In November 2016, Julian Kim returned to the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino to perform the role of Marcello in La Bohème under the baton of Daniel Oren. Unlike the modern reinterpretation of Barbiere earlier that year, this production embraced a traditional approach, remaining faithful to Puccini’s text while illustrating the story with clarity and emotional nuance. The staging balanced the cheerful energy of the lighter scenes with the tenderness of young love, the quiet ache of parting, and the raw emotion of the opera’s tragic conclusion. Within the male quartet, Julian Kim delivered a confident and sonorous performance as Marcello.