Kim Jae-chul, honorary chairman of Dongwon Group, appears in a video on the Dongwon TV YouTube channel. [Dongwon TV capture]
Kim Jae-chul, honorary chairman of Dongwon Group, appears in a video on the Dongwon TV YouTube channel. [Dongwon TV capture]

"Youth cannot be saved for later. You cannot set it aside or share it and expect to draw on it again someday."

Kim Jae-chul, honorary chairman of Dongwon Group, has released a video series recounting his journey from the son of a poor tenant farmer to one of Korea's leading entrepreneurs, with the aim of offering the younger generation advice on dreams, goals and how to pursue them.

According to industry sources Monday, Kim recently released the series through the Dongwon TV YouTube channel, drawing on his management essay "How to Ride the Waves of Life." The videos use the metaphor of a sea voyage to convey a sense of life's direction and the meaning of taking on challenges to young viewers.

In the series, Kim said that "dreaming outlandish dreams when you are young is itself a privilege of youth," urging viewers to "hold big dreams and challenge yourself boldly while you are young." He shared an anecdote from his own youth — that he had once entertained the idea of buying land in southern Argentina and living like a king — to drive home the message that young people should not limit themselves to dreams that seem realistically attainable, but should also dare to dream wildly.

The title "How to Ride the Waves of Life" reflects Kim's own story. Starting out as a deep-sea fishing vessel navigator who braved rough waters, he went on to build Dongwon Group and Korea Investment Holdings. The series draws on those experiences to advise young people who have yet to find their direction to search for their own compass.

Kim founded Dongwon Industries in 1969 and has since expanded the group's reach into food, finance and logistics. A Dongwon Group official said the series was conceived "to share the content of the autobiography and Chairman Kim's message with as many young people as possible," adding that a total of 11 episodes are scheduled to be uploaded through Wednesday, with a compiled omnibus edition to be posted on the final day.


korean@heraldcorp.com