Hong Jung-wook

2.1. Childhood and Family Background

Ryan Jungwook Hong was born on March 14, 1970. He is the eldest son and second of three children born to the celebrated actor Namkoong Won (born Hong Kyung-il) and Yang Chun-ja. His mother, Yang Chun-ja, is a former Northwest Airlines flight attendant who graduated from Ewha Womans University with a degree in English literature. He attended Apgujeong Elementary School and Apgujeong Middle School in Seoul. In 1985, while attending Apgujeong Middle School, he expressed a desire to become a president akin to John F. Kennedy and, accompanied by his mother, attempted to enroll in Kennedy's high school, though he was initially unsuccessful. His life choices were significantly influenced by his mother's advice: "Don't go the path everyone goes, but create a path no one has walked."

2.2. Education

Hong left Korea in 1985 to pursue his studies in the United States. He graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in 1989. In 1993, he received his Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree, magna cum laude, in East Asian Studies from Harvard University. He then earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Stanford Law School in 1998. In addition to his studies in the U.S., Hong also pursued political science at Seoul National University in Korea and international politics at the graduate school of Peking University in China.

3.1. Early Career in the United States

After successfully passing the New York State Bar examination in 1998, Hong joined the Mergers and Acquisitions Group at Lehman Brothers in New York City. In 1999, he departed from Lehman Brothers to co-found an internet startup in California, where he served as CFO of the venture firm Struxicon.

3.2. Leadership at Herald Corporation

In December 2002, Hong acquired Herald Corporation, a venerable newspaper company, through a leveraged buyout. He successfully revitalized the company, expanding its operations into various sectors including the internet, broadcasting, magazines, and education. Under his leadership, Herald Corporation transformed into a diversified content and lifestyle group, encompassing media, education, natural foods, and biodegradable plastics. The company publishes The Korea Herald, the leading English-language newspaper in Korea, and The Herald Business, Korea's largest afternoon financial daily. It also operates Herald Edu, a major English immersion campus network, and manages Herald Artday, an online art auction platform, along with Herald Design Forum, a prominent design forum in Asia. Additionally, Herald Corporation owns Biota, a manufacturer of biodegradable plastic films. From 2005, Herald Corporation experienced over a decade of continuous growth and profitability, becoming one of Korea's most profitable media companies.

In 2019, Hong sold a 47.8% stake in Herald Media, which owns Herald Economy and The Korea Herald, to Jungheung Group, a construction-focused mid-sized enterprise based in Gwangju and Jeollanam-do. He retained a 5% stake in the company. In a message to Herald employees, Hong explained that this decision was necessary for Herald to make more aggressive investments in mobile and content, and to separate and recover investments from the risks of its growing affiliates.

3.3. Founding and Growth of Organica

In 2013, driven by the philosophy that "within nature lies cure for humanity," Hong founded Organica, a pioneering premium natural food company. Organica offers a range of products including whole foods, natural snack foods, cold-press juices, and salads. Its key brands include Just Juice, Korea's premier HPP cold-press juices, and Season to Season, a premium selection of organic grains and superfoods. Through strategic acquisitions and expansions, Hong has aimed to establish Organica as a benchmark for natural foods across Korea and Asia. Notable acquisitions include Cheonbo Natural Food, a leading organic grains distributor (2013), Ansung Production Center, large-scale HPP facilities from CJ CheilJedang (2015), and Green Farm, an organic vegetable supplier (2016).

3.4. Other Business Ventures

Beyond Herald Corporation and Organica, Hong has held other significant business roles. He has served as CEO and Chairman of Dong-A TV. He was also the publisher of Campus Herald and Junior Herald. His professional affiliations include serving as a director of the Korea Newspaper Association, a director of the International Press Institute Korea Committee, an auditor of the Korea Newspaper Ethics Commission, and a director of the Gloria Opera Company.

4.1. Election to the National Assembly

In 2008, Hong resigned from his position as chairman of Herald Corporation to enter politics. On April 9, 2008, he was nominated as the candidate for the Grand National Party (which later became the Saenuri Party and is now the People Power Party) in the Nowon District C constituency of Seoul. He was successfully elected as a member of the 18th National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, defeating Roh Hoe-chan of the Progressive New Party.

His election results are as follows:

4.2. Parliamentary Activities and Recognition

During his four-year term in the National Assembly, Hong was an active legislator. He served on the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee of the National Assembly. He was also a member of the Dokdo Territory Protection Special Committee, the Inter-Korean Relations Development Special Committee, and the US Beef Import Agreement National Audit Special Committee. Within the Grand National Party, he held significant roles, including chairman of the International Affairs Committee (appointed September 24, 2009) and head of the 2030 Headquarters (appointed August 17, 2010). He was also involved in the Cheonan Incident Response Committee, North Korean Nuclear Provocation Response Special Committee, Seoul City Party Nomination Review Committee, Local Election Planning Committee, Smart Campaign Support Deputy Head for the 2010 Local Election Central Election Committee, O2 Campaign Support Head for the 2010 Seoul Mayoral Candidate Election Committee, and the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Bid Special Committee. He also served as the Honorary Ambassador of Grant Aid for the Korean government.

