Journalist
Yoon Juhye
jujusun@ajunews.com
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New Books: 'Venturenomics' Urges Shift From Real Estate to Startups in South Korea Venturenomics=By Kim Gi-yeong, Jium Media. The author says South Korea’s economy is confronting a “trilemma” of real estate dependence, a low birthrate and U.S.-China tensions, and argues the country must break through with innovation. He writes that “the Republic of Korea’s runway is rapidly getting shorter.” In startup terms, “runway” means how long cash reserves can sustain survival. Without innovation, he warns, the national “aircraft” could fail to take off. As what he calls the only solution to secure a runway for a new leap, he proposes a “venture nation” strategy. A central argument is that a real estate-centered structure has weakened innovation capacity. Money tied up in property, he writes, not only resists innovation but also reinforces preferences for jobs at large companies, in professional fields and in the public sector, creating a social climate that discourages entrepreneurship and moves to startups. By contrast, the book says the Chinese government, despite a multiyear property downturn, has refrained from large-scale stimulus and instead focused on strategic industries such as electric vehicles, batteries and artificial intelligence. It says China’s advanced-technology competitiveness has been strengthening quickly, citing the release of DeepSeek as an example. The author calls for “more innovative startups” and points to overseas examples readers can study: Israeli startups targeting the U.S. market from the earliest stages, and Finnish tech firms such as Supercell rising through what he calls the “Nokia diaspora.” He repeatedly notes that domestic-focused Korean startups such as Toss, Baedal Minjok and Zigbang have posted large operating losses, and again stresses the need to expand overseas. He also proposes creating a “startup sovereign wealth fund.” He adds that South Korea’s education structure — often labeled a “medical school republic” — could, paradoxically, become an opportunity to grow K-bio and K-health care industries. The book, however, does not address how to actively cultivate physician-scientists or how the government could build conditions for entrepreneurs to try again after failure, a gap the article notes. Another challenge is breaking what it calls the long-entrenched “myth that real estate never loses.” Soaring home prices are widely seen as obstacles not only to innovation but also to consumption, marriage and childbirth. The president has repeatedly used X to call for stabilizing the real estate market, but the article says no one can guarantee whether the current “war on home prices” will change the market’s direction. “The problem is the nature of capital. Money tied up in real estate rejects innovation. Even when new technology emerges, that capital does not take risks. The entire country’s appetite for risk declines, and the total amount of innovation shrinks. It means capital that flowed into ‘Eterno Cheongdam’ is unlikely to create next-generation semiconductor IP or become seed money for an AI startup. In Korea, real estate is not just an asset but the center of the financial order. As a learned result over the past 20 years, ‘rational’ Koreans came to trust leverage more than labor. Real estate is seen as almost the only ‘investment that does not fail’ in Korean society.” (p. 10) You Are a Runner, Too=By Runnerimba (Yoo Moon-jin), Editor. The author, an experienced runner who logs 800 kilometers a month, writes that “running is the easiest start and creates the biggest change.” He presents running not as simple exercise but as a force that can reshape daily life. Even on days when the body feels heavy, he says, pushing oneself outside to run can ultimately build the confidence of “I can do it.” The book describes benefits of running, saying even short runs can improve cardiovascular endurance and help relieve stress. It also offers practical advice for beginners, including a two-week start plan: for 20 minutes, walk for one minute and run for two minutes, repeating the cycle to build consistency. It also covers when and where to run, pros and cons of morning versus evening runs, and seasonal clothing. The book addresses how to run without knee pain, what to eat before running, how office workers can design routines, how to overcome slumps, and how to prepare for marathons. At the end of each chapter, short tips labeled “Runnerimba’s one-line comment” aim to steady readers when they feel like quitting. Among them: “What a first-time runner needs is not a speedometer but the will to run,” and “Consistency isn’t running every day; it’s continuing to run.” “So the best standard when you jog is this: ‘Can you run while talking?’ It’s simple and applies to anyone. If you can keep a natural conversation while running alongside a friend, that’s jogging. If you’re gasping and can’t finish a sentence, that’s not jogging but high-intensity training. And if you can speak a full sentence without needing to catch your breath afterward, you’re jogging at an appropriate pace. This standard works even when you run alone. You don’t have to actually speak. Count ‘one, two, three, four...’ in your head, hum lyrics, or think, ‘At this pace, I could talk if someone were next to me.’ If you feel that, you’ve already found a great jogging speed.” (pp. 68-69)* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-09 16:03:27 -
Arts Council Korea Wins Top Prize at U.S. LACP Vision Awards for Sustainability Report Arts Council Korea (ARKO) said its sustainability reports have received top ratings from recognized evaluators at home and abroad, underscoring its ESG management capabilities. ARKO said Monday it won a domestic Global Standard Management Award (GSMA) for its first-ever “2024 Sustainability Management Report,” and then took the top prize for its “2025 Sustainability Management Report” at the U.S.-based LACP Vision Awards. The organization said it has now won major awards in Korea and overseas for two consecutive years. ARKO’s 2025 report won the grand prize in the nonprofit integrated report category at the LACP “2024/25 Vision Awards.” In the evaluation, which drew participation from more than 1,000 organizations worldwide, ARKO scored 99 out of 100. It received perfect scores in seven of eight categories, including first impression, cover design and message clarity. ARKO also won the Technical Achievement Award for report-writing quality. ARKO said its 2024 report won the grand prize in the sustainability management report category at the 23rd GSMA awards hosted by the Korea Management Certification Institute (KMR), marking the first such achievement in the culture and arts sector. It said the LACP win shows its ESG strategy and results meet global standards. The “2025 Sustainability Management Report” describes ARKO’s efforts on carbon neutrality practices, inclusive arts support and stronger transparent management, the organization said. ARKO Chairman Jeong Byeong-guk said, “Achieving results for two consecutive years, from our first published report to this global award, is a meaningful outcome that shows ARKO’s ESG management efforts have been recognized worldwide.” He added that ARKO will continue to make ESG management a core value in its operations in line with the government’s push to strengthen ESG management at public institutions. The full sustainability management report is available on the ARKO website. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-09 15:21:15 -
Actor Park Shin-yang Brings ‘Fourth Wall’ Solo Exhibition to Seoul “When I looked closely, and for a long time, it was far from something round and red. I kept thinking about whether an apple has to be round and red,” actor Park Shin-yang said. Park said he began painting after two apples given to him by the late Bishop René Dupont started to rot and he could not bring himself to throw them away. As he painted, he moved from asking how to draw an apple to asking what painting itself is. He has since painted about 40 apples, he said, and over time the apples in his work became neither red nor round. Through that process, he said, he found his own sense of movement: an apple does not have to be round and red. Park is holding his second solo exhibition at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts’ museum. At a March 6 news conference at the venue, he said, “Everything is expression,” adding, “The word ‘expression’ doesn’t hold unless you talk about ‘me.’” He also stressed the need to understand one’s feelings before trying to talk about them. “To speak about my emotions and express them, I first have to know what kind of emotion it is,” he said, underscoring the importance of knowing oneself. As he painted and examined his emotions, Park said he traced the roots of his longing to a friend named Kirill, whom he studied with while in Russia. “Kirill is the person I know who looks at people with the most generosity,” he said. “He’s a friend with a gaze that opens up the possibilities of existence, a friend who puts you at ease.” Like the apples, Park said he painted Kirill in different ways. He said people told him, “If you miss your friend, you can just go see him,” but that was not the point. He said he asked himself when and where the longing began, when it grew strongest, how it eased, how it guided him, and whether