Seoul International Music Competition Announces 2024 Winners 

Pianists Sungho Yoo and Youl Sun were awarded joint first prize at the competition's piano edition

Held annually, the Seoul International Music Competition alternates between editions for piano, violin, and voice. This year’s 19th edition for piano was open to pianists aged 17 to 31. 

The competition’s $50,000 first prize was jointly awarded to the Korean pianists Sungho Yoo (28) and Youl Sun (24). The pair will also receive solo recital opportunities and concert engagements with major international orchestras. 

Third prize with $30,000 was awarded to Jiwon Jung (22); the $20,000 fourth prize was given to Seongwoo Moon (24); and fifth place with $10,000 was awarded to Jaesung Bae (24), who also received the $5,000 special prize for Best performance of a Beethoven Sonata. 

Lastly, sixth prize with $5,000 went to Dong-Ju Kim (20). No second place winner was selected, and all prizes were won by pianists hailing from Korea. 

The finalists performed with the Hankyungarte Philharmonic led by conductor Kwang-Hyun Kim at the Seoul Arts Center. 

Chaired by Heesung Joo, the 2024 jury comprised Angela Cheng, Markus Groh, Thierry Huillet, Sofya Gulyak, Kevin Kenner, Aleksandar Madžar, Roberto Plano, Minsoo Sohn, and Danwen Wei. 

“It is my greatest honor to have been awarded First Prize at the 2024 Seoul International Music Competition!” Yoo posted on Facebook. “It has been an immensely inspiring experience to witness the remarkable performances of the contestants over the past two weeks. I extend my deepest gratitude to all the esteemed jury members … and especially to my beloved mentors for their unwavering dedication to me,” he added. “I would also like to thank my fellow contestants for making this journey so unforgettable and memorable. My heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved!!”

“I am truly honored and deeply grateful to have won the 2024 Seoul International Music Competition,” Sun wrote. “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my teacher Olivier Gardon, who has always given me great strength and encouragement, and to my teacher Daejin Kim, who has consistently believed in me. I am also sincerely thankful to my family and friends for their unwavering support, as well as to everyone who has trusted and supported me along the way. I will continue to work tirelessly to share music with even greater depth and sincerity!”