“Precious advice from the class of ‘95 graduates … Global CEO Talk by Lee Kyuwon and Choi Sunghoon”

On March 30, the Global CEO Talk hosted by KUBS (Dean=Sang Yong Kim) was held in room 303 of the Hyundai Motor Hall. This lecture was titled “Class of ‘95 senior special lecture,” in which the class of ‘95 graduates visited to share stories with current students. Lee Kyuwon, CEO of Ido Gomtang, and Choi Sunghoon, CEO of Seungri Corporation were the speaker for the lecture. They progressed the lecture mainly focusing on college life, entrepreneurship stories, and the process of overcoming hardships.

First, CEO Lee Kyuwon from Ido Gomtang (Korean traditional beef soup) came forward as the speaker. He was a former ice hockey player at KU, who balanced his life as an athlete and as a KUBS student. One day, when he had the idea to “open a Gomtang restaurant in Seoul,” he visited various restaurants all around Korea to learn the cooking skills to make Gomtang and continued his research to establish a brand with the optimal flavor. He said, “Recalling my childhood memory of my grandmother using Korean herbs in her Gomtang, I also incorporated Korean herbal ingredients in my recipe.”

Next continued with a fun and informative lecture about the reason why he named his brand “Ido Gomtang,” and the story about when he catered food at a Korean Blue House event. Although it appeared that his brand was on the road to success, becoming a local fixture of the Yeok-sam dong area and appearing in the show “Wednesday Food Talk,” there were crises along the way. CEO Lee said “It is true that the restaurant industry was overall affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” however, he hoped to become “a hyena that turns crises into opportunities.” In fact, his brand used COVID-19 as a stepping stone and received joint investments, expanded direct management stores, and has been experiencing an increase in sales since last year.

Finally, CEO Lee Kyuwon referenced the story of “The Tortoise and the Hare,” saying “The hare saw its competitor, whereas the tortoise saw its goal.” He advised the students, saying “I hope my competent juniors will make sure to keep this lesson in mind as they enter society.”

Next, CEO Choi Sunghoon from Seungri Corporation took the stage. Despite of having a difficult childhood, Choi studied harder than anyone else to enter KUBS. While he had to work hard to make ends meet even after admission, he could live by the joy and pride of studying business administration. After graduation, instead of getting a job in a major company, he chose to engage in religious activities and prepare for studying abroad but he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Choi said, “I assume that my mental illness was due to accumulated stress since a young age.” He has slowly overcome his illness over a period of 20 years, and now he is striving to heal the pain of people with similar conditions.

He then went on to emphasize the three items necessary in life: △ health △ self-improvement △ self-consumption. CEO Choi also emphasized “having an attitude of challenging the world,” however, he noted that “one must prepare oneself thoroughly before challenging rather than doing it blindly.” For Choi, having the experience of religious activity and studying business was a part of his preparation process for moving forward in the world.

Finally, he advised “do not fear having less money when starting a business,” as he introduced various government-supported programs and local government programs for start-ups. He also delivered the message of “never stopping the challenge, and actively living life.”

CEO Lee Kyuwon, who succeeded in starting a business with the goal-oriented mindset of the tortoise, and CEO Choi Sunghoon, who is experiencing various activities after graduation to heal people’s pain. The special lecture came to an end with students pondering on the story of the class of ‘95 graduates.