Miraclass
Miraclass is a South Korean crossover-quartet formed in 2017 on the JTBC audition program, Phantom Singer 2. The group consists of baritone Julian Jootaek Kim, tenor Phillip Jeong, pop tenor Kang-hyun Park, and bass. They were the runner-up team on Phantom Singer 2. They participated in Phantom Singer concerts, released their album Romantica in 2018, and held their own concerts.
The members of the quartet pursued individual projects: Julian Jootaek Kim performed operas in Italy, and played the Phantom in the musical The Phantom of the Opera. Kang-hyun Park performed protagonist roles in musicals like The Man Who Laughs,' and Mozart!,' Hadestown,' and Dear Evan Hansen,' and appeared in a TV drama.' Jeong and Han formed the jazz/easy listening duo "Feel in."' Phillip Jeong released classical albums, and Tain Han has been producing adult-oriented and animation rock music in the indie scene and releasing albums. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they appeared in Phantom Singer All Stars.
The group conducted a national tour in 2022 and engages with fans through their YouTube channel, launched in 2021.
Formation (2017)
''Phantom Singer 2''
Phantom Singer is a television show designed to form male crossover quartet groups through a competition. After the first season's successful launch in 2016, JTBC aired the second season in 2017. The Phantom Singer series features participants, including classical vocalists, musical actors, K-pop idols, traditional Korean musicians, and amateurs from various fields. Members of Miraclass emerged from these auditions, forming the group as part of the show's process.Kang-hyun Park, a musical actor was the first of the members to appear on the show. In his first TV audition, he performed "She Was There" from The Scarlet Pimpernel, achieving the highest viewership rating per minute in the first episode of the show. Julian Jootaek Kim, an established opera singer in Europe, performed F. Chopin's "Tristezza." His performance was commented positively by Producer Hye-Soo Sonn, who remarked, "When an opera singer reaches that high a level, the key detail is complete control of the breathing." Phillip Jeong, a part-time member of the Busan Metropolitan Chorus, sang R. Leoncavallo's "Mattinata", with producers noting his clear voice. Tain Han, a student in the Department of Vocal Music at Seoul National University, performed the jazz standard "I've Got The World On A String," though this performance was not aired. Despite his classical training, Han had experience performing in a rock band in Hongdae before joining Phantom Singer 2.
Each member advanced through various stages to reach the final 12. Performances included Han's rendition of Billy Joel's "Piano Man" during a one-on-one duet competition, which was noted for his rhythm, soft phrasing, and stage manner. Kim's duet performance of "A Blooming Day " lost in a duet competition by two points, but finished in fourth place among the 14 teams. Park's duet with Lee Choong Joo, "As Flowers Bloom and Fall," was well-received and ranked first in the duet showdown. Tain Han's trio mission performance of "I See Fire" and Julian Jootaek Kim's trio performance of "Il Guerriero Buono" by Dmitri Hvorostovsky received mixed reviews from the producers. In the semifinal round, the quartet to which Jeong belonged achieved the highest score with their performance of "La Vita."
Formation of Miraclass
The four members encountered various challenges and moments of praise throughout the competition, but ultimately reached the top 12. Among the finalists, Forestella and Edel Reinklang who had sung together since the trio mission, emerged as strong contenders. Forestella, known for their blend of classical and pop music, and Edel Reinklang, with their vocal textures and stage presence, both formed a tight-knit bond during the trio or quartet missions. They already had a team name or a name close to their final form, showcasing their readiness and unity.When the members of Miraclass first met, only Julian Jootaek Kim and Kang-hyun Park, had previously sung together, while the other two had never sung with the other members. They needed a team name quickly, and Jeong came up with "Miraclass" by combining “miracle” and “class,” indicating their aim to deliver interpretations of classical music. The final competitions were divided into two parts. The first final was held in front of a selected audience who could vote, along with the six producers who could also vote. Each team performed two songs. The first song by Miraclass was Luciano Pavarotti's “Notte,” which placed first place among the three teams, achieving a peak minute rating of 5.5%. After the performances, the combined total points placed Miraclass behind the other two finalist teams.
The second final competition was held at the Peace Hall in Kyung Hee University in front of 3,500 audience members and online voters. Miraclass ended up as the runner-up when votes were tallied. While the group's future was uncertain at the end of the show, as the program primarily supports the winning team, it marked the beginning of Miraclass.
