Despite being unable to move her legs due to polio, Korean-American pianist Chun-ae Choi (69) will take the stage at New York’s Carnegie Hall on November 25, performing a life that has triumphed over adversity.
Since childhood, Choi has pursued her dream of music, overcoming countless challenges. At age one, she contracted measles, followed by polio, which left her legs paralyzed. Despite ongoing treatment until she was six, her condition did not improve.
Realizing she would never be able to use her legs, Choi’s father encouraged her to learn piano as a skill. She began to play, even though her first teacher recommended other instruments, as her disability prevented her from using the pedals. The more obstacles she faced, the stronger her passion for piano grew.
At the time, societal prejudices and misconceptions about disabilities limited educational opportunities in South Korea. “In elementary school, other kids would push and tease me,” Choi recalled, “and I was denied entry to both middle and high school.” Insufficient facilities and viewing disability as a contagion or curse fostered such discrimination. At 18, Choi lost hope and attempted suicide, miraculously waking three days later. “After that, I resolved to face the world with the courage it took to choose life,” she said.
Choi immigrated to the United States with her family in 1978, finding solace and purpose through her faith. For the next 46 years, she dedicated herself to inspiring hope and purpose in other disabled individuals. Her passion for music deepened in 1981 when she regained the strength to press the piano pedals.
At 53, Choi passed the high school equivalency exam, and in 2008, she took the Korean college entrance exam. She entered Sejong Cyber University in 2014 to study counseling psychology, and in 2020, she pursued her goal of studying piano, enrolling in the graduate program at Azusa Pacific University. Over three years, she completed 30 required courses at a community college and graduated in May of this year at the age of 69.
Choi’s opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall arose after winning the grand prize at last year’s IAPMT competition. “I’ve never been to New York or Carnegie Hall, and it still feels surreal,” she shared. “Just playing there feels overwhelming and exciting.”
Reflecting on her journey, she added, “This feels like a reward for a life lived fully, and I’m grateful for the chance to fulfill my dream from over a decade ago of performing at Carnegie Hall.”
Choi’s dream, born through hardship, is now a reality, and she continues to share her remarkable story through her music.
BY YOONJAE JUNG, YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.youngnam@koreadaily.com]
