At the end of August, as the sun slowly sets over the sea and Stintino glows with golden reflections, Sardinia will meet South Korea for the first time beneath the same horizon.
On 29 and 30 August 2026, the enchanting Sardinian destination will host KoSt Fest, the first South Korean festival in Sardinia. Two days created to bring together cultures that are geographically distant, yet united by their love of their roots, art and beauty. The most eagerly awaited guest will be South Korean tenor Claudio Jongsoo Park, who will take centre stage in an emotional evening concert on Saturday, 29 August, along Stintino’s seafront. His presence is deeply symbolic: Park is not simply a Korean singer performing in Italy, but an artist who has built his entire musical identity between these two countries.
KoSt Fest: Korea Arrives on the Shores of Sardinia
Conceived and organised by ShardHan Project APS ETS, with the patronage and support of the Municipality of Stintino and the patronage of the University of Sassari, KoSt Fest will transform Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo, Largo Cala d’Oliva and the “Warner” Cultural Centre into an immersive journey through Korean culture.
From 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., with free admission, visitors will be able to enjoy the Hanbok Experience, discover the philosophy of K-Beauty, try traditional Korean games, explore the world of manhwa and taste Korean street food. The “Warner” Cultural Centre will display works by Sardinian painter Ettore Aldo Del Vigo, hanbok-inspired creations by designers Giusy Mura and Lucia Deligios, and artworks by Korean artist Cho Hye Min, who will also offer demonstrations of traditional Korean ink painting on hanji paper.
On Sunday, 30 August, the energy of contemporary pop culture will sweep across the seafront with the K-pop – Demon Hunters show, produced by InvitaS Media Eventi. The musical heart of the festival, however, will beat the previous evening, when Claudio Jongsoo Park’s voice travels through Largo Cala d’Oliva and meets the sea.
Claudio Jongsoo Park: A Voice Born Between Korea and Italy
Claudio Jongsoo Park, known in Korean as Park Jongsoo – 박종수, is a South Korean tenor and crossover singer born on 24 January 1989 in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. His artistic journey began during his teenage years, when he first approached the piano and singing. His passion soon became a life choice: Park studied music at Pusan National University before leaving Korea and moving to Italy, the homeland of opera and bel canto. In Milan, he completed his training at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory, where he encountered not only a new vocal technique, but also a language, culture and musical sensibility profoundly different from those in which he had grown up.
“Claudio” became his Italian name, while music offered him a new identity: neither completely Korean nor entirely Italian, but capable of embracing both. His career spans opera, classical crossover and pop opera. Park has also performed the role of Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville, demonstrating both solid training and a voice capable of approaching the operatic repertoire without sacrificing contemporary sensitivity. His voice is luminous and intense. His classical technique enables him to reach broad, powerful notes, but what is most striking is the way he preserves an almost intimate delicacy, even during his most spectacular performances.
A New Beginning on the Sanremo New Talent Stage
The decisive moment in his career came in February 2022. After a difficult period, during which he had also worked as a tour guide, interpreter and photographer to support himself, Park decided to return to Italy and compete in Sanremo New Talent Winter.
For the occasion, he chose the stage name Hunk Tenor.
The competition had attracted thousands of participants, but Park succeeded in reaching the final. For his performance, he chose Il mare calmo della sera, the song with which Andrea Bocelli won the Newcomers section of the Sanremo Music Festival in 1994. Taking on a song so closely associated with Bocelli’s voice was an enormous challenge. Park, however, did not attempt to imitate him: he brought his own story to the stage—the nostalgia of someone who had lived between two countries and the desire to begin again. His interpretation won over the jury. Claudio Jongsoo Park became the first Asian artist to win Sanremo New Talent and also received the Senior Award, achieving a remarkable double victory. Maestro Vince Tempera, president of the jury, praised his voice, comparing it to the great Italian tenor tradition.
That success represented far more than professional recognition. It confirmed that the long journey begun in Korea, continued in Italian conservatories and marked by moments of hardship had not been in vain. It marked the return to music of an artist who had once risked leaving his dream unfinished.
From “Sorridi” to “I colori dell’amore”
Following his victory, Park released the single Sorridi in 2023, written by Daniele Falasca and Paolo Paltrinieri. Its title seems to encapsulate his rebirth: an invitation to rediscover the light after difficult times and never stop believing in one’s journey. In 2024, he released I colori dell’amore, composed by Andrea Morricone with lyrics by Paolo Paltrinieri. In the song, Park’s classical training meets a more intimate and melodic form of songwriting, fully revealing his identity as a crossover artist.
After becoming known as Hunk Tenor, the artist chose the more essential stage name PARK, while Italian audiences continue to call him Claudio Jongsoo Park. He has also served as an ambassador for the Korean cities of Gimhae and Yangsan, using his international experience to promote the culture of his homeland.
Why Claudio Jongsoo Park Captivates Audiences
Claudio Jongsoo Park is loved because he does more than simply sing well. When he performs an Italian song, he tries to enter its meaning, nostalgia and emotions. His pronunciation, careful attention to every word and respect for the melody reveal an authentic connection with Italy. His classical training gives him power and control, yet his singing never feels cold or contrived. A sense of vulnerability always remains in his voice an emotional nuance that immediately draws listeners closer. Away from the stage, Park also reveals a spontaneous, cheerful and ironic personality. On social media, he talks about his relationship with Italy, performs celebrated Italian songs and shares small moments from his daily life, creating a direct and affectionate relationship with his audience.
His strength lies precisely in this contrast: on stage, he possesses the solemn presence of a tenor, while in life he retains the simplicity of a curious young man who can still be moved by a new city, a landscape or a melody.
KoSt Fest’s Most Anticipated Concert
On Saturday, 29 August, overlooking the sea of Stintino, Claudio Jongsoo Park’s concert will be more than a musical performance. It will become the most authentic expression of KoSt Fest’s spirit. Korea and Italy already coexist within his voice: the discipline of Korean training, Italian bel canto, the modernity of pop opera and the desire to transform music into a language everyone can understand. When the first notes rise from Largo Cala d’Oliva and travel on the Mediterranean breeze, the distance between Seoul and Sardinia will suddenly seem much shorter.
For one evening, Stintino will not simply be one of the island’s most beautiful destinations. It will become the place where a Korean artist, in love with Italian music, brings two worlds together through his voice.
KoSt Fest – Korean Festival in Stintino 2026
Dates: 29 and 30 August 2026
Opening hours: 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Locations: Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo, Largo Cala d’Oliva and the “Warner” Cultural Centre
Claudio Jongsoo Park concert: Saturday, 29 August
Admission: Free throughout all festival areas
Official Instagram: @kost_fest
