The international competition where only Koreans get prizes
OrchestrasThe results are in for the 2024 Seoul International Piano Competition, sponsored by LG.
All six prize winners are Korean.
We checked the results of the last competition, in 2020.
Guess what? All six prizewinners were Korean.
The ‘international’ judges on the jury, under a Korean chair, were no more than rubber-stamps.
Most piano competitions are rigged. This one looks more rigged than most.
And my goodness, not a female in the mix. The patriarchy! The racism!
We can’t judge how rigged this competition is, or was, without knowing how many non-Korean pianists entered and how well or poorly they played.
Sure, the competition’s title says “International” but I have flown out of my share of airports that were also called “International” without much basis other than civic pride. I have also eaten at the International House of Pancakes and the pancakes all looked pretty American to me.
Not surprised. Korea and Japan are two of the most xenophobic and misogynist countries on the planet. My friends from there also agree.