longing is a common or even necessary human emotion. He said he tried to place on the canvas not only feelings toward the person he missed, but also his attitude toward those feelings. Interpreting his emotions and trying to understand himself, he said, naturally led to painting. The exhibition is closely tied to that self-exploration. Calling theater the background of his life, Park said he designed the show as what he described as Korea’s first theatrical exhibition. In the exhibition, which he calls a “studio,” 15 actors perform like spirits between the paintings and visitors. The staging is meant to let the “fourth wall” — the invisible boundary between stage and audience — shift freely between reality and imagination. Park has described himself as having lived as a clown. In his book <Discovery of Emotions>, he mentions the fourth wall and recalls, “The distance I tried to forget keeps catching my eye now.” In the exhibition, the spirit-like figures in clown form cross that unseen boundary. Asked near the end of the news conference why he pursued theatrical elements even if some visitors might feel uncomfortable, Park replied: “I don’t know why I shouldn’t try. No one knows whether it will be uncomfortable or enjoyable,” he said. The exhibition runs from March 6 to May 10. 2026-03-09 00:03:23 -
Kwon Noh-kap to Hold Book Launch for ‘Kwon Noh-kap: 100-Year Biography’ at National Assembly Museum Kwon Noh-kap, chairman of the Kim Dae-jung Foundation (96) and a standing adviser to the Democratic Party, will hold a publication ceremony on March 6 at the National Assembly Museum in Yeouido for his book, “Kwon Noh-kap: 100-Year Biography,” which sums up his political life. The book features comments on Kwon from 117 people, ranging from presidents and first ladies to National Assembly speakers, prime ministers, ministers, political allies and juniors, rivals and friends. It is both a tribute to a veteran politician and a record of modern South Korean political history. Congratulatory messages (to be read on behalf of the speakers) are scheduled from President Lee Jae-myung, former first lady Kwon Yang-sook and former President Moon Jae-in. Video messages are also planned from National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and Democratic Party leader Jung Cheong-rae. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, former National Assembly speakers, the head of the National Assembly Alumni Association and other senior political figures are expected to attend and offer remarks. The book is divided into four parts. Part 1 includes recollections of Kwon by figures such as Moon, Woo and Kim. Part 2 traces an era marked by industrialization and democratization, division and solidarity, portraying Kwon as guided not by power but by what he believed was the right direction. Part 3 describes years of hardship endured in the struggle for democratization and persistent preparations aimed at a change of government. Part 4 focuses on Kwon’s present, depicting him as someone who, even as he nears 100, chooses to keep learning rather than to teach. Kwon said, “I cannot fully express my gratitude to the colleagues and juniors who wrote for this book.” * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 16:31:13 -
Arko Marks 10 Years of Small Museums Turning Idle Spaces Into Local Arts Hubs The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Arts Council Korea (Arko) held an anniversary event on March 5 at the Artists House in Daehangno, Seoul, to mark the 10th year of the “Small Museum Creation and Operations Support” program, share results and recognize outstanding operations. Launched in 2015, the program converts unused public spaces in areas without museums into cultural venues to expand residents’ access to the arts. Since then, 38 small museums have been established in 34 cities and counties nationwide. The event reviewed the program’s progress and recognized small museums and organizations that have served as local cultural hubs, as well as individual planners, for exemplary work. The top prize went to the Bogugot Small Museum in Gimpo, created by repurposing a civil defense shelter. Judges cited its decade of exhibition and education programs involving a nearby military unit and local residents, reflecting the site’s location in a border area. The award for expanding the value of local resources went to the Sacheon Small Museum in South Gyeongsang Province, built between Samcheonpo Bridge Park and the sea. The award for excellence in local cooperation governance went to the Bupyeong Bae-dari Itda Space Small Museum in Incheon, created by renovating an old inn building. The award for operational sustainability went to the Naju Small Museum, converted