Hak Soo Kim
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Hak Soo Kim | |
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| Born | Seoul, South Korea |
| Citizenship | American |
| Education | Western Reserve Academy Northwestern University (BA) |
| Occupation | Sommelier, Opera singer |
| Employer | Jungsik (former) Per Se (former) Raon |
| Known for | Head Sommelier at Per Se Tenor with Los Angeles Opera |
Hak Soo Kim (Haksoo) is a Korean-American tenor and sommelier. He is known for his dual career as a professional opera singer, performing with companies such as Los Angeles Opera and Sarasota Opera, and as a wine professional, having served as the Head Sommelier at Thomas Keller's Per Se in New York City.
Early life and education
Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to the United States at the age of 17. He attended Western Reserve Academy, a boarding school in Hudson, Ohio, graduating with the class of 1999.
At Western Reserve Academy, he was active in the fine arts program, performing in school musicals for all four years including productions of The Pirates of Penzance, The Mikado, and 42nd Street.[1] He credits his early development to the school's music department, studying under long-time director Margaret Karam '79.[2][3]
He went on to attend Northwestern University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in German. While at Northwestern, he began his formal vocal training and wrote his thesis on German post-unification literature.[4]
Career
Opera
Kim began his career as a tenor, specializing in the bel canto repertoire. He was a Domingo-Thornton Young Artist at the Los Angeles Opera, where he made his company debut as Remendado in Carmen. During his tenure there, he sang roles such as the First Priest in The Magic Flute and Gastone in La traviata, and covered leading roles including Alfredo (La traviata) and Nemorino (L'elisir d'amore).[4]
He has been a frequent principal artist with Sarasota Opera, appearing in multiple seasons. His roles with the company have included Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville, Lindoro in L'italiana in Algeri, and Ernesto in Don Pasquale.[1]
On the concert stage, Kim has performed as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl.[4]
Wine and hospitality
While pursuing his singing career, Kim developed an interest in oenology, eventually becoming a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. He worked at the two-Michelin-starred Korean restaurant Jungsik in New York City, where he led the wine program.[5]
In 2018, Kim joined the wine team at Per Se, Thomas Keller's acclaimed three-Michelin-star restaurant in Manhattan. He rose to the position of Head Sommelier in 2021, overseeing a wine list of over 2,000 selections and managing the beverage pairing program.[5] He has been interviewed by industry publications such as Wine & Spirits regarding his work with Portuguese wines and Burgundy alternatives.[5]
In 2025, he became the Beverage Director for Raon, a fine-dining Korean tasting counter in Midtown Manhattan opened by Chef Soogil Lim. There, Kim curated a beverage program featuring premium soju, wine, and kimchi-infused cocktails.[6][7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Artists Corner: Tenor Hak Soo Kim". Sarasota Opera Blog. February 24, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ↑ "The Arts at Reserve". Western Reserve Academy. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ↑ "Karam Leads Music, Orchestra, Band". The Reserve Record. October 9, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Artist Profile: Hak Soo Kim". Los Angeles Philharmonic. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Greene, Joshua (March 19, 2024). "Hak Soo Kim of NYC's Per Se on the Suburbs of Burgundy and the Surge in Portuguese Wines". Wine & Spirits. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ↑ "This new chef's counter in midtown is all about kimchi". Time Out New York. March 4, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
- ↑ "Raon's Fine-Dining Tasting Menu Orbits Around Kimchi". Resy. February 18, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
External links
This article "Hak Soo Kim" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.