Bang Si-hyuk, the chairman of HYBE, has donated funds to his alma mater, Seoul National University, which will be used for the reconstruction of a new cultural hall.

On the afternoon of the 3rd, Seoul National University will hold a 'Cultural Hall Demolition Ceremony and Groundbreaking Ceremony' at the main auditorium of the Cultural Hall in Gwanak-gu, Seoul. This event commemorates the demolition of the existing cultural hall and marks the beginning of a new multi-purpose space for culture and arts.

Attendees of the event will include professors and students from Seoul National University, as well as donors and their families who contributed to the construction fund for the cultural hall. Chairman Bang will not be present due to business commitments overseas.

The construction fund for the cultural hall was established to transform the cultural hall, which is a representative cultural space of Seoul National University, into a new multi-cultural complex. In January 2023, Chairman Bang donated 5 billion KRW to this fund.

Chairman Bang stated, "I have experienced that the support and help received from society serves as nourishment for an individual's growth. I hope that this virtuous cycle of donation, where juniors grow and contribute back to society, continues."

Chairman Bang has been engaged in various philanthropic activities. Since 2020, his cumulative donations have exceeded 10 billion KRW. In June 2022, he donated 5 billion KRW to the Community Chest of Korea for the 'Love Fruit' campaign, which was used to support female youth education.

He has also stepped up to support the entrepreneurial endeavors of his juniors at Seoul National University, donating 200 million KRW to the 'SNU BIZ Founding Fund' of the Business School. This fund was established with the prize money from the 'Pohny Jeong Innovation Award' given to Chairman Bang by the Pohny Jeong Foundation.

Additionally, he donated 200 million KRW to Save the Children for emergency relief efforts for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria, and he contributed 50 million KRW to the Yoo Jae-ha Music Scholarship Foundation in November to support the discovery and growth of emerging musicians.

HYBE commented, "Chairman Bang has been contemplating and implementing ways to contribute to community development as a business leader and member of society. We hope that the new cultural hall becomes a cradle for nurturing talents that will help elevate Korea as a cultural powerhouse."

Meanwhile, the Cultural Hall at Seoul National University was completed in 1984 and has hosted various performances, exhibitions, and lectures. The new cultural hall will feature a vineyard-style concert hall (approximately 1,000 seats) that will surround the stage with seating.

A black box theater (approximately 300 seats) with black-painted internal walls will also be created. It will include galleries and community spaces, serving as a hub for the 'SNU Commons' strategy that the university is promoting. Completion is expected in the second half of 2028.

<Photo provided by HYBE>