Samsung Electronics chairman goes viral after giving worker $35 cash tip for free coffee
Published: 03 Nov. 2025, 14:54
![A cafe employee hands a cup of coffee to Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong at a coffee shop inside the Hanwha Resorts in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Nov. 1, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/03/f0438182-015f-483b-a2c1-b48c8497cdfe.jpg)
A cafe employee hands a cup of coffee to Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong at a coffee shop inside the Hanwha Resorts in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Nov. 1, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
A story about a cafe worker who said Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong gave her a cash tip during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, has gone viral online.
The woman, who said she was working at an Ediya Coffee branch inside the Hanwha Resorts during the APEC summit that ended on Friday, wrote on social media on Saturday, “I’ve had many special experiences, but my encounter with Chairman Lee Jae-yong was the best.”
She also posted several photos, including one of her posing with Lee, who held a cup of coffee, and another of her holding a 50,000 won ($35) bill.
She said she handed Lee a cup of coffee when she saw him walk by. After thanking her, Lee briefly walked away, then returned and handed her 50,000 won.
“Chairman Lee was stylish, handsome and even gentlemanly,” she wrote. “I’ll frame the bill he gave me and keep it as a family heirloom.”
The post surpassed 430,000 views and received more than 10,000 likes as of Monday.
When one user asked, “Did the Samsung CEO really take the money out of his pants pocket, not his wallet?” she replied, “Yes. He looked like an ordinary man.”
Another commenter asked if she wrote the post using a Samsung phone. She responded, “I only use Samsung phones.”
One commenter wrote, “That 50,000 won is worth 500 million won.”
The woman uploaded another photo on Sunday, showing the framed bill, and said she never expected her story to attract so much attention.
![A 50,000 won ($35) bill that Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong gave to a cafe employee in return for a free cup of coffee is displayed in a frame. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/03/b3238163-1100-4769-9955-332fe749a48b.jpg)
A 50,000 won ($35) bill that Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong gave to a cafe employee in return for a free cup of coffee is displayed in a frame. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
“It was such a surprising and unforgettable experience,” she wrote.
Lee attended the APEC CEO Summit opening ceremony in Gyeongju on Wednesday. The following day, he met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Hyundai Motor Group Chair Euisun Chung over fried chicken and beer, a meeting that also went viral.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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