Year-End Nights: A Record of the MBA, E-MBA, AMP, and MSP Gatherings

The year-end season for alumni associations is invariably busy. The closing months at Korea University Business School is difficult to describe as a simple collection of events. The alumni associations of the MBA, Executive MBA (E-MBA), AMP (Advanced Management Program), and MSP programs each brought the year to a close according to their own schedules and formats. What they shared was not merely the name “year-end gathering,” but the density of time each gathering held.

While the overall structure of these events may appear familiar and similar, what each program places at its center and which moments it chooses to preserve differ from one another. These differences are closely tied to how each alumni association records itself and prepares for the coming year. Who is called by name, which contributions are left on record, what messages are conveyed through congratulatory and commemorative remarks, and which scenes are captured in photographs — all of these choices define how each alumni community understands itself. 

MBA ‘Night of Alumni’ — Leadership That Extends Learning into Society 

At 6:00 p.m. on December 8, 2025, the 2025 Korea University MBA Management Awards Ceremony and Alumni Night was held at the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel. Hosted by the MBA Alumni Association of the Korea University Business School, the event followed the familiar year-end format of a reception, awards ceremony, dinner, a performance by the cheering squad, and commemorative photography. While adhering to convention, the evening clearly illustrated the values by which the MBA community reflected on the past year and prepared for the next. 

At the center of the event was the acceptance speech of Jo Soo-yeon (Class of 1990, K-MBA 70th cohort), recipient of the 2025 Korea University MBA Management Award. As CEO of FM Communications Co., Ltd., Jo introduced her business philosophy of integrating technology, creativity, and sustainability, and expressed gratitude for the learning she gained through the MBA program. She also emphasized her commitment, as an alumna, to contributing to society in ways that enhance the honor and value of the Korea University MBA. Rather than highlighting personal achievement, her remarks placed greater emphasis on extending learning into society. 

This tone continued in the remarks of the recipients of the Proud Alumnus Award. Hwang Hyun-sung, Executive Vice President (Class of 1993, K-MBA 73rd cohort), stated, “Whether it is knowledge or wealth, its value grows much greater when it is shared and given,” adding that he would continue to live a life of sharing and service for his alma mater and the alumni association. Lee Kang-hyun, also an Executive Vice President (Class of 2010, K-MBA 90th cohort), noted that the award reflected “the hearts and efforts of many people,” and expressed his intention to practice greater social responsibility. Though expressed differently, both conveyed a shared resolve not to allow achievement to remain merely a personal outcome. 

This moment resonated with the mission emphasized when Korea University established the nation’s first MBA program. Leadership that does not end with achievement, but expands into social responsibility and practice, has been passed down through generations, and this year’s MBA Alumni Night once again reaffirmed that tradition. The awardees’ remarks emphasized “one’s posture after success,” shaping the tone of the event by linking the year’s conclusion to future action. 

Ultimately, the MBA Alumni Night placed greater weight on the words spoken by those honored than on any elaborate production. Though the awards concluded, the recipients’ remarks remained as promises extending beyond the night itself and toward the coming year. What the MBA alumni repeatedly reaffirmed was not individual success alone, but the manner in which that success is reconnected to society. “Give back what we have learned, and responsibly carry forward the pride of the Korea University MBA” — this message was woven into the December night. 

E-MBA ‘Night of Alumni’ — Embracing One Another’s Efforts and Matching Steps Again 

The E-MBA year-end gathering was held on December 12, 2025, at Anam Hall of the Korea University Alumni Association. Beginning at 6:00 p.m. with a simple dinner, the event continued with greetings and a toast by the President of the E-MBA Alumni Association. Rather than foregrounding individual achievement, the evening unfolded in an atmosphere focused on recognizing and encouraging one another for the efforts sustained throughout the year. Across the program, the emphasis was placed not on “what more was achieved,” but on “what time was shared together.” 

Following a performance by the E-MBA CHORUS, 162 distinguished guests and alumni from each cohort were introduced. This sequence served to highlight how alumni from diverse cohorts collectively form the E-MBA community. Congratulatory remarks and an academic report delivered by Eonsoo Kim, Dean of the Business School, followed, focusing on the current status of program operations and future directions. 

The handover of leadership from the 17th to the 18th Alumni Association administration also took place. Kim Deok-cheon, introduced as the 18th President of the Alumni Association, offered words of encouragement for the time that had passed and expressed hope that members would continue to walk forward together in mutual support. Kim Young-mok, the first President of the Alumni Association, was also in attendance and delivered a toast. 

The latter part of the evening transitioned into a Night of Alumni Concert. Instrumental and vocal performances were presented, including “Let the Bright Seraphim” from the oratorio Samson, Ave Maria, and Nella Fantasia. The concert provided a calm and reflective close to the year, allowing alumni to look back on one another’s efforts. 

The E-MBA year-end gathering thus served as a space to acknowledge the time shared together and to prepare for the year ahead, as participants shared the weight of a demanding year and brought it to a close collectively. 

AMP ‘Night of Year-End Support’ — Marking 50 Years and Preparing for the Next 50 

The 37th Night of Year-End Support held special significance for the AMP Alumni Association. It marked AMP’s 50th anniversary, coincided with the conclusion of activities for the 99th cohort, and witnessed the 100th cohort stepping forward to carry the community into its next chapter. As the nation’s first Advanced Management Program (AMP), the program has sought to cultivate leaders equipped with advanced management theory, an understanding of global economic trends, and a strong foundation in the humanities. 

