The King of Korean Stocks: A Samsung Story
Okay, so no huge surprise here, but Samsung’s leader, Lee Jae-yong, is number one on the list of Korea’s stock-rich individuals. His personal stock holdings skyrocketed by over 11 trillion won (a massive 94.1%) this year alone, bringing his total to around 23.4 trillion won. For my American friends, this is like the head of Apple or Google personally owning an insane amount of company stock. This huge jump was driven by the strong performance of shares in key Samsung companies like Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T, and Samsung Life Insurance. Basically, when Samsung does well, he does *really* well. The rest of the top 5 is also filled with his family members, including his mother Hong Ra-hee and his sisters Lee Boo-jin and Lee Seo-hyun, which just shows how much of a dynasty Samsung is in Korea.
K-Pop Royalty Joins the Ranks
Now for the part that made everyone’s jaws drop! Three members of BTS – V, Jimin, and Jungkook – have officially been named among the top 100 wealthiest stockholders under the age of 30 in South Korea. Each of them holds about 21.4 billion won (around $14.7 million) in HYBE stock. How cool is that? It’s amazing to see them transition from global pop stars to powerful young tycoons. Their boss, HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk (aka Bang PD), also made the top 10 overall list with a whopping 4.1 trillion won in stocks.
How Did BTS Get So Rich in Stocks?
So you might be wondering how idols get into the stock game. It’s actually a pretty cool story! Back in 2020, before their company HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) went public on the stock market, Chairman Bang Si-hyuk gifted each of the seven BTS members an equal number of shares. It was a way of recognizing their insane contribution to the company’s growth. V, Jimin, and Jungkook have reportedly held onto all of their shares since then, and it has clearly paid off big time. The other members have also maintained stock assets worth over 10 billion won each. This isn’t just about them getting a paycheck; it’s about them owning a piece of the empire they helped build.
A New Kind of Celebrity Wealth
This whole situation is super fascinating because it shows a shift in how celebrity wealth is created in Korea. It’s not just about concert tickets and album sales anymore. By holding company stock, the members’ financial success is directly tied to HYBE’s long-term growth and success. It’s a smart move that gives them a more stable and growing asset, unlike the fluctuating income from entertainment activities. With BTS expected to make a full group comeback next year, everyone’s watching to see how much higher their fortunes (and their stock values) will rise!