Hong received numerous accolades for his parliamentary performance. He was recognized as an "Excellent Lawmaker for National Audit" by the NGO National Audit Monitoring Group for three consecutive years (2008, 2009, 2010). In June 2011, he received the "Constitutional Excellence Award" at the "18th National Assembly Legislative Activities Comprehensive Evaluation" hosted by the Legal Consumers Alliance. He was also awarded the "Beautiful Person Protecting Right Society Award" by the Barunsaheoijiminhoe in 2009 and the "Legislative Grand Prize" by Simin Ilbo in 2009.

4.3. Decision Not to Seek Re-election

On December 11, 2011, Hong announced his decision not to seek re-election in the 19th General Election. Following this, he returned to his business endeavors.

5.1. Establishment and Activities of the Olje Foundation

In 2011, Hong established the Olje Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting classics publication and education. The foundation offers "Olje Classics" and "Olje Selections"-a carefully curated series of Western and Eastern literature, philosophy, religion, and history books-to the public at low costs. It also donates 20% of its books to educational institutions, libraries, armed forces, and prisons, aiming to broaden access to foundational texts.

5.2. Support for Culture and Arts

Hong has been actively involved in supporting cultural and artistic development. Since 2008, he has served on the Board and the Operating Advisory Committee of the National Museum of Korea. He also founded the Young Friends of the Museum, a group aimed at engaging younger generations with the museum's collections and activities. Since 2016, he has been a member of the Board of Trustees for Choate Rosemary Hall, his alma mater. He is also a member of the Operating Committee of the Seoul National University Museum of Art. In 2014, Hong founded the Herald Philharmonic Orchestra to promote and support classical music. Additionally, he serves as a director of the Korea-America Association and the Gloria Opera Company.

5.3. Environmental and Sustainability Initiatives

Hong has advocated for environmental protection and sustainable practices. In 2015, he leveraged both Herald Corporation and Organica to fund the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)'s premier ecological footprint report for Korea. He supported WWF Korea in its efforts to protect endangered species and raise awareness about climate change. A strong advocate for a plant-based diet, he has championed various initiatives to support organic farming and sustainable food systems in Korea.

6.1. Memoir "Seven Acts Seven Scenes"

In 1993, Hong authored his influential memoir, Seven Acts Seven Scenes, which chronicles his experiences studying in the United States and China. The book has sold over 1.3 million copies to date. A subsequent edition, Seven Acts Seven Scenes and After, was published in 2003 by Wisdomhouse.

7.1. Family Relationships

Ryan Jungwook Hong is the eldest son and second of three children born to actor Namkoong Won (born Hong Kyung-il) and Yang Chun-ja. His elder sister, Hong Seong-a, serves as the CEO of Herald Academy, a subsidiary of Herald Corporation. His younger sister, Hong Nari, is a professional violinist. He is married to Son Jeong-hui, who is the second daughter of Son Myeong-won, a former president of SsangYong Motor and an advisor to Herald Media. Son Myeong-won is the son of Son Won-il, the first Chief of Naval Operations and former Minister of National Defense, and Son Jinsil. Son Jeong-hui's mother is Kim Yeong-suk, who is the second daughter of Kim Dong-jo, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Through his wife's maternal lineage, Hong is connected to other prominent families; her aunts include Kim Yeong-ja, married to Heo Gwang-su (chairman of Samyang International and related to GS Group), and Kim Yeong-myeong, married to Chung Mong-joon (a former National Assembly member and major shareholder of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group). Ryan Jungwook Hong and Son Jeong-hui have three children: two daughters, Hong Jiseung and Hong Jisu, and a son, Hong Uiseung.

7.2. Daughter's Drug Case

On September 27, 2019, Hong's eldest daughter, Hong Jiseung (born 2000), was apprehended at Incheon International Airport during immigration screening for attempting to smuggle illegal substances. These substances included six liquid cannabis cartridges and LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) in paper form. She was also indicted on charges of purchasing illegal drugs three times and using them nine times in the United States and other locations between February 2018 and September 2019. During her final arguments in court, her lawyer stated that she had purchased and personally used the drugs while studying abroad since the age of 14, away from her parents. The court sentenced her to two years and six months in prison, suspended for three years.

9.1. International Recognition

• 2005: Selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
• 2006: Named an Asia 21 Fellow by Asia Society.
• 2008: Recognized as a Young World Leader by the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt.

9.2. Domestic Honors

• 2008, 2009, 2010: Selected as an "Excellent Lawmaker for National Audit" by the NGO National Audit Monitoring Group for three consecutive years.
• 2009: Received the "Beautiful Person Protecting Right Society Award" from the Barunsaheoijiminhoe.
• 2009: Awarded the "Legislative Grand Prize" by Simin Ilbo.
• 2011: Received the "Constitutional Excellence Award" from the Legal Consumers Alliance.
• He also received an honorary doctorate degree in political science from Yongin University.