'One of the greatest composers of our time' at only 19. Who is this rising star in Korean classical music?

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'One of the greatest composers of our time' at only 19. Who is this rising star in Korean classical music?

Published: 19 Jun. 2025, 14:35 Updated: 19 Jun. 2025, 20:50

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Nineteen-year-old composer Lee Hanurij poses for photos during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul on May 23. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Nineteen-year-old Lee Hanurij is the quickest-rising star in the world of classical music, both in Korea and abroad.

He first drew attention in March last year by winning the JoongAng Music Concours as its youngest-ever competitor. Then, in November, he captured the top prize at the Bartók World Competition in Hungary, cementing his name on the global stage. Now, he is the recipient of this year’s Yumin Awards' culture and arts category.

Nineteen-year-old composer Lee Hanuri(j) poses for photos during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul on May 23. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Logo for the Yumin Awards, held annually to honor ″Yumin″ Hong Jin-ki, the late co-founder and former chairman of the JoongAng Ilbo [YUMIN AWARDS]

Pianist Yunchan Lim called Lee “one of the greatest composers of our time.”

Born in Seoul, Lee began learning piano and violin at the age of four, influenced by his grandmother, a classical music enthusiast. He became drawn to composition at the age of nine after hearing the second movement of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin’s "Piano Sonata No. 3."

“I was so shocked by the piece that I started scribbling a violin solo on staff paper,” he recalled during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo last month at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul.

In 2016, when he was 10 years old, Lee began studying composition in earnest at the gifted program of the Seoul Arts Center. After graduating from Yewon School, an arts-focused middle school, he passed the high school qualification exam and entered the Korea National University of Arts.

Lee first met pianist Lim — two years older than Lee — during their time at Yewon School. In March and April this year, Lim performed his works at the Tongyeong International Music Festival and at Wigmore Hall in London.

“We met when I was in my first year at Yewon and he was a senior two years above me,” said Lee. “I am drawn to contemporary music, while he admires the classical piano world, but we really connect when we talk about music.”

Lee’s process for naming his compositions is distinctive. The title of the piano solo “Round and velvety-smooth blend,” which Lim performed, was taken from a phrase on a liquor bottle label he happened to see. The title reflects his musical philosophy.

“My pieces are not designed to be enhanced by added text,” said Lee. “I don’t compose music to express a particular meaning or concept. I’m more interested in exploring the inherent possibilities of instruments and the sonic relationships between them.”

Nineteen-year-old composer Lee Hanuri(j) poses for photos during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul on May 23. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Lee, who has long admired Austrian composer Beat Furrer and Korean composer Unsuk Chin, said he currently enjoys listening to contemporary works from composers in the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Japan.

“Of course, I study classical music — Robert Schumann is my favorite composer,” he said. “But so much research has already been done on classical composers. I’m more inspired when I explore living composers in my own way.”

Lee’s musical horizons continue to expand. On June 26, the Seoul Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra, under conductor Choi Soo-yeoul, will premiere his piece “Unselected Ambient Loops 25–25” at the Sejong Center. This will be Lee’s first work written for a traditional Korean orchestra.

“Until now, the longest piece I had written was about 16 minutes. This one is over 40 minutes,” he said. “Korean traditional instruments have such unique timbres that I think the genre has immense potential.”

Reacting to the “genius composer” label, Lee waved off the notion, calling it “nonsense.” He is currently planning to study abroad in Europe in the near future.

Lee was born in 2006 and is currently studying composition at the Korea National University of Arts. In 2024, he won first place in composition at the JoongAng Music Concours and also took first place at the Bartók World Competition in Hungary.

Run by the JoongAng Hwadong Foundation, the Yumin Awards were established in 2010 in memory of Hong Jin-ki (1917-1986), co-founder and former chairman of the JoongAng Ilbo, who was active in government, business and media during the founding of the country and throughout its industrialization.

The awards recognize Koreans who have made outstanding contributions to society, science and technology, as well as the culture and arts.

This year’s winners were praised for their forward-thinking achievements. The award’s judging panel includes Oh Se-jung, former president of Seoul National University and chair of the selection committee; Oh Jun-ho, distinguished professor at KAIST; Yu Myeong-hee, honorary researcher at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology; Kim Eun-mee, professor at Seoul National University; Joo Wan, attorney at Kim & Chang; Kim Bong-ryol, former president of the Korea National University of Arts; and Jang Eun-soo, head of the Editorial Culture Laboratory.

The late Hong founded Korea’s first private broadcaster, Tongyang Broadcasting Company (TBC), and later launched the JoongAng Ilbo, turning it into one of Korea’s leading newspapers.

Lee Hanurij

*Born in 2006
*Graduated from Yewon School
*Currently studying at Korea National University of Arts
*First prize in composition at Eumak Journal Music Competition (2019)
*Grand prize at Haneum Contest (2019)
*First prize in composition at JoongAng Music Concours (2024)
*First prize, Bartók World Competition in Hungary (2024)
*Winner at Shin Young Atelier Competition (2025)

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HA NAM-HYUN [[email protected]]