Korean Classics Generation

Over the past quarter century, something remarkable has taken root in Korean culture. Classical music, a tradition born in European concert halls and conservatories, has become a cornerstone of education and ambition for an entire generation of young Korean musicians. The phenomenon even has a name: the K-Classics Generation.

This documentary from directors Pierre Barré and Thierry Loreau traces the journeys of some of its most celebrated figures, among them soprano Hwang Sumi and violinist Lim Jiyoung, both recent laureates of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, one of the most prestigious prizes in the classical world. Following these musicians across two very different geographies, from Korea where their formation began to Germany where many have chosen to build their careers, the film asks how such a deep cultural transplantation happens and what it costs and gives those who live it.

The portrait that emerges is intimate without being sentimental. These are artists who have dedicated their lives to a tradition not originally their own, and who have made it entirely, distinctively theirs. The film neither reduces them to a social phenomenon nor loses sight of the broader cultural shift their generation represents. It is attentive, observational filmmaking in the service of a genuinely surprising story.