Chang Byung-gyu
Chang Byung-gyu | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 25, 1973 Daegu, South Korea |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, investor |
| Known for | Founder and chairman of Krafton; founder of Neowiz and BonAngels |
Chang Byung-gyu (; born 25 April 1973) is a prominent South Korean entrepreneur and investor, recognized primarily as the founder and chairman of Krafton, a major holding and publishing company in the video game industry. He held the position of chairman for both the inaugural and second terms of South Korea's Presidential Committee on the 4th Industrial Revolution. Additionally, Chang played a key role in establishing Neowiz, a holding enterprise, and BonAngels, a venture capital firm where he currently serves as an advisor.
As of April 2025, Forbes estimates his fortune to be around US$1.1 billion.
Early life and education
Born in Daegu, South Korea on 25 April 1973, Chang completed his studies ahead of schedule at Daegu Science High School. He then enrolled at KAIST in 1991, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science by 1995, followed by a Master’s degree in 1997, and ultimately a PhD in computer science.
Career
In 1997, Chang co-established Neowiz alongside seven partners and took on the role of chief technology officer (CTO). He departed from Neowiz in 2005 to launch First Snow, a search engine startup whose technology was acquired by Naver Corporation in 2006 for ₩35 billion (approximately US$31 million).
Chang went on to create Bluehole Studio in March 2007 and later founded the venture capital firm BonAngels in 2012, focusing on investments in early-stage startups. On 22 April 2015, Bluehole Studio underwent rebranding to become Bluehole and broadened its reach by acquiring multiple video game studios.
Between 2017 and 2020, Chang led the Presidential Committee on the 4th Industrial Revolution, spearheading initiatives to promote industrial innovation within the South Korean government.
On 5 November 2018, he established Krafton as the holding company for Bluehole. That same year, Tencent purchased a 10% stake in Krafton for US$500 million, elevating the company to unicorn status. Following Krafton’s initial public offering in August 2021, Chang’s net worth surpassed the billion-dollar mark.
In March 2022, Chang gifted approximately ₩37.4 billion (equivalent to US$30 million) worth of Krafton shares to company executives and employees.
Personal life
Chang is wed to Jung Seung-hye, who holds a stake of under 1% in Krafton.