criticizing Korean society” has spread across online communities and social media. The post includes excerpts from Im Yoon-chan's interview published on August 22 of last year (local time) in the prominent Italian daily 'La Repubblica'.
At that time, when asked if he missed Korea while studying abroad, Im Yoon-chan firmly replied, “No,” stating, “My last years of study in Korea were very painful. It felt like I was in hell, and I even thought about wanting to die.” He added, “Now, I only return to Korea when I have a performance.”
Regarding the difficulties of living in Korea, Im Yoon-chan pointed to the 'excessive competitive culture'. He explained, “Korea is small and has a large population, so competition is very fierce. Everyone tries to get ahead, and sometimes in that process, they harm others.”
In particular, he mentioned that since he began to stand out as a pianist at the age of 17, he received “unnecessary pressure and inappropriate expectations” from external figures such as politicians and businessmen. Im Yoon-chan reflected, “This caused me great sadness.”
These remarks did not receive much attention immediately after the interview, but they have recently come to light through domestic online communities, resonating with many. Netizens reacted with comments like “A complete mess, Korean education,” “Children crushed by academies since kindergarten,” and “The Korean education system that doesn’t give a moment to breathe.”
Born in 2004, Im Yoon-chan made history as the first performer to win all three awards for 'Album of the Year', 'Instrumental Award', and 'Best Newcomer' at the BBC Music Magazine Awards with his Chopin: Etudes album released last year. He has also won prestigious international album awards such as the Gramophone Award and the Diapason d'Or, expanding his influence on the international stage.
In December, he is scheduled to perform with the Santa Cecilia Orchestra in Italy on the stage of the Seoul Arts Center, meeting with domestic fans.