Post-''Phantom Singer 2'' (2017-2019)
Group activity of Miraclass
After Phantom Singer 2, all three finalist teams, Forestella, Miraclass, and Edel Reinklang, embarked on the Phantom Singer concert tour starting on December 3, 2017, in Incheon and continuing to Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju, Ulsan, Seoul, Cheongju, Ilsan, and Busan in South Korea, until February 10, 2018. The concerts were sold out in many cities.Miraclass held their first concert for fans on April 22, 2018. They recorded a studio album, Romantica, which was on the Hot 100 Korean Album Chart for three weeks, from the 41st to the 43rd weeks in 2018. Romantica includes "Nelle tue mani," "Il Mondo," "On the Way Home ", which is "The Ludlows" by James Horner with Korean lyrics, and their own new song "Now I Know ".
Miraclass embarked on their first concert tour, the Romantica Tour, from October 13 to December 28, 2018, performing in four cities at multiple venues in South Korea. The concerts featured rearranged themes from movies and musicals, along with songs from the competition and individual solo performances, all presented with a full orchestra for a diverse musical experience. During the concert tour, fans of Miraclass donated over 1,000 pounds of rice to those in need instead of sending traditional flowers or gifts to the artists.
Individual member activities
During the period from the end of Phantom Singer 2 in late 2017 to the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, the members of Miraclass were engaged in various projects.Julian Jootaek Kim frequently traveled between Italy for opera performances, and Korea to work as a member of Miraclass. He was the Figaro at Teatro La Fenice in Italy from 2017 to 2019, participating in 34 out of 47 performances of Il barbiere di Siviglia. He missed 13 performances due to his participation in Phantom Singer 2 in South Korea. He appeared in a total of nine opera productions, including La Traviata, La bohème, L'elisir d'amore, and Don Carlo across various Italian opera theaters. He also returned to Korea for the album release of Romantica, and the concert tour as a member of Miraclass during this period.
Phillip Jeong and Tain Han formed a duo, Feel in, in 2019, focusing on easy listening music. They released a single and a studio album both titled Feel in. They held concerts, including an in-flight concert to celebrate the new air route between Seoul and Milan for Asiana Airlines, and one charity concert in Hong Kong.
Jeong performed in various concerts such as the Bernstein Memorial Concert in 2017, Opera Carnival in 2018, and the Gala Concert for ''The Taming of Casanova.
Tain Han also participated in classical crossover performances, including Mozart Opera Concertante - Don Giovanni in 2018, the Gala Concert of The Taming of Casanova, and The 2nd Cheongpung Lakeside Music Festival in 2019. Tain Han also held the True Colours concert at Gurumare Theater in early 2020.
Kang-hyun Park, who was a budding musical actor prior to Phantom Singer 2, became more prominent in the stage musical scene, frequently cast as leading roles in both original Korean and licensed musicals. During the Phantom Singer 2 concert tour, he was involved in musical productions such as Chilseo and Gwanghwamun Love Song.' Following the tour, his roles included Kinky Boots,' The Man Who Laughs,' Elizabeth,' Xcalibur,' Marie Antoinette,' and a reprise of the role of Gwynplaine in The Man Who Laughs in 2020. He also held his first solo concert, Melody in Blue, in Seoul, Korea, performing a variety of Korean popular songs, pop songs including "City of Stars" from La La Land'' and "The Scientist" by Coldplay, and musical numbers.
During COVID-19 (2020-2021)
In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected Italy, leading to widespread lockdowns and the cancellation of public events, including opera performances. As a result, Julian Jootaek Kim could not travel to Italy, and all his scheduled operas performances were canceled. Korea also restricted cultural events in enclosed spaces until late June 2020, when restrictions were eased, allowing performances to take place.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Miraclass and its members remained active in Korea, participating in various cultural events and performances with health protocols in place. As a group, Miraclass held concerts titled A Fairy Tale in Four Colors in October 2020, and January 2021. These concerts featured Korean pop songs from the 1990s and musical numbers, with an emphasis on harmony rather than the orchestral arrangements and powerful vocal delivery. The concerts used arrangements with a band session and a string ensemble of about ten members. Due to COVID-19, the number of performers on stage was limited, and the audience was required to wear masks, with cheering prohibited and clapping allowed for safety reasons.
Individually, the members of Miraclass also pursued various projects. Kang-hyun Park starred in the musical Mozart! and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.'''' Julian Jootaek Kim performed in several concerts including the 70th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Peace Concert at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, which was held one month later than the commemoration day due to the pandemic. Kim and Phillip Jeong performed in Opera Carnival 2020 and the Encore concerts. Kim also took part in Opera Fashion at the Lotte Concert Hall, and Samuel Yoon's Opera Climax at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall in late 2020. Tain Han held two concerts, Over the Beatles and 5959 LIVE focusing on jazz and easy listening music.