Biography
Julian Jootaek Kim is a Korean baritone known for The Phantom of the Opera, Il Barbiere di Siviglia (2009), Don Carlo (2019), and Fidelio - Pappano e Santa Cecilia (2016). He performs opera and musical theatre internationally and is a crossover artist with the classical-pop quartet Miraclass. He is also credited as Julian Kim in opera productions and as Jootaek Kim in Korea.
Kim is an alumnus of Sunhwa Arts School and continued his studies at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, Italy, graduating with a perfect score with honors (Dieci e lode e menzione) in 2010.
He won second place in the Riccardo Zandonai, Francesc Viñas, Verdian Voices, and Seoul International Singing Competitions, and first place in the International Singing Competition of Toulouse.
Kim made his opera debut in 2009 at the Teatro Pergolesi in Jesi, Italy, where he performed as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia. His major operatic roles include Figaro (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Marcello (La bohème at Caracalla (2020)), Rodrigo (Don Carlo (2019)), and Giacomo (Giovanna d'Arco (2016)), performed at leading venues such as Teatro La Fenice, Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, and the Seoul Arts Center.
In musical theatre, he has portrayed the Phantom (The Phantom of the Opera), Pierre (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812), and Emperor Gojong (The Last Empress). He received the Best New Male Artist Award at the 8th Korea Musical Awards for his portrayal of the Phantom in 2024.
Kim collaborated extensively with Maestro Myung-Whun Chung and also had the privilege of working with renowned conductors such as Antonio Pappano, Roberto Polastri, Daniel Oren, Jader Bignamini, Stefano Ranzani, Riccardo Frizza, Francesco Cilluffo, Gregory Kunde (also a renowned tenor), and Juraj Valcuha. His performances primarily took place in Italy, notably at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, and Terme di Caracalla in Rome. He also showcased his talent in Korea, as well as in other countries such as Japan, China, Austria, Switzerland, and Peru.
He performs in both classical and crossover concerts across Italy and Korea, including at the Riva del Garda Festival, National Opera Centre in St. Petersburg, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, Cortile di Palazzo Ducale in Venice, Salzburg Festival under the baton of Myung-Whun Chung, and at Santa Cecilia in Rome under the baton of Antonio Pappano. He has also performed with the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra. In Korea, his appearances span Seoul Arts Center, Sejong Center, and Lotte Concert Hall. As a member of Miraclass, he blends classical vocal technique with contemporary styles in crossover concerts and recordings.