from a rice mill. In the individual category, Arko presented citations to planners who designed and ran programs and to a village residents’ representative for contributions to the project. The operations merit award went to Kim Hyeon-ju, director of the Angye Small Museum, and to Lee Myeong-gyu, chairman of the Naju Small Museum (Naju Eupseong Village Management Social Cooperative). The outstanding planner award went to Kim Sin-ae, a planner at Samcheok Small Museum AND (Tantan Village Management Social Cooperative). Arko Chairman Jeong Byeong-guk, who took part in the awards, said the past decade showed how “barren spaces” could be reborn as cultural venues “where art can breathe,” thanks to the dedication of artists, planners and residents. He said Arko would continue support so that “anyone can encounter art close to everyday life.” More information on the program is available on Arko’s website. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 14:57:26 -
BTS Ticket Scalping Persists as Free Gwanghwamun Seats and Goyang Show Listings Soar BTS concert ticket scalping is surging, with seats for a free Gwanghwamun performance being resold for hundreds of thousands of won and scalped tickets for an Arirang show in Goyang approaching 1 million won. The resale market has effectively turned BTS tickets into a money-making venue, industry officials said, raising doubts about whether the government’s response is working. They argue safeguards remain weak, including what they describe as a hands-off approach to online resale platforms. On the 6th, social media was filled with posts offering BTS tickets for resale, including seats that were originally distributed for free. On X, resale activity was taking place openly. As of that day, posts claiming to transfer tickets for the Gwanghwamun comeback performance appeared in rapid succession, and simple keyword searches were enough to find sales channels. Sellers said they could hand over access through methods they called “account transfer” and “wristband transfer,” and sought buyers accordingly. Despite the visibility of these transactions on social media, enforcement appeared ineffective. Industry sources criticized what they said was a market operating in plain sight despite government crackdowns. Scalped tickets are also widespread for “BTS World Tour Arirang in Goyang,” scheduled for April 9-12. Face-value prices range from 198,000 won to 264,000 won, but resale prices have jumped severalfold. Listings were easy to find not only on social media but also on Ticketbay, described as the country’s largest ticket-transfer platform. Prices posted there ranged from 390,000 won to 999,000 won per seat — about two to three times the original price. Sellers have also exploited Ticketbay’s “price cap” introduced in January that limits the per-ticket listing price to under 1 million won, posting tickets at 999,000 won — just 1,000 won below the ceiling. Critics said a formal cap alone is unlikely to curb scalping. Industry officials said weak platform regulation and enforcement have left the scalping market effectively operating in the open, even as the government has recently declared a war on scalping. Choi has described scalping as a long-standing problem in the cultural industry and has pledged a tougher response. The government has pushed revisions to the Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act to sharply increase penalties, including fines of up to 50 times the amount of scalped sales and provisions allowing authorities to confiscate and recover illicit profits. But critics say the bills were prepared quickly and that detailed enforcement rules remain insufficient. On the ground, many say current measures fall short of rooting out scalping. They argue that strengthening punishment alone, while leaving online scalping platforms untouched, is unlikely to be effective. An industry official who requested anonymity said it was welcome that recent legal revisions allow scalping to be sanctioned, but called it contradictory to say authorities will crack down while tickets are traded openly on platforms such as Ticketbay. The official said the broader ticket distribution system needs an overhaul, including tougher action against resale platforms and stronger identity verification comparable to airline ticketing. 2026-03-06 11:54:23 -
