Awards
Julian Kim began classical singing in his later middle school years in Korea. Like many aspiring vocalists, he developed through study, mentorship, and competition — a path where judges often become the first to recognize emerging artistry.
His first competition took place during winter break before he entered Sunhwa Arts High School, where he won third place. He later received third prize in the Suri Competition and first prize in the National Student Music Competition.
During his time at Sunhwa, Julian won numerous vocal contests, including first place in the Korea National Opera’s high school competition, where he was also awarded the Minister of Culture and Tourism Prize. He received the Lee Dae-woong Music Scholarship and earned first place in both the Music Chunchu Competition and the Shin Youngok Competition.
In his final year of high school, Julian traveled to Barcelona to participate in the 2004 J. Aragall International Competition, where he received a Special Prize for Young Singers. This recognition opened the door for his admission to the Conservatorio di Milano in Italy.
While studying in Milan, he continued entering vocal competitions, not only to gain visibility in the Italian classical music community but also to help support his studies abroad. At the Zandonai Competition, he won second place, and his performance of Largo al factotum caught the attention of jury member Gianni Tangucci, who subsequently cast him as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia — a rare debut in a leading role for a student singer in Italy.
Julian went on to win several major prizes in competitions recognized by the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC), including second place in the Verdi, Viotti, and Seoul International Competitions and third place in Vinas. He won the First Grand Prize at the Toulouse International Competition in 2012 — a biannual event that had notably declined to award a male first prize in its previous edition in 2010, as the jury sometimes reserves that distinction only when truly merited.
As an established opera artist, Julian later received the New Artist Award at the 2016 SAC (Seoul Arts Center) Awards for his 2015 solo concert Baritone Julian Jootaek Kim Recital.
In 2024, he was honored with the Best New Male Artist Award at the 8th Korea Musical Awards for his portrayal of the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, marking a significant milestone in his expanding career as a musical theater actor.
Awards are listed in the table below.