Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin Rises to First Place in Surprise Upset
In May 2025, the corporate world witnessed a surprising turn of events. During this year’s Netizen Awards for ‘Entrepreneur of the Year,’ Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin clinched the top spot with 2,694 votes, accounting for 37.6% of the total.
This marks a major shift, as Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who had held the number-one position for 20 consecutive months, fell to second place with 2,608 votes (36.4%).
Nail-Biting Contest Between Top Business Leaders
The close competition between Shin and Lee highlighted an intense popularity race among the heads of Korea’s major conglomerates. Many fans closely followed the vote count, eagerly awaiting the final outcome.
Coming in third was Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, who garnered 1,010 votes (14.1%), solidifying his status as a leader in Korea’s traditional industries.
Other Noteworthy Business Figures
Rounding out the top five were Shinsegae Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin with 236 votes (3.3%), and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo with 229 votes (3.2%). Their recent push into new business ventures in retail and electronics likely contributed to their popularity.
Hotel Shilla CEO Lee Boo-jin also made headlines, landing in 6th place with 227 votes (3.2%)—a rare high ranking for a female business leader in Korea’s largely male-dominated corporate landscape.
Additional rankings include CJ Group Chairman Lee Jae-hyun at 7th with 145 votes (2.0%), and Naver founder Lee Hae-jin at 8th with just 4 votes (0.1%). Rounding out the list were BooYoung Group Chairman Lee Joong-keun and Krafton Chairman Jang Byung-gyu, who tied for 9th place with 2 votes each.
The End of a Reign, Beginning of a New Trend?
This year’s result signals the end of Lee Jae-yong’s dominant streak and could indicate shifting sentiments among the online community. With Chairman Shin’s unexpected rise, public interest in the leadership of South Korea’s top chaebol groups is more intense than ever.
The changing voting dynamics suggest that the days of one-man dominance may be over, opening the field to a more diverse range of leaders in future Netizen Awards.
What’s Next?
As fans eagerly watch the next round of voting, the competition among Korea’s top executives for online popularity is heating up. These results not only reflect shifting public perceptions but also offer clues about the evolving reputations of Korea’s powerful business leaders.
