South Korea’s real-life Crazy Rich Asians: from K-pop and K-drama stars to Samsung and AmorePacific chaebol scions, meet 5 wealthy Korean influencers living their best lives

Oct 8 , 2020

Korea’s real-life Crazy Rich Asians: Gang Dong-won, Lee Boo-jin and Choi Siwon. Photo: @at_lesfleurs; @gang__dong_won; @siwonchoi/ Instagram

Super Junior’s Siwon, actors Yoon Tae-young and Gang Dong-won, and billionaire and millionaire businesswomen Lee Boo-jin and Suh Min-jung are leading the pack when it comes to wealth in South Korea – but how do they spend their riches?

South Korea’s affluent elite are a force to be reckoned with. Despite the economic recession prompted by Covid-19, the nation’s most moneyed not only retained most of their wealth, but even increased it. According to Forbes, the combined net worth of the country’s 50 richest people is US$110.8 billion as of this year – slightly more than last year’s valuation of US$110 billion. Who, then, are the key players currently sitting on top of all this wealth?

Whether a scion leading a corporate empire or a celebrity using their fame for philanthropic pursuits, each of the five wealthy South Koreans below is a real-life Crazy Rich Asian in their own right.

Lee Boo-jin

Our list can only begin with the elegant Lee Boo-jin. As the daughter of Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Electronics and currently the richest man in South Korea, she is undeniably the crème de la crème.

Unlike her father, though, Lee reigns supreme in the hospitality industry. She currently serves as the president and CEO of a popular South Korean luxury hotel chain. The billionaire businesswoman’s net worth now stands at US$1.6 billion.

Gang Dong-won

You might recognise Gang Dong-won from his film roles, but did you know that the actor comes from a wealthy background? That’s right: his father is a self-made businessman who currently serves as the vice-president of SPP Heavy Industries, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding organisations.

Siwon Choi