Young children of chaebol (Korea’s massive family-run conglomerates) are popping up on social networking services like Instagram and TikTok. While some unintentionally showcase their daily lives, others publicly promote and monetize themselves. Their activities are creating a buzz among the public.

Recently, Lee Won-ju, the daughter of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong was spotted dining at a famous Thai restaurant with idol group Blackpink member Lisa. Born in 2004, Lee Won-ju is the eldest daughter of Chairman Lee and Daesang Holdings Vice Chairman Lim Se-ryung. Lee Won-ju was accompanied by Vice Chairman Lim. Lee was also recently spotted chatting with Blackpink member Rosé at the 2023 LACMA Art + Film Gala in Los Angeles.

(Left) Lisa from Blackpink was pictured having a meal with Daesang Holdings Vice Chairman Lim Se-ryung and her daughter Lee Won-ju in Thailand. (Right) Lee Joo-young, fourth-generation chaebol of DL Group, posts various photos on her Instagram./ Instagram capture

Although Lee Won-ju does not engage in public SNS activities, her daily life has been exposed on the SNS by her school friends. In particular, the names of the clothes and sneakers she wore in her ‘Challenge’ video became a hot topic. Challenge is a social media culture involving dancing accompanied by a specific song. Earlier this year, photos of a person believed to be her boyfriend were posted on Lee’s Instagram several times.

Lee Joo-young, who is the fourth-generation chaebol of DL Group (formerly Daelim Group, Korean conglomerate specializing in construction), is a publicly active influencer on Instagram. Born in 2000, Lee Joo-young is the eldest daughter of DL Group Honorary Chairman Lee Hae-chang. As of today, Lee has uploaded 371 posts and has 120,000 followers.

In addition to her daily life, Lee’s posts are often sponsored and promoted by various brands. She has modeled for luxury brands such as Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel, as well as vegan cosmetics. She is usually paid for her promotional posts based on the number of followers she has. Lee reportedly gained experience in fashion by an internship at the fashion magazine Vogue Korea. Lee has also been running a YouTube channel since she was a student at Seoul Foreign School.

(Left) Choi Sung-hwan, the eldest son of former SK Networks Chairman Choi Shin-won and a nephew to SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, recently shared his daily routine on YouTube. (Right) Ottogi Chairman Ham Young-joon’s daughter Ham Yon-ji uploaded a video on Youtube, announcing that she will stop her Youtube channel./ Youtube capture

Chey Sung-hwan, the eldest son of former SK Networks Chairman Chey Shin-won and a nephew to SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, recently shared his daily routine on YouTube. Born in 1989, Lee, the CEO of a startup ‘Dolgo Donation’, is the only grandson of the late SK founder Chey Jong-Kun and the fifth cousin of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. He previously worked at SK Group for five years.

Dolgo Donation is an IT-based donation platform. Donors can make donations by card from $0.8 (1000 won) and see how their donations are used within a month. The principle is to use the entire donation amount for the beneficiary. Lee decided to appear on YouTube to promote the company.

Ottogi Chairman Ham Young-joon’s daughter Ham Yon-ji, who had been actively communicating with fans on YouTube, announced on Dec. 22. that she would stop her YouTube activities. Born in 1992, Ham Yon-ji is the eldest daughter of one son and one daughter of Ottogi Chairman Young-joon Ham. She majored in acting at New York University and worked as a musical actress. She has been running a YouTube channel since 2019.

Some analysts believe that she stopped her YouTube activities in order to participate in the company’s management fully.