Bang Si-hyuk, the chairman of HYBE, donated 5 billion won for the 'Cultural Center Construction Fund' to his alma mater, Seoul National University, which will be used for the reconstruction of the new cultural center.
Seoul National University will hold a 'Cultural Center Demolition Ceremony and Groundbreaking Ceremony' on the 3rd at 6 p.m. in front of the main auditorium of the cultural center in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, to commemorate the demolition of the existing cultural center and to mark the beginning of a new cultural and arts complex space. Attendees will include professors and students from Seoul National University, as well as donors of the cultural center construction fund and their families. Chairman Bang Si-hyuk will be overseas due to business commitments and will not attend.
The cultural center construction fund was established to transform the cultural center, a representative cultural space of Seoul National University, into a new multi-cultural space. Chairman Bang donated 5 billion won to this fund in January 2023.
At the time of the donation, Chairman Bang said, "Having experienced how social support and assistance contribute significantly to the growth of an individual, I wanted to give back to my alma mater as much as I could," adding, "I hope this creates a virtuous cycle of donating, where the younger generation grows and contributes to society in return, fostering dreams based on common sense rather than the goals and dreams set by others."
In addition to the cultural center construction fund, Chairman Bang has engaged in various donation activities. His contributions since 2020 have exceeded 10 billion won, including support for the Korea Social Welfare Community Chest's assistance to women and youth, the 'SNU BIZ Startup Fund' from the Seoul National University Business School, emergency relief support for victims of the Turkey-Syria earthquake by the NGO Save the Children, and discovering promising musicians through the Yoo Jae-ha Music Scholarship Foundation.
HYBE stated, "Chairman Bang Si-hyuk has been contemplating and implementing ways to contribute to the development of the community as a businessman and a member of society," and expressed hope that the new cultural center will become a cradle for nurturing talents for Korea's leap to cultural supremacy.
Meanwhile, the cultural center of Seoul National University, completed in 1984, serves as a venue for the university community’s arts, discussions, and commemorations, hosting various performances, exhibitions, and lectures. The new cultural center will feature a vineyard-style concert hall with seating surrounding the stage, a black box theater with internal walls painted black, galleries, and community spaces, and will be utilized as a keystone space in the 'SNU COMMONS' strategy currently being pursued by Seoul National University. The goal is to complete it by the second half of 2028.