Novel Explores Kim Gu’s Personal Struggles in ‘Baekbeom, Lying Down on the Mountains and Rivers’ “‘They say the Japanese enemy is surrendering!’ To me, those words were not good news but as if the sky were collapsing and the ground giving way. Years of effort to prepare to enter the war came to nothing. We worked closely with the U.S. War Department, but Japan surrendered before we could carry anything out. I regretted all we had put into it, and I worried about what lay ahead.” -Baekbeom Kim Gu UNESCO has selected Kim Gu as its “Peace Figure of the Year,” and novelist Lim Sun-man, 72, has published a new work, <Baekbeom, Lying Down on the Mountains and Rivers>, publisher Hangilsa said Wednesday. The novel portrays Kim’s life and his personal anguish. Lim completed the book after more than a decade of reporting and about five years of writing. He said the project began when, as a reporter in 1995, he visited the shabby building that housed the Provisional Government in Chongqing, China, and felt both sadness and a sense of debt. At the briefing, held Feb. 23 at the memorial hall in Seoul’s Yongsan district, Lim recalled the visit to the provisional government site, saying it was “so shabby” that it “really hurt.” He said something stayed with him, adding, “I felt an echo that I had to write something about this.” The book is organized into 24 chapters, covering the Chihapo incident in which Kim killed a Japanese man in revenge for the assassination of Empress Myeongseong, his involvement with the Donghak movement and life in exile, the independence struggle of Lee Bong-chang and Yun Bong-gil, post-liberation turmoil and division, opposition to trusteeship, inter-Korean talks, and Kim’s assassination at Kyunggyojang. Hangilsa CEO Kim Eon-ho said UNESCO’s selection of Kim as “Person of the Year” has made him, beyond Korea, a great independence activist recognized worldwide. He said he hopes as many teenagers as possible will read the novel. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 00:07:26 -
Secret 1920 Letter by Independence Leader Kim Ga-jin Goes on Display After 106 Years On March 12, 1920, Joseon Minjok Daedongdan president Kim Ga-jin sent a secret letter to Park Yong-man (1881-1928), the group’s military affairs chief — a role comparable to a defense minister today. In the letter, Kim argued for an “independence war,” saying Korea should not only reclaim its territory but also open a path to strike Japan’s mainland. “There is nothing better than to build ties with China, ally with the United States, make an agreement with the radicals, and then choose the nearest and most suitable place in Russian territory as our military’s central base, controlling Yanji and the two Gando regions. (omitted) We will be able to water our horses in Tokyo Bay.” The letter is being shown publicly for the first time in 106 years at a special exhibition, “Joseon Minjok Daedongdan — Determined to Risk a Bloody Fight,” running through May 31 at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary History. The show is organized by the Dongnong Cultural Foundation and the Joseon Minjok Daedongdan Memorial Association. Organizers say it is the first exhibition to focus on Joseon Minjok Daedongdan, 107 years after the group’s founding. The exhibit covers the March 1 independence movement and the group’s formation, its activities and the Daedongdan Declaration. “We will be able to water our horses in Tokyo Bay” Joseon Minjok Daedongdan was a secret anti-Japanese independence organization formed in the wake of the March 1 movement in 1919. Because it operated as a clandestine group, few records remain. Research on Korea’s independence movement has also largely centered on the March 1 movement and the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, leaving Daedongdan relatively understudied. Organizers say the newly revealed letter is therefore a valuable historical source. Kim’s family had kept the letter privately. Kim Seon-hyeon, chair of the Dongnong Cultural Foundation and Kim’s great-granddaughter, said her great-grandfather fled to the Provisional Government in Shanghai and traveled widely across China. She said that despite wars including the Korean War, her grandmother safeguarded the belongings, leaving about 600 items including the letter and calligraphy. The letter came to light during preparations for a 2024 calligraphy exhibition on Kim at the Seoul Arts Center, titled “Baegun Seogyeong.” Kim Seon-hyeon said the team transcribed the cursive text into a more readable script, confirming the existence of the secret letter and deciding to disclose it now. Kim wrote to Park at a time of internal rifts within the Provisional Government in Shanghai. Independence activists clashed over strategy — war, diplomacy and training — and over whether to maintain the Provisional Government. Ahn Chang-ho and Yeo Un-hyeong backed keeping it while pursuing partial reforms. Shin Chae-ho and Park argued for dissolving it and establishing a new independence government, emphasizing armed struggle. Syngman Rhee and others also argued for maintaining the