By Jung Joo-ri
Video = Queen Elisabeth Competition's official YouTube channel

Baritone Kim Tae-han is Asia's first male vocalist to win the top prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition of Belgium, one of the world's top three music contests.

The results announced on June 4 said Kim won the top prize. He is the fifth Korean to earn the honor following sopranos Hong Hae-ran in 2011 and Hwang Su-mi in 2014, violinist Lim Ji-young in 2015 and cellist Choi Ha-young last year.

With star soprano Sumi Jo serving on the jury this year, the competition, which alternately holds contests in cello, vocals, violin and piano each year, is one of the world's top three in music along with the International Chopin Piano Competition in Poland and the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia. 

Korea had the most vocalists in this year's event among the 64 in the first round with 18, with three Koreans advancing to the finals including Kim, Daniel (Gyeong-min) Gwon and Jeong In-ho.

Born in August 2000, Kim was the youngest finalist.

He sang four songs in the final on June 2 including "O Carlo, Ascolta (O Carlo, Listen)" from the opera "Don Carlo" by Verdi and "Mein Sehnen, Mein Wahnen (My Yearning, My Longing)" from Erich Wolfgang Korngold's opera “Die tote Stadt (The Dead City).”

Kim will receive prize money of EUR 25,000 (about KRW 35 million) directly from Belgian Queen Mathilde.

A graduate of Sunhwa Arts High School in Seoul and student at Seoul National University's College of Music, the tenor debuted in September last year at the Kumho Young Artist Concert. Also studying at KNO Studio of Korea National Opera, he won last year honors from the Tenor Vinas Competition in Spain and the Riccardo Zandonai International Competition for Young Opera Singers in Italy.

Baritone Kim Tae-han on June 4 wins the top prize at this year's Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium. (Official Twitter account of Belgium's royal family)

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo Gyoon sent a message of congratulations and encouragement to Kim.

"This award is a powerful scene leaving a strong imprint of Korean classical music's global influence," he added. "I applaud Kim Tae-han's outstanding sensitivity, persistence and fighting spirit in music."

"I am confident that this victory will expand the horizons of Korean classical music faster," he said. "The people and I hope that Kim's beautiful voice comforts more people all over the world."

etoilejr@korea.kr