HYBE Chairman Bang Si Hyuk donated 5 billion KRW (~3.7 million USD) to his alma mater, Seoul National University. The donation will be used to reconstruct the university's cultural center.
On July 3 at 6 PM, SNU will host a 'Cultural Center Demolition Ceremony and Groundbreaking Event' at the medium auditorium of the SNU Cultural Center in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. The event marks the dismantling of the existing center and heralds the beginning of a new cultural and arts complex.
Attendees will include SNU professors, students, donors to the reconstruction fund, and their families. Chairman Bang Si Hyuk will not be present as he is currently overseas for business.
The cultural center reconstruction fund was established to transform the university’s iconic cultural venue into a new, multi-purpose cultural space. It was revealed that Bang Si Hyuk donated 5 billion KRW to the fund in January 2023.
Bang Si Hyuk remarked, “I have experienced firsthand how social support and encouragement can help an individual grow,” adding, “I hope this donation leads to a virtuous cycle where future generations grow and give back to society.”
Bang Si Hyuk has continued to make various charitable contributions. Since 2020, his total donations have surpassed 10 billion KRW (approx. 7.2 million USD). In June 2022, he donated 5 billion KRW to the Community Chest of Korea (Love Fruit), which was used to support the education of underprivileged girls.
He also contributed 200 million KRW (~146,616 USD) to the 'SNU BIZ Startup Fund' to support student entrepreneurs at SNU’s College of Business Administration. This fund was created using the prize money from the Pony Chung Innovation Award, which was awarded to Bang by the Pony Chung Foundation.
Additionally, Bang Si Hyuk donated 200 million KRW to Save the Children for emergency relief in Turkey and Syria following the earthquakes, and 50 million KRW (approx. 36,654 USD) to the Yoo Jae Ha Music Scholarship Foundation in November to support the discovery and growth of emerging musicians.
A HYBE representative stated, “Chairman Bang Si Hyuk has consistently sought ways to contribute to the community as both a business leader and a member of society. We hope the new cultural center becomes a cradle for nurturing talent and propelling Korea forward as a cultural powerhouse.”
The original SNU Cultural Center was completed in 1984 and has hosted performances, exhibitions, and lectures. The new facility will include a vineyard-style concert hall with approximately 1,000 seats, where the audience surrounds the stage, and a black-box theater with about 300 seats featuring black-painted interior walls. It will also house galleries and community spaces, serving as a central hub in SNU’s “SNU Commons” strategy. Completion is expected in the second half of 2028.
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