Provisional Government. Kim believed independence could be achieved through armed struggle, and he was appointed an adviser to the Bukro Military Administration Office under Gen. Kim Jwa-jin. Organizers say the letter is an important document showing Kim’s resolve to pursue an independence war. In the letter, Kim invoked the sound of a drum to press the need to advance. “With the drum sounded once, we can strike the cunning Japanese enemy’s solid armor and sharp weapons; with the drum sounded twice, we can recover our land; with the drum sounded three times, we will be able to water our horses in Tokyo Bay.” Dreaming of a world without discrimination True to its name, Daedong — meaning “great unity” — the group envisioned a society without discrimination. It argued that Koreans should unite across status and class to achieve independence, world peace and a “Daedong society.” Its membership spanned social groups, including Prince Uichin Yi Kang (1877-1955), described as the only royal family member to join the independence movement, as well as Kim Ga-jin and others including Jeon Hyeop, Choi Ik-hwan, Baek Cho-wol and Lee Sin-ae. It also included teachers, students, workers, merchants and others. After the March 1 movement, the group elevated Kim as president and set up core bodies including administrative, foreign affairs, finance and military functions, forming an organization comparable to a government. It actively cooperated with the Provisional Government and divided responsibilities. It communicated with the Provisional Government through the Yeontongje network, ran a secret printing operation and led anti-Japanese information activities. The nationwide network was used to share news of the Provisional Government inside Korea and raise military funds, functioning like a communications web. The group also supported the exile of royal family members and former Korean Empire officials, raised funds and held current-affairs lectures for Koreans in Shanghai. It issued the Daedongdan Declaration — described as a second March 1 declaration — explored plans to attack Japan’s mainland and shared the Provisional Government’s work in military, diplomacy, finance, communications and propaganda. It also pushed for Prince Uichin Yi Kang’s flight to Shanghai, aiming to counter Japan’s claim that Emperor Gojong had legally transferred the country to Japan, a move organizers said strengthened the legitimacy and symbolism of the independence struggle. The exhibition also features the original Daedongdan Declaration written by Kim, also preserved by his descendants. The group announced the declaration in Jongno on Nov. 28, 1919, during what the article describes as a second independence demonstration, led by figures including Jeong Gyu-sik, Lee Sin-ae and Park Jeong-seon. Kim, then in exile in Shanghai, drafted the text in his own hand and sent it to Gyeongseong through the Yeontongje network. As with the March 1 declaration, the Daedongdan Declaration centered on 33 people, but it is noted as the only case in which participants from across social strata joined nationwide. The article says it rejected discrimination by gender and status. The declaration denounced Japanese abuses and stated, “We now declare that we are determined to risk a bloody fight with the greatest sincerity and the greatest effort until the last person and the last moment,” underscoring its commitment to independence. The exhibition also includes a first-trial ruling from the Gyeongseong District Court written in June 1920 on the “Daedongdan incident,” and an original handwritten “current-affairs lecture” document by Kim. “Joseon Minjok Daedongdan is an important anti-Japanese independence organization, but little is known about it,” Kim Seon-hyeon said. “I hope this exhibition will help many people reflect on the spirit of Daedongdan.” An expert forum titled “Daedong Thought and Society” will be held April 24 in the museum’s seminar room. Participants include Han Hong-gu, a chair professor at Sungkonghoe University, Kim Dong-hwan, a research fellow at the Institute of Korean Studies, and Lim Gyeong-seok, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University. Admission is free. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 00:03:52 -
