Jeong Juyeon and Park Junhyeong, School of Music, Win at the 17^th Labella Concorso

Soprano Jeong Juyeon and tenor Park Junhyeong, alumni of the Department of Vocal Music in the School of Music, won honors at the 17^th Labella Concorso. Soprano Jung was awarded second place with no first-place winner selected, earning a prize of 2 million KRW. Tenor Park secured third, receiving a prize of 1 million KRW.20,000.

Organized by Labella Opera and sponsored by Nextin Corporation, the final round of the 17^th Labella Concorso took place on July 30 at the Guro Arts Valley in Seoul. Notably, this year’s final round was selected as one of the eight festivals for 2025 by Seoul Portal of Approved & Curated (SPAC), a program run by Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture and Seoul city.

Soprano Jeong Juyeon ,who placed second in the artist category, captivated the jury with her performances of “Je marsche sur tous les chemins” from Manon by Jules Massenet and “Chi il bel sogno di Doretta” from La Rondine by Giacomo Pucchini.

Tenor Park Junhyeong presented “Salut! demeure chaste et pure” from Faust by Gounod and “Il lamento di Federico” from L’Arlesiana by Cilea.

Nine contestants who advanced through intense competition in each round showcased their talents on the final stage.

Initiated in 2009, Labella Concorso is now in its 17^th year. The event aims to discover new prospective talents and help them debut on the professional stage. It is sponsored by Nextin, a company specializing in semiconductor defect-inspection equipment.

The competition offers several perks for its winners. In the artist category, a 5 million KRW prize is usually awarded for first place, and all nine awardees across all categories share a total prize fund of 12 million KRW. Additionally, winners are provided opportunities to join the Labella Opera Studio’s professional opera education program with scholarships and to perform at Labella Opera’s seasonal concerts.