Following his voice-studies at the Hanyang University in his home town Seoul, the young South Korean tenor came to Germany, where he was chosen to join master classes at the Academy of Music in Munich with Prof. Helmut Deutsch and others.

Wookyung Kim has been awarded with several prizes in various international competitions, such as First Prize in the Belvedere-Competition (Vienna), Francisco-Viñas-Competition (Barcelona) and Plácido Domingo-Competition OPERALIA in Los Angeles.

Since 2003-04 until 2007 Wookyung Kim joined the opera company of the Sächsische Staatsoper Dresden where he interpreted all major roles of his repertoire such as Tamino/Die Zauberflöte, Don Ottavio/Don Giovanni, Rodolfo/La bohème, Sänger/Der Rosenkavalier, Fenton/Falstaff, Ismaele/Nabucco, Macduff/Macbeth and Duca/Rigoletto.

In 2007 he sang Orombello in Beatrice di Tenda (in concert version) with Edita Gruberova in Dresden. In the same year he appeared for the first time at the Metropolitan Opera New York as Alfredo/La traviata, followed by debuts at the Bavarian State Opera as Tamino/Die Zauberflöte and at London’s Covent Garden as Duca/Rigoletto.

During the following years Wookyung Kim appeared at Hamburg’s State Opera as Rodolfo/La bohème, Alfredo/La traviata and Macduff/Macbeth, at Covent Garden as the Italian Singer/Der Rosenkavalier and again as Duca, at the Deutsche Oper Berlin as Rodolfo/La bohème.

In Dresden’s new productions of Faust (title role), Ballo in maschera/Riccardo, Idomeneo (title role), Der fliegende Holländer/Erik he could add important roles to his repertory.

Wookyung Kim returned to Munich’s State Opera for La bohème, Der Rosenkavalier, Simon Boccanegra/Adorno, Erik/The Flying Dutchman, Macduff/Macbeth. At Toulouse Opera he debuted the role of Tito/Clemenza di Tito and was guest at Tokyo’s New National Theatre as Rodolfo/La bohème and as Duca/Rigoletto.

In 2013 the artist appeared for the first time at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala as Macduff/Macbeth and returned to Berlin’s Deutsche Oper as Riccardo/Un ballo in maschera.

During the recent seasons he was invited to Frankfurt’s Opera House for Simon Boccanegra, Don Carlo and Otello/Cassio, to Amsterdam as Macduff, to Teatro San Carlo in Naples for Narraboth/Salome.

During the last seasons Wookyung Kim appeared in the role of Faust at Florence Opera House, conductor: M° Valcuha. He returned to the Bavarian State Opera Munich with Carmen/Don José, Simon Boccanegra/Adorno and to Dresden with La traviata.

Among his concert activities are to mention: Requiem by Verdi with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Lorin Maazel and at the Musikverein Vienna (Fabio Luisi conducting), with Munich Philharmonic a solo concert with Mozart arias under the baton of James Levine, he sang Rossini’s Stabat mater at the Salzburg Festival and in Bregenz. With the Bachakademie Stuttgart and M° Helmuth Rilling he partecipated in several tours.

Besides his professorship at the Conservatory in his home town Seoul Wookyung Kim appeared the 2017-18 and the 2018-19 seasons at the Bavarian State Opera as Erik in Der fliegende Holländer, Don José in Carmen, Adorno/Simon Boccanegra and Riccardo/Un ballo in maschera as well as at Dresden’s Opera House as Alfredo in La traviata and also as Erik in Der fliegende Holländer. In 2019-20 season he returned to Munich as Rodolfo/La bohème. In 2020-2021 he will be heard as Rodolfo/La bohème in his home town Seoul. Bohème in Dresden as well as Gustavo III/Un ballo in maschera at the Hamburg State Opera fell victim to the pandemic. Most recently he sang concerts of Verdi’s Requiem in Korea. In the 2022-23 season he can be heard as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte in Seoul.