
Lim Yunchan reimagines Tchaikovsky's 'The Seasons'
Lim's second album this year to be released Aug. 22
Celebrated pianist Lim Yunchan's recording of "June: Barcarolle" was released on major streaming services Friday, ahead of the release of his new album, 'Tchaikovsky: The Seasons," Decca Classics announced Friday.
"June: Barcarolle" is the sixth track in the album scheduled to be released Aug. 22. The album will be Lim's second album this year, and was recorded at the Menuhin Hall in Surrey, England, on July 31 and Aug. 1, 2024.
The recording presents a bold reinterpretation of the Russian composer's 12-piece piano cycle — not as a sequence of changing seasons, but as a meditation on the final year of a human life, according to Decca.
Lim explained, 'Tchaikovsky's 'The Seasons' captures the final year of a human life. The first piece, 'By the Hearth,' depicts the dying fire in a stove. At first, you're swept up in a sorrow rooted in memories of the past, without knowing exactly why. Then, something new happens that gives you hope. You feel overwhelmed, drift into daydreams while watching cigarette smoke curl in the air, and cry yourself to sleep. Forgotten memories resurface, and you hesitate at the threshold of the past. Eventually, you return to the present, come to terms with everything and close the chapter on a day that will never come again, accompanied by the sound of a bell.'
The album features artwork titled 'What Is the Weight of a Petal?' by Lim's friend, Korean artist Choi Ho-yeon.
'The cover art is a work by my dear friend Choi Ho-yeon, whose brush and words trace the still, fleeting memories of those tender ancient hours which this music recalls, and dares to resurrect as eternal reverie,' Lim wrote on his Instagram post.
This is Lim's second release of the year, following the May release of the live recording of Rachmaninoff's 'Piano Concerto No. 3' from the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, where he won first prize at just 18. His 2024 studio album debut, 'Chopin: Etudes,' received widespread acclaim and swept three categories at the BBC Music Magazine Awards.
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Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
Lim Yunchan reimagines Tchaikovsky's 'The Seasons'
Lim's second album this year to be released Aug. 22 Celebrated pianist Lim Yunchan's recording of "June: Barcarolle" was released on major streaming services Friday, ahead of the release of his new album, 'Tchaikovsky: The Seasons," Decca Classics announced Friday. "June: Barcarolle" is the sixth track in the album scheduled to be released Aug. 22. The album will be Lim's second album this year, and was recorded at the Menuhin Hall in Surrey, England, on July 31 and Aug. 1, 2024. The recording presents a bold reinterpretation of the Russian composer's 12-piece piano cycle — not as a sequence of changing seasons, but as a meditation on the final year of a human life, according to Decca. Lim explained, 'Tchaikovsky's 'The Seasons' captures the final year of a human life. The first piece, 'By the Hearth,' depicts the dying fire in a stove. At first, you're swept up in a sorrow rooted in memories of the past, without knowing exactly why. Then, something new happens that gives you hope. You feel overwhelmed, drift into daydreams while watching cigarette smoke curl in the air, and cry yourself to sleep. Forgotten memories resurface, and you hesitate at the threshold of the past. Eventually, you return to the present, come to terms with everything and close the chapter on a day that will never come again, accompanied by the sound of a bell.' The album features artwork titled 'What Is the Weight of a Petal?' by Lim's friend, Korean artist Choi Ho-yeon. 'The cover art is a work by my dear friend Choi Ho-yeon, whose brush and words trace the still, fleeting memories of those tender ancient hours which this music recalls, and dares to resurrect as eternal reverie,' Lim wrote on his Instagram post. This is Lim's second release of the year, following the May release of the live recording of Rachmaninoff's 'Piano Concerto No. 3' from the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, where he won first prize at just 18. His 2024 studio album debut, 'Chopin: Etudes,' received widespread acclaim and swept three categories at the BBC Music Magazine Awards.


Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Korea Herald
Can coed K-pop make a comeback? Teddy's ‘Allday Project' stirs new hope
Industry insiders both skeptical and cautiously optimistic over Allday Project, a new coed K-pop group The Black Label, led by hitmaker and Blackpink producer Teddy Park, has sent ripples through the K-pop scene with the surprise announcement of its first coed group, Allday Project, due to debut June 23. The mixed-gender makeup of the label's second idol team is already generating a buzz — both skeptical and hopeful — before a single track has dropped. The concept may seem fresh in today's hyper-specialized K-pop market, but coed groups once thrived in the industry. In the 1990s and early 2000s, acts like Roo'Ra, Cool, Sharp and Turtles led the charge, becoming household names. But since the 2010s, coed teams have all but vanished from the mainstream. The K-pop scene has shifted toward gender-segregated acts, with agencies increasingly focused on either all-male or all-female groups optimized for fan-driven business models. Today, only a handful of coed teams remain. Koyote, which debuted in 1998, continues to perform with its original male-female lineup. Kard, launched by DSP Media in 2017, is the only other active coed idol group. That will change when Allday Project debuts, the first new mixed-gender K-pop act in eight years. Experts point to multiple structural reasons behind the genre's decline: fandom behavior, concept limitations and the demands of social media platforms. 'Coed groups peaked during the era of 1990s dance music,' said music critic Lim Hee-yun, Monday. 'At the time, public exposure relied heavily on domestic broadcast TV. On music and variety shows, it was common for men and women to perform together, rapping and singing in turns. It suited the shared viewing habits of Korean families at the time." 'But now, it's a multi-platform world where success hinges on passionate engagement through social media and short-form content,' Lim said. 'That works best when fans can hyper-focus on a single idol. That's why we see girl groups and boy groups, not coed.' That is not to say that there have been no attempts to break the mold. Sunny Hill debuted in 2007 as a five-member coed group but soon restructured into an all-girl team following the exit of its sole male member. Kard has carved out a niche by focusing on international markets, where mixed-gender acts are met with less resistance. Lim believes The Black Label might be tapping into that very niche. 'This could be a long-term play aimed at audiences who like K-pop performance and music — not necessarily those who just want to stan a particular idol. If they execute it well, it could spark a new conversation.' But there's no doubt Allday Project faces an uphill battle. The fan ecosystem of K-pop — largely split along gendered lines — makes the group's path inherently uncertain. Their success will hinge on whether they can transcend the limitations traditionally placed on coed formats and prove their mass appeal. The Black Label says it didn't set out to break barriers — it just followed the music. Allday Project was planned "without bias," like any other team, and its creative direction isn't confined by the framework of K-pop. An industry insider from one of the major agencies also expressed cautious optimism. 'It's not really about whether there have been coed groups or not,' the official said. 'These members, regardless of their debut year or gender, have strong individuality. That's what's interesting.' 'Sure, managing a coed group is hard, and fandoms can split. But maybe that's just because we haven't had a successful case yet,' the official added. 'Who's to say a mixed-gender group can't work now? It's been 30 years of K-pop -- bands are back. Maybe it's time for coed groups to shine again, too.'


Korea Herald
12-06-2025
- Korea Herald
Interview: Dancing Mongryong, Russian dancer steps into Korea's most romantic role in 'Chunhayng'
Igor Kontarev becomes 4th foreigner to perform as Mongryong in Universal Ballet's 'The Love of Chunhyang' In ballet, there is Prince Siegfried in 'Swan Lake,' Romeo in 'Romeo and Juliet' and, in Universal Ballet's repertoire, there is Mongryong in 'The Love of Chunhyang.' This weekend, Russian-born ballerino Igor Kontarev will step into one of Korea's most beloved folkloric roles, as the company brings its signature reinterpretation of the classic tale. The production returns to the stage for the first time in three years, with the soloist making history as only the fourth foreign dancer to take on the role. 'I was really surprised, first of all, because I'm a foreigner, and not many foreigners do this,' Kontarev said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Tuesday. 'I know it's a really big responsibility to do this kind of role which is so important for Korean culture and for Korean audiences.' Premiered in 2007, 'The Love of Chunhyang' brings the beloved folktale of Chunhyang, the daughter of a courtesan, and Mongryong, the son of a local aristocrat, into ballet set to Tchaikovsky's music. It is choreographed by Universal Ballet's artistic director Liu Bingxian, who is also known for 'Sim Chung' and 'Korean Emotion.' Having been with the company for nearly a decade, Kontarev was already familiar with the story. But preparing to step into Mongryong's shoes meant delving deeper into its cultural nuances. He said it was interesting to observe how the choreography reflected family dynamics across different social classes. 'The difference between Mongryong with his father and Chunhyang with her mother stood out to me. Mongryong is more calm with his father, always faces him, shows respect and bows with courtesy — which I think he was taught from a very young age. And Chunhyang feels more free with her mother.' Taking on the role has also meant intensive rehearsals and hours in the studio. A key part of the process, Kontarev said, was adapting to the unique stylistic features of Korean folk aesthetics embedded in the choreography. 'One of the biggest advantages was to learn firsthand from the choreographer Liu himself. And I'm really thankful for Hyang-gee (who plays Chunghyang). They gave me time to take in the different style,' he said. The ballet features three pas de deux between Chunhyang and Mongryong — each one mapping the couple's emotional journey, from the tender thrill of their first night together to the heartbreak of separation and, finally, their highly emotional reunion. Kontarev said the final duet was his favorite. 'It starts from the moment when Chunhyang drops into Mongryong's arms and he doesn't understand what happened to her. He first feels guilt, sorrow because this happened because of him,' he said. 'This is the highest emotional moment in the piece with all different emotions: joy and happiness and everything here. Even in practice, the emotion sometimes goes over your body, over your muscles.' What he can say for certain is that he cannot wait to meet the audience on stage. That, he says, is when the real art begins. 'When you touch the stage, when you see the audience, you understand what the art of ballet truly is,' he said. 'It's not just hard physical work — it then becomes art the moment you meet the audience, with the lights, the set, everything. You have to be inside the story.' So, he's leaving it to the audience to decide how he did. 'We are dancers but and actors, too. Sometimes, we have to show something we haven't felt yet,' he said. 'But the more I dance, the more deeply I understand the character. So let the audience see that, and let them be the judge.' 'The Love of Chunhyang' runs from Friday to Sunday at the Seoul Arts Center. Kontarev performs at 2 p.m. on Saturday alongside principal dancer Hong Hyang-gee. The production will travel to Daegu for performances on June 20 and 21.