Pianist Sang-il Han is regarded as one of the leading musicians in South Korea.
During his studies at the Korea National University of Arts (K-Arts), he swept the nation’s most prestigious competitions, winning the Grand Prize and First Prize at both the Dong-A Music Competition and the KBS Seoul New Artist Music Competition, establishing himself early as a prominent figure in the Korean music scene.
A graduate of Seoul Arts High School where he entered and finished at the top of his class, Han earned his Bachelor of Music degree at K-Arts under the tutelage of Professor Dae-jin Kim. His artistic development continued at the Hochschule für Musik Nürnberg in Germany, where he was exceptionally admitted directly into the Meisterklasse degree without a Master’s degree—an honor reserved for only the most promising performers. Upon returning to Korea, he completed his Artist Diploma at K-Arts in 2012.
Han’s international presence expanded significantly after winning the Epinal International Piano Competition in France and receiving Third Prize at the Missouri Southern International Piano Competition in the United States.
These achievements earned him a reputation for representing “the rise of a purely home-grown Korean pianist,” marking an important milestone in demonstrating the excellence of Korean classical training on the global stage.
