A Journey of Resilience and Rediscovery
When a major stroke left South Korean pianist Lee Hun paralyzed on his right side in 2012, he initially feared he might never walk again. Playing the piano was far from his mind at that time. However, this life-changing event would eventually lead to an unexpected path of recovery and reinvention.
Lee’s journey began with a conversation with a mentor who introduced him to the concept of piano pieces written exclusively for the left hand. This revelation sparked a new direction in his life. After months of dedicated practice, Lee made a remarkable comeback, becoming South Korea’s only known professional pianist who performs using only his left hand. He is now preparing for a significant milestone: his first joint performance with an orchestra at an international music festival next month.
“I’m so, so nervous I could die,” Lee, 54, said with a smile during a recent interview with The Associated Press at his Seoul home. “It’s just one concerto, but working with an orchestra has its own difficulties.”
In August 2012, Lee, then a doctorate candidate at the University of Cincinnati, collapsed suddenly at his home. He survived after extensive surgery, but the stroke caused damage to about 60% of his brain’s left hemisphere. He lost mobility in his right arm and leg and experienced temporary aphasia. Following this, he was returned to South Korea in a wheelchair, where his father, a baseball legend in South Korea, struggled to recognize him upon arrival.
“After the stroke, I didn’t even imagine playing the piano. I only thought about whether I could stand on my feet again,” Lee said.
His condition also placed a heavy burden on his family, who had to care for him daily. His mother, Poong Ok Hee, recalled the challenges of dealing with his mood swings. He often resisted her advice and assistance, making the process difficult.
Things started to change when he met his former piano teacher, Chun Yung Hae, in 2013. She encouraged him to return to the piano, highlighting the existence of over 1,000 pieces designed for the left hand alone. This inspired Lee, and he began practicing immediately that night.
In 2016, Lee made a formal debut as a one-handed pianist at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, where he received treatment and rehabilitation. After performing Camille Saint-Saens’ “6 Etudes for the Left Hand Alone,” Lee played “Amazing Grace” with Chun, using his left hand while she played with her right. At least one spectator was moved to tears.
“He is a pianist, so he must play the piano. He was completely hopeless and in despair, so I tried to give him some hope. But I didn’t expect him to play as well as this,” said Chun, who served as dean of the College of Music at Seoul’s Kyung Hee University.
Since then, Lee has given recitals, appeared on TV programs, and written a memoir. He now walks without assistance and communicates relatively smoothly in Korean.
Local media have dubbed him “Korea’s Paul Wittgenstein,” an acclaimed Austrian pianist who became a pioneer in one-handed piano music. Wittgenstein lost his right arm in World War I and commissioned left-hand repertories by famous composers, including Ravel, Strauss, Prokofiev, and Britten. His brother was philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein.
On May 2, Lee is set to appear at the annual Icheon Young-Artist International Music Festival in South Korea, performing with a festival orchestra. They will play Ravel’s “Piano Concerto for the Left Hand,” which was also commissioned by Wittgenstein.
It’s a highly difficult piece for a pianist, Lee said, but it’s something he has longed to play. Chung Eun-hyon, head of Lee’s agency, Tool Music, said Lee has told him it’s his dream to perform the concerto. Chung expressed deep emotion as he helps “make his dream come true.”
Before becoming a one-handed pianist, Lee focused on perfecting skills to wow audiences. Now, he agonizes over how to convey his emotions and interpretation of music to people.
“He plays a sort of music that truly touches the heart of people and it’s not about finger dexterity,” said Lee Eungkwang, head of a cultural foundation responsible for the Icheon festival.
“I’m really curious what it was like when he played with both hands,” Lee said.
Lee Hun said he hopes to make a two-handed comeback one day, saying he succeeded in pressing a piano key once with his right hand at a concert in November 2024. Medically speaking, prospects for Lee regaining the use of his right hand and performing with both hands are dim, according to his doctor at St. Mary’s Hospital, Koo Jaseong.
“I still would like to give him a round of applause for his efforts. Though rare, there have been reports of miraculous recoveries too,” Koo said.
