South Korean native has become globally known
Sunwoo Park was born in Seoul, South Korea. She started taking professional singing and piano lessons intensively since six years old. While she was in elementary school, she was awarded a few vocal competitions including from local school competitions to the ones organized by Seoul Metropolitan government. Then she lived with her family in Japan for a few years when she was in elementary school attending International school of Sacred Heart where she learned speaking English and how to interact with people from different cultures. She started being internationalized by attending this school and motivated her to study abroad in the future. By singing as a representative of Korea among entire school on a school festival called One World Day, this inspired her wanting to reach out internationally and sing worldwide later. While she was in Tokyo, Japan, she was nominated to sing Nikon camera commercial film after taking competitive audition in 2002. After that, she went back to Seoul, Korea and was invited again to record a title song in Japanese animation movie Tachiko Ma in 2003.
She showed her musical talent by getting awards from childhood.
She got admitted summa cum laude into Yewon school which is a high elite arts middle school and while she was in middle school she won all first place in Sunhwa competition, Yewon competition and Music Journal competition which is a prominent music journal publisher. They are all competitive competitions that all middle school singers in the country compete in. Then she graduated summa cum laude and she was nominated to be a soloist to perform with the orchestra for the entire year for the annual concert and singers were rarely nominated for this concert in history. Then she got into the Seoul Arts high school and was awarded La Bella concorso di canto lirico and Berlin International Music competition. After that, she went to Seoul National University for her Bachelor’s Degree where she graduated cum laude with the Eminence scholarship. While she was in college, she was awarded as a youngest opera singer in Ewha Gyunghyang Concour which is one of the most prestigious concours with its longest history and reputable host in South Korea.
After graduating college, she entered the University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music to pursue her Master’s Degree and from here she starts to make her career by getting invitations from the numerous and prestigious United States opera companies. She was invited to the Aspen Music Festival, Opera Santa Barbara, Santa Fe Opera, Wolf Trap Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. The contract with Lyric Opera of Chicago scouted her after her successful appearance in Santa Fe Opera in 2019. However, after participating in Santa Fe Opera in 2019 the contract for the 2020 to debut her main role in Santa Fe Opera and with Lyric Opera of Chicago got canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
It was devastating to see the world closing down, not allowing people to gather to watch a show and not allowing artists to be on the stage. It was more disappointing for her to lose the opportunity in order to debut and work with one of the prestigious opera companies in the US.
However, Ms. Park’s outstanding achievements in the field of opera have garnered her significant recognition and acclaim. Despite the unfortunate cancellations of contracts faced by numerous vocalists with major opera companies, while she was staying in Korea, Ms. Park’s talent and dedication was shown by participating in Project Tacet to create a digital opera chorus scene. Project Tacet was Korean musicians from all over the world gathered to provide rest through music in a complex and chaotic world. She was one of the first members to be part of this project. Also, her talent and dedication allowed her to secure prominent roles with Opera Santa Barbara and Wolf Trap Opera. When she sang at the Aria Jukebox concert in Wolf Trap Opera, she was nominated and voted from the audience to sing additional songs among other artists in the program. By these contracts, she started to show her talent and she has more upcoming performances with Opera Santa Barbara. Her extraordinary abilities did not go unnoticed, as the prestigious Metropolitan Opera bestowed upon her its esteemed Encouragement Award, further highlighting her exceptional accomplishments in the opera world.
Her outcome story during pandemic supports and speaks as representative for all other opera singers who suffered and were deprived from COVID-19 pandemic. She says, “It was definitely tragic for everyone who lost their loved ones or a job but I hope my story can be one for the or be part of the stories from the survivors and support for those who are still struggling from the pandemic. People say that we are living in a post-pandemic world and scientists stress that pandemic due to unknown disease will more likely to occur again. I am hoping that survivor’s stories can guide and give hope to people who might go through the pandemic in the future.”