Culture Minister Choi: BTS Concert Will Test Anti-Scalping Efforts, Platforms Must Act 최휘영 문화체육관광부 장관은 5일 "최근 국민적 관심이 집중된 BTS의 공연은 암표 대응의 중요한 시험대가 될 것"이라며 민관이 함께 암표 근절에 적극적으로 나서야 한다고 밝혔다. Choi said at the launch ceremony in Seoul for a joint public-private anti-scalping task force that the group must become a practical platform that carries out enforcement, built on constant cooperation between government and the private sector. The task force, which officially began work that day, brings together the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and ticketing-platform companies to routinely check for illegal ticket resales and strengthen response systems. Choi has described scalping as a long-standing chronic problem in the cultural industry and has pledged a tough response. Under revisions to the Performance Act and the National Sports Promotion Act, authorities can impose penalties of up to 50 times the amount of illegal ticket sales and allow confiscation and recovery of profits from unlawful resales, sharply raising sanctions. Some have said that because the bills were drafted quickly, detailed enforcement rules still need to be prepared. Choi said, however, that "legal revisions alone are not enough," calling scalping a complex issue involving technology, distribution channels and consumer awareness. He said results will come only when each institution’s role is linked, including blocking fraud at the booking stage, constant monitoring by platform operators, rapid information-sharing with investigative agencies and public-awareness campaigns. Choi also urged ticketing platforms for performances, exhibitions and sports to take a more active role. "The role of platforms that can become a channel for scalping is important," he said, adding that monitoring of the BTS Gwanghwamun concert found multiple suspected scalping cases on some platforms. He said tighter platform-level controls are needed and that thorough public-private action is required to reduce demand for scalped tickets and help the revised laws take hold quickly. He also stressed the need to clearly warn the public about the risks of buying scalped tickets. Choi said that even if people purchase scalped tickets for BTS concerts and other events, bookings can be canceled if the transaction is detected, and on-site identity checks can make transfers effectively impossible, potentially leading to fraud losses. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-05 16:03:20 -
Pianist Paik Kun-woo to Release New Schubert Album Marking 70 Years Since Debut Universal Music said Thursday that pianist Paik Kun-woo will release a new album, "Schubert," on the 26th. It is Paik’s first Schubert recording in 13 years, following his 2013 release "Schubert: Impromptus, Klavierstücke, Moments musicaux." The album is positioned as a personal milestone for Paik, who marks the 70th anniversary of his debut and his 80th birthday this year. Ahead of the release, "Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 13 in A major, D.664, first movement" will be issued as an advance track Thursday. The two-CD set features Schubert’s Piano Sonatas Nos. 13 and 14, along with late-period Sonatas Nos. 18 and 20, linking Schubert’s musical world with Paik’s own career arc. "This choice spans the beginning and end of my performing life," Paik said. "No. 13 (D.664) is one of the earliest piano sonatas I learned and a work I have always loved, and No. 20 (D.959) is a piece I left aside for a long time because I couldn’t find an answer." He said he recorded the works to revisit them "from where I have arrived now" and to move closer to the truth. Paik recalled that while he performed and recorded Schubert’s final sonata (D.960) when he was younger, he was unable to bring D.959 to the stage for many years. "The second movement felt like a fantasy beyond order, and the theme of the fourth movement went on endlessly through repetition," he said. "For years I tried to find an answer, but perhaps because I wanted it so badly, I couldn’t see it." He added that only recently did he realize that rather than trying to do something, he needed to try "not to do." "Letting the music sing on its own, and the confidence to endure that silence — this attitude, reached through serious and sincere inquiry, is the biggest difference between my Schubert 13 years ago and my Schubert now," he said. Paik was born in Seoul in 1946 and made his debut at age 10, performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Navy Symphony Orchestra, now the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. At 15, he moved to the United States to continue his studies at the Juilliard School, and later performed across the United States and Europe. Paik now lives in Paris and is preparing a recital tour tied to the album release. Beginning in April, he will visit 12 cities nationwide. The final stop, in Seoul, is set for May 10 — his birthday — at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall. The program includes Schubert’s Sonatas Nos. 13 and 20 and Brahms’ Four Ballades, and he is also preparing to publish an autobiography.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-05 09:15:22