Chaebol children make a name for themselves in entertainment

K-pop

Published: 18 Feb. 2024, 07:00 Updated: 19 Feb. 2024, 15:23

Chaebol children make a name for themselves in entertainment

Annie Moon, far right, poses for a photo with other trainees under The Black Label. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Previously kept hidden under a veil of secrecy, heirs of chaebol, or Korean family-run conglomerates, are increasingly venturing into the public eye as professional entertainers or through social media.

Shinsegae Group family member Annie Moon recently garnered attention after photos of her with trainees under K-pop agency The Black Label, taken in a mirrored space that looks like a practice room for idol trainees, surfaced online on Feb. 5.

Born in 2002, 21-year-old Moon is the granddaughter of retail giant Shinsegae Group's Chairman Lee Myung-hee and the eldest daughter of Chung Yoo-kyung, the president of Shinsegae’s department store business. She is currently a student at Columbia University and has over 89,000 followers on her Instagram account.

The Black Label announced on Feb. 6 that it was preparing the agency’s new girl group, with the goal of it debuting in the first half of this year. The agency did not confirm Moon’s contract with the company as a trainee nor her inclusion in the final debut group.

A chaebol family member entering a K-pop agency as a trainee is a rare occurrence.

Singer-songwriter Lee Seung-joo, better known by his stage name Loren [SCREEN CAPTURE]

But also under The Black Label is singer-songwriter Lee Seung-joo, better known by his stage name Loren, who is the son of Naver’s founder and current global investment officer Lee Hae-jin. The singer’s grandfather Lee Si-yong was also the CEO at different times for Samsung Life Insurance and Mirae Asset Life Insurance, previously called SK Life Insurance.

Ham Yeon-ji, a third-generation descendant from food manufacturing giant Ottogi’s ruling family, gained popularity as a YouTuber. Daughter to current Ottogi Chairman Ham Young-joon, she majored in drama at New York University Tisch School of the Arts and worked as an actor in musical theater.

She ran a YouTube channel titled “YONJIHAM” from 2019, which at one point had over 470,000 followers, but announced its closure last December.

Her recent appearance at the Winter Fancy Food Show 2024 in Las Vegas sparked speculations that she was receiving education for business management, but Ottogi said the visit was on her personal accord.

Dolgo Donation CEO Lee Seung-hwan [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Lee Seung-hwan, CEO of Dolgo Donation and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won’s nephew, showed off his home and daily life in a video uploaded to YouTube in December. The video, which consists of Lee talking and his daily routine, has been viewed over 4.49 million times as of Friday.

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Lee said. “There isn’t really a reason why I should expose myself to the public.” He said he decided to make an appearance in the video to change the culture around donating.

Lee’s mother Chey Ye-jung is the fourth child of late SK Group’s founder Chey Jong-hyon, and his father Lee Dong-wook is the third child of former Korea Central Intelligence Agency director Lee Hu-rak.

Other previous cases of descendants of conglomerate families debuting in the entertainment scene include: actor Yoon Tae-young, son of former Samsung Electronics vice-chairman Yoon Jong-yong; actor Lee Yi-kyung, son of LG Innotek’s CEO Lee Woong-bum; actor Han Jae-suk, son of former Kia vice-chairman Han Seung-jun; actor Lee Phillip, son of STG chairman Simon Lee; actor Gang Dong-won, son of SPP Shipbuilding vice-president Gang Chul-woo; singer Park Yoon-ha, granddaughter to Minumsa chairman Park Maeng-ho; and singer Lee Jae-hoon, son of Yesong Furniture founder Lee Min-hee.

BY IM SOUNG-BIN [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]