Korean Pianist Kun-Woo Paik Explores 'Beyond the Keys' and Loneliness in New Memoir

Central News Agency, Taipei, June 2. 80-year-old South Korean pianist Kun-Woo Paik recently released his new autobiography, 'Beyond the Keys.' In an interview with the Central News Agency, he said that the essence of an artist is loneliness, yet there is a strong desire to connect and communicate with others, and this drive for connection "comes from love for others." With a career spanning 70 years, Paik strongly disagrees with the notion that classical music is a "dying art." "Classical music has survived for hundreds of years and is one of humanity's greatest inventions," he said, believing there must be some divine power behind it. Paik is considered a versatile master, but he realized early on that he could not become a slave to technique. He mentioned that when he first arrived in the US at 15, he studied under Rosina Lhévinne, where he was assigned a teaching assistant for technical training. "It was pure technique on top of technique, making me unable to breathe," he recalled, leading him to ask for a teacher who could teach him "music, not technique." Paik believes that good technique comes from understanding music, not the other way around. Born in Korea in 1946, Paik experienced the Korean War and poverty. After achieving success in the US, he made the surprising decision to give up his achievements and start over in Europe. "I suddenly realized I was starting to imitate myself... I became a prisoner of my own success." In Europe, he cut off all external influences to return to the scores themselves. During his years in Europe, he also engaged in photography, which he says profoundly influenced his way of interpreting music. Paik emphasizes that when we talk about music, we are not talking about athletes or technique, but about humanity.