Yunchan Lim

Classical pianist Yunchan Lim – born in Siheung, Gyeonggi, South Korea, on March 20, 2004 – is best known for being the youngest person to win the Van Cliburn International Piano competition in 2022 at the age of 18. His musical journey began at the age of 7 when he began taking piano lessons and attended Seoul Arts Center’s Music Academy. He took piano more serious at 9 and was accept to the Korea National University of Arts when he was 13. While attending the university, he began studying under Professor Monsoo Sohn and entering several international competitions. In 2018, he took home the Chopin Prize – and Second Prize overall – at the Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Artists. That same year, he won the Audience Prize and Third Prize overall at the Thomas & Evon Cooper International Competition, where he was the youngest participant ever. The following year, he was also the youngest ever winner – at 15 years old – at the Isang Yun Competition. In 2020, Yunchan Lim made his recording debut with Young Musicians of Korea, Vol. 3. He came to international prominence in 2022 when he was the youngest winner of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Competition in Fort Worth, Texas. Later that year, he released the album Beethoven, Isang Yun, Barber (2022), which was recorded under the direction of Seokwon Hong and featured the Gwangju Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, he toured Europe before issuing his third album, Live from the Cliburn - Liszt: Transcendental Etudes, which climbed to number 31 on the UK Classical Albums chart.