Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of K-pop powerhouse Hybe, posted the largest gain in stock value among South Korea’s top business leaders in the first quarter of this year. His holdings increased by 515.5 billion won from January to March, surpassing high-profile tycoons, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong. Bang, newly recognized as a major business group leader last year, benefited as Hybe’s largest shareholder (31.57%) after the company’s stock rose on expectations for BTS’s full return from military service in June.
South Korea’s top tycoons saw mixed performances during the first three months of the year, as political instability and global market shifts unsettled investor sentiment. A report released April 9 by the Korea CXO Institute cited industrial changes and the lingering effects of trade policy under U.S. President Donald Trump as key factors.
Following Bang in the top five were Samsung’s Lee Jae-yong, Hanwha Chairman Kim Seung-yeon, CJ Chairman Lee Jay-hyun, and Kakao founder Kim Beom-su.
Tycoons tied to high-growth sectors such as defense, semiconductors, and entertainment saw strong gains, while those in biotech and autos were weighed down by market corrections.
The report analyzed stock values of 43 group heads whose personal holdings exceeded 100 billion won as of late March, according to the KFTC. Their combined value totaled 57.74 trillion won, a slight dip of 0.3% from 57.92 trillion won in early January. Among them, 27 saw increases while 16 posted losses.
Lee Jae-yong logged the second-largest gain, with his holdings up 321.3 billion won. By the end of March, his stake was worth 12.23 trillion won, up 2.7% from January. He briefly lost his position as Korea’s top stockholder to Meritz Financial Group Chairman Cho Jung-ho in March but regained the lead as chip stocks rebounded. Lee’s valuation was about 3% higher than Cho’s 11.92 trillion won. Cho, however, was not included in the ranking as he is not officially listed as a group head by the KFTC.
Hanwha’s Kim Seung-yeon gained 237.6 billion won, lifted by the company’s rise as a major defense contractor amid surging global military spending following Trump’s inauguration. However, his stock valuation is expected to fall sharply, as he plans to transfer a large portion of his shares to his three sons, including Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan. The handover is scheduled for April 30.
CJ’s Lee Jay-hyun gained 232.1 billion won, fueled by rising expectations for unlisted beauty retailer Olive Young. Kakao’s Kim Beom-su added 172.1 billion won, though he has stepped back from management after being diagnosed with early-stage bladder cancer last month.
