Business · Companies · 3 hrs ago
Young South Koreans Turn to Lee Kun-hee’s Advice Amid Semiconductor Boom
Young South Koreans are watching videos of late Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, whose speeches have gained attention on social media.
Lee became widely associated with his 1993 call to change everything except one’s wife and children, urging Samsung to focus on quality over quantity.
His role in building Samsung’s semiconductor business draws added interest as an AI-driven boom lifts the industry and young investors study chip companies.
Lee backed Samsung’s move into semiconductors in 1974, despite opposition from his father and the group’s secretariat.
Some young people see his warnings as guidance amid job pressures and slow growth, rather than as simple motivational slogans.
AI-generated fake speeches are also circulating, with cloned voices and invented quotes presented as Lee’s words.
Viewers therefore need to distinguish his real recorded statements from fabricated material.
Young South Koreans are increasingly watching and sharing videos of the late Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee’s remarks.
Interest has grown amid a semiconductor boom linked to artificial intelligence and renewed attention to Lee’s role in building Samsung’s semiconductor business.
Some young people say his calls for change and warnings about economic risks offer guidance amid job-market difficulties and slow growth.
His remarks have spread widely on social media, while AI-generated videos have also falsely attributed speeches to him.
- Who
- Young South Koreans, including job seekers, students and workers, are turning to Lee Kun-hee’s remarks.
- What
- Videos of the late Samsung chairman’s speeches and advice have attracted growing interest.
- When
- Interest took off early in 2026, according to the article.
- Where
- The trend is spreading through YouTube and other social media platforms in South Korea.
- Why
- The semiconductor boom has renewed interest in Lee’s role in the industry, while young people also relate to his warnings and advice amid job-market difficulties and slow growth.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Before becoming Samsung Group chairman, Lee acquired a 50% stake in Korea Semiconductor using his own money.
Lee announced Samsung Group’s “New Management” initiative in Frankfurt, Germany.
Lee compared South Korea’s position between China and Japan to a sandwich and warned of future turmoil.
Videos of Lee’s remarks began attracting widespread attention online.
The sixth anniversary of Lee’s death was marked.
- Video view count
- More than 4 million views for one Lee Kun-hee video on a YouTube channel
- Other video view count
- More than 8 million views for a Lee Kun-hee video on another YouTube channel
- AI-generated channel
- More than 3.35 million views by February 2026
- Samsung Q2 operating profit
- 89.4 trillion won
- Samsung Q3 operating profit
- 107.4 trillion won, preliminary figure
1 source
What people are saying
I thought that if I lived with that kind of mindset in difficult times like these, I might succeed.
I became curious about what kind of person Lee Kun-hee, who laid the foundations of Korea’s semiconductor industry, was.
Lee Kun-hee’s harsh words feel like words truly meant for young people, like the saying that good medicine tastes bitter.