At a National Assembly Education Committee audit on the 14th, an interview pianist Lim Yunchan gave to an overseas outlet two months ago drew renewed attention. Asked then, "Don't you miss Korea?" Lim said, "My final period of study felt like being in hell."
Rep. Jin Sun-mi of the Democratic Party of Korea, before asking Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin a question about Korea's private education that morning, said, "Pianist Lim Yunchan, who won an international competition at 17 and is achieving tremendous results, is being talked about for an interview with an Italian magazine."
Jin went on, "When asked (in the interview) about the image of Korea, (Lim Yunchan) said he does not want to go back," adding, "The last period of study was so hard it felt like hell." Regarding the interview, Jin said, "He is talking about the culture of excessive competition," and added, "I feel a sense of remorse that even a genius student achieving overwhelming results is publicly saying this."
Lim Yunchan began piano at 7, graduated at the top of his class from Yewon School, and entered the Korea National University of Arts School of Music. He won first prize at the Isang Yun International Piano Competition in 2019, and in 2022 became the youngest-ever winner at 18 at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Earlier, in 8, Lim Yunchan gave an interview to the Italian daily "La Repubblica." When asked, "Don't you miss Korea?" he answered, "No." Lim added, "The last period of study I spent in Korea was so painful," and said, "It felt like being in hell, and I even thought about dying." He also said, "Now I return to Korea only when I have performances."
Lim Yunchan's interview initially did not draw much attention, but it has recently gained traction through domestic online communities.