by REERA YOO | @reeraboo
editor@charactermedia.com
South Korean operatic pop tenor Lim Hyung-joo has been chosen as this year’s recipient of the U.S. Presidential Culture Awards, reports Yonhap.
President Barack Obama will be awarding Lim with the cultural honor, in recognition of the singer’s contributions to promoting friendship between South Korea and the U.S. by performing at several concerts that commemorate common anniversaries of the two nations, according to DGNcom, Lim’s management agency.
Lim is an award-winning singer with over 10 years of experience. He first rose to stardom after he sang the South Korean national anthem at the 2003 inauguration of former President Roh Moo-hyun. He was the youngest vocalist to sing the national anthem of Korea at the age of 17.
In 2003, Lim performed at a Los Angeles music festival that marked the 100th anniversary of Korean immigration to the U.S. The following year, he participated in a concert in New York City that commemorated the 55th anniversary of the Korean War.
He also held a solo concert at Carnegie Hall in 2010 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Korean War and donated all proceeds to the United Nations as a scholarship fund for the descendants of Korean War veterans from around the globe. This act of charity led Lim to become the first Korean and youngest recipient of the UN Peace Medal, an honor given to those who contribute to world peace and human rights.
The U.S. Presidential Culture Awards Ceremony will be held in Washington, D.C. in April, according to DGNcom.
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Featured image via Koreaboo