During the event, participants also shared a commitment to preparing together for the University’s next 120 years. Just as Korea University has responded to societal demands over the past 120 years, it presented a vision of expanding its role over the next century through education, research, and social contribution. The AMP Alumni Association expressed its intention to participate as both partner and supporter in this process, uniting around a shared resolve to pass the record of the past 50 years on to the next generation. 

Recipients of the 37th Advanced Management Awards were also introduced. Jang Soon-bong, CEO of KAS Holdings (Class of 2009, 67th cohort), was honored in the Global Construction Management category; Jang Sung-ho, CEO of Baek-Un Industry Co., Ltd. (Class of 2023, 96th cohort), in the Construction Infrastructure Shared-Growth Management category; and Woo Ji-ha, CEO of Applia Agricultural Corporation (Class of 2024, 97th cohort), in the Innovative Management and Distribution category. The introductions highlighted not only their achievements in each field but also the leadership and experience they had accumulated through practice in their respective industries. 

Time was also devoted to reviewing the year’s activities. Under the leadership of Park Jang-seon, the 23rd President of the Alumni Association, AMP continued a wide range of events throughout the year, broadening exchanges among alumni. It was shared that the active participation of both the executive team and alumni strengthened the cohesion of the community over the past year. 

AMP’s 50-year history cannot be explained simply as the passage of time. Continuity has been sustained through cohort-based participation, dedicated operations, and enduring solidarity among alumni. The title Night of Year-End Support itself reflects this character. Fifty years of networking built upon mutual support were brought together as a shared record, and this year’s event was designed as a space to collectively reflect on that meaning. Through commemoration, awards, and fellowship, the evening concluded with a reaffirmation of the program’s half-century trajectory. 

MSP “Night of Business Alumni” — Emphasizing Partnership with the Alma Mater 

The 2025 Business Alumni Night, commemorating the 61st anniversary of MSP and marking the close of 2025, was held at 6:00 p.m. on December 18 at Anam Hall of the Korea University Alumni Center, hosted by the MSP Alumni Association. The program followed a structure similar to other year-end events, bringing the season to a well-structured close. 

On this evening, the alumni association emphasized close partnership with the University as a core value. Referring to the continuum from the 104th to the 106th cohorts of the Management Research Program, speakers stressed that the development of the University and the growth of the alumni association are inseparable. Alumni were encouraged to take interest in and actively participate in initiatives supporting the University’s advancement. The program’s historical significance—established in 1963 alongside the founding of Korea University’s Graduate School of Business, the nation’s first—further reinforced the message of a tradition carried forward together with the University. 

The 2025 Business Award was presented to alumnus Maeng Min-hee (Class of 2021, 98th cohort). Maeng has continued active management initiatives, including overseas patent filings, and was recognized for enhancing the program’s stature through exemplary corporate leadership. The Overall Excellence Award (Grand Prize) for outstanding cohort performance was awarded to the 65th cohort, with President Jeong Ha-seong (Class of 2004, 65th cohort) and Secretary-General Oh Young-wook (Class of 2004, 65th cohort) named as recipients. 

In the individual award categories, the Liberitas Award was presented to Lee Jeong-geun (Class of 2008, 72nd cohort), and the Justitia Award to Noh Hee-yeol (Class of 2007, 71st cohort). Lee has placed customer trust at the core of his business philosophy while also serving as Chair of an association supporting the families of fallen service members. Noh has consistently supported alumni association initiatives and has made significant contributions to the development of both the University and the alumni community, including a KRW 150 million scholarship donation to Korea University and mask donations to Korea University Hospital during the COVID-19 period. 

The 2025 Night of Business Alumni concluded as both a moment to reflect on the year past and a shared commitment by MSP to carry the coming year forward grounded in mutual growth with the University. The awards and acknowledgments illuminated the profiles of alumni who have contributed to the community across diverse fields. These contributions stand as concrete expressions of MSP’s long-emphasized principle of coexistence with the University, as they are closely connected to support for education, healthcare, and students. In this way, the recognition of alumni achievements quietly filled the year’s end with substance and continuity. 

Although the four programs held their year-end events on different schedules and in different formats, the values that emerged were strikingly consistent. Achievements accumulated over the year were not left as individual records alone, but were reconnected to collective responsibility and solidarity. Ultimately, the year-end gatherings functioned as spaces to reaffirm a simple commitment: “We learned together, endured together, and now prepare for what comes next—together.” 

This commitment takes concrete form through networks. Year-end alumni events extend beyond simple fellowship, serving instead as moments to revisit the structures of connection—support, participation, inter-cohort succession, and partnership with the alma mater. The act of naming individual contributions and preserving them within collective memory resembles a shared agreement to distribute responsibility so that relationships may endure. In this sense, the year-end night is both a pause at the close of the year and a way of making the next year possible. 

In the end, the year-end gatherings of the four programs can be summarized under a single shared value: a community that records achievement together and shares responsibility together. The efforts and contributions accumulated in each individual sphere were brought together under the name of the alumni association, and that accumulation was once again connected to practice directed toward the alma mater and society. Thus, the events concluded not only as a summary of the year, but also as a way of beginning the next.