Bass Yoo Seung-ho wins 2nd prize at Sumi Jo In'tl Singing Competition in France

As the Sumi Jo International Singing Competition wrapped up its second edition in France, Saturday, Korean bass singer Yoo Seung-ho, 25, won second prize in the final round of the contest at La Ferte-Imbault Castle in the Loire region.

The top honor went to American baritone Trevor Haumschilt-Rocha, 27, while Romanian soprano Paulo Iancic, 32, finished third.

Yoo, a senior in vocal music at Seoul National Univeristy and top graduate of Gyeongbuk Arts High School, was competing abroad for the first time. “I didn’t expect much because all the other participants were so good, and it was my first international competition,” Yoo told reporters after the awards ceremony. “I’m happy to get such a good result.

It doesn’t feel real.

I want to tell my parents first, and when I return to Korea, I’ll keep studying hard and do my best,” he said.

The competition, launched in 2024 as the first international vocal contest named after a Korean soprano, is held every two years for singers aged 18 to 32.

Jo serves as part of the jury.

This year’s edition drew more than 500 applicants from 5