Hong Ra-hee
Hong Ra-hee | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 15, 1945 South Korea |
| Occupation(s) | Business magnate, art collector, museum director |
| Known for | Director of Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art; Chairperson of Samsung Arts and Cultural Foundation |
Hong Ra-hee (; born 15 July 1945) is a South Korean business magnate and billionaire, currently serving as the director of the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art. She was married to Lee Kun-hee, who was recognized as South Korea's wealthiest individual, and is acknowledged as the nation's leading art collector. As reported by Forbes in December 2024, her estimated net worth stands at US$3.1 billion, placing her as the seventh wealthiest person in South Korea.
Career
Hong earned her degree in Applied Arts from Seoul National University. In 2004, she and her husband established the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art. Her extensive art collection includes works by notable figures such as Lee Ufan, Do-ho Suh, Whanki Kim, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Andy Warhol.
Her professional journey began at JoongAng Ilbo Publishing between 1975 and 1980. Since 1995, she has held the position of Chairperson at the Samsung Arts and Cultural Foundation.
Family
Within the leadership of Samsung C&T Corporation, Hong's daughters occupy executive roles: two act as co-presidents, with Lee Seo-hyun heading Samsung's fashion sector and Lee Boo-jin managing the resort division, which includes Everland Resort. Her father, Hong Jin-ki, previously chaired JoongAng Ilbo, while her brother, Hong Seok-hyun, served as CEO of JoongAng Media Group, an organization now under the leadership of her nephew, Jeongdo Hong.
Her son, Lee Jae-yong, was married to Lim Se-ryung—daughter of Daesang Group chairman Lim Chang-Wook—from 1998 until their divorce in 2009.