Kim Kihoon's Endless Challenge "There Is No Future for an Artist Who Is Satisfied"

'BBC Cardiff Singer of the World' Opera Aria Category Winner
"I believe good art is born from constant dissatisfaction, so I challenge myself"
"I want to be remembered as a baritone like soprano Jo Sumi"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

"I wanted to take a path less traveled and also hold the title of being the first Korean." This was the sentiment expressed by baritone Kim Ki-hoon (30) after achieving his goal at the world-renowned vocal competition, the 'BBC Cardiff Singer of the World,' on June 19. At a press conference held on the 17th at Maria Callas Hall in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, he said, "I challenged myself with the mindset of winning one last time," adding, "I once wished to stand on the same stage as Bryn Terfel (56, UK) and Dmitri Hvorostovsky (1962?2017, Russia), and now that I have actually won, the feeling is very special." Terfel and Hvorostovsky are vocalists considered among the world's top three baritones. They rose to prominence through this competition.

Following in their footsteps, Kim Ki-hoon has already placed twice in major competitions. In 2019, he secured second place in both the Tchaikovsky Competition and Operalia. However, he was not satisfied. To wash away the regret of not winning, he ignited a strong will to challenge himself once more. Kim stated, "I believe that great art is born from constant dissatisfaction." "An artist who is satisfied has no future. The moment I become satisfied, I believe my artistic life ends. I want to remain a baritone who strives for the future."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Originally from Gokseong, Jeollanam-do, he nurtured his dream of singing while watching KBS's 'Open Concert.' He only began formal training in his third year of high school. Encouraged by a singing instructor he met at a church seminar, he sang classical music and art songs. However, during his time at Yonsei University's vocal department, he suffered from vocal cord nodules and at one point considered quitting singing altogether. Thinking it was not his path, he even contemplated becoming a boxing athlete.

Kim Ki-hoon overcame his slump through relentless effort and graduated at the top of his class from Yonsei University's vocal department. He also completed his master's degree at the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media in Germany with perfect scores. After working at the Hanover State Opera, he is now active mainly in Europe. Following this win, his schedule has become tight starting in October. He is slated to perform in the opera 'La Boh?me' at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany, and 'Cos? fan tutte' at the San Diego Opera House in the United States. He is also scheduled to appear at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in the UK, the National Opera House in Warsaw, Poland, and the Washington National Opera in the US. He said, "I will not become complacent or aim to maintain the status quo just because I have the title," adding, "I will dream big but take each goal step by step. Just as everyone thinks of Jo Sumi when they hear 'soprano,' I want to be the person who comes to mind when people think of baritone."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 4th of next month, Kim Ki-hoon will hold a recital at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center with the Korea Coop Orchestra led by Kim Deok-gi. He plans to perform many of the pieces he sang in the competition. These include "My Desire, My Delusion" from Korngold's opera 'Die tote Stadt' and "Largo al factotum" from Rossini's opera 'The Barber of Seville.' He will also perform "Rivolgi a me lo sguardo" from Mozart's 'Cos? fan tutte' and "Il dolce suono" from Donizetti's 'Lucia di Lammermoor.' "When I sing, I do not look into the void. I make eye contact with the audience and pay attention to their reactions. The happiest moment is when I receive applause. I gain tremendous strength and am deeply moved. Isn't that the driving force behind making music?"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.