from Korea to Rouen, itinerary of a prodigy pianist
At 12, HJ Lim manages to convince his parents to send him to France to continue his piano studies. She then left her native Korea, without speaking a word of French. By dint of hard work, between Compiègne, Rouen and Paris… the young prodigy will realize her dream. It occurs today all over the world.
His story could be suitable for a fairy tale. Today, pianist HJ Lim fills concert halls around the world.
In the documentary “HJ Lim, the sound of silence”, the pianist meets students from a music school in Taegu, South Korea and tells them about her journey.
She talks about the beginning of the story: “In the first year of college, I thought I had to go to Paris to learn the piano. I managed to convince my parents and I left for France on my own. »
“I was able to study in Paris. But it took a lot of effort. There were happy times but also very difficult times. After a lot of hard work, I have become that person in front of you now. »
video length: 55sec
Excerpt from “HJ Lim, the sound of silence”: a tale
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©“HJ Lim, the son of silence” by Stéphane Haskell
Because of course, the story is not as simple as in a fairy tale… HJ Lim arrives in France when she is only a child. In Compiègne, she is hosted by her mother’s only contact in this unknown country. A friend of a friend… who humiliates and belittles her.
She then meets someone who will change her life. Marc Hoppeler, piano teacher at municipal music conservatory and his wife Agnes. The reunion between the two women is one of the most moving moments of the documentary.
video length: 01min 45
Excerpt from “HJ Lim, the sound of silence”: reunion in Compiègne
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©“HJ Lim, the son of silence” by Stéphane Haskell
“The first time I met you, I was in a really, really dark and very sad state because I had just left my mum and it had gone very badly in the foster family where I was. And then, Marc tells me that you are going to welcome me to your home… it was as if Schuman was saying to me, I welcome you with my wife Clara!”
And there, you welcome me with your sunny smile, such benevolence, such kindness, such joy (…) when we have never seen each other. I get this flow of love… it saved my life. »
HJ LimExcerpt from the documentary “HJ Lim, the sound of silence”
After Compiègne, the child prodigy passes through Rouen Conservatory… then finally reached his Grail. What she had come to France for: the music conservatory of paris. So she lives in a garage in the suburbs of Paris… and even arrives late for an exam because of an invasion of rats. She fights for her residence permit, suffers racism and humiliation. But she is at the end of her dream.
And after ?
“When you have a dream that’s so strong and you make it come true…normally you should feel like you’re dominating the world but in fact not at all. Once the dream is fulfilled, you have yet another dream coming. That never ends. I thought that when I entered this conservatory, it was going to be all rosy for me but in fact not at all, it was only the beginning.”
video length: 01min 04
Excerpt from “HJ Lim, the sound of silence”: being happy
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©“HJ Lim, the son of silence” by Stéphane Haskell
I thought to myself what is a dream? What is a calling? Doesn’t this vocation finally confine me? Would I manage to be happy without the piano? Is the piano absolutely necessary for my happiness? At some point, we should perhaps know how to be happy just by existing.
HJ LimExtract from “HJ Lim, the son of silence”
HJ Lim then takes the time to reflect… and chooses to trust his instincts for the rest of his career. Success ultimately happens by chance. In 2008, at the end of a concert given as part of a very small festival in Belgium, after having played the complete works of Chopin and Rachmaninov, she returned to the stage for an encore. A very simple reminder, worked on in a week: “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Rachmaninoff.
The video posted on the Internet will be viewed millions of times. And it is the beginning of the consecration for the pianist who becomes a star.
Rebroadcast May 16 at 9:50 a.m.
And to (re) see in replay here, from May 13th.
“HJ Lim, the son of silence” by Stéphane Haskell
A Flair Production and France Télévisions co-production