Hong Ra-hee: South Korea’s Art Maven and Samsung Matriarch Navigates New Chapter in 2025

The legacy of Hong Ra-hee, South Korea’s prominent art collector and business figure, continues to evolve in early 2025. At 78, she remains one of South Korea’s wealthiest individuals with a current net worth of $4.44 billion, holding the 5th position in South Korea and 720th globally among billionaires. Her wealth recently saw a 4.33% increase of $192 million, though this follows a broader decline from 2023 when her net worth stood at $4.70 billion.

In a significant financial development, Hong Ra-hee, along with her daughters Lee Boo-jin and Lee Seo-hyun, recently orchestrated a substantial block sale of Samsung shares worth approximately $2.1 billion. This strategic move, executed in January 2024, aimed to address the family’s inheritance tax obligations exceeding 12 trillion won. Hong personally offered the largest portion, putting up 19,324,106 shares of Samsung Electronics for sale.

As the widow of Lee Kun-hee, who was once South Korea’s richest person, Hong has maintained her position as a pivotal figure in both the business and cultural spheres. Her influence extends far beyond her corporate responsibilities, particularly in the art world, where she has been instrumental in shaping South Korea’s cultural landscape through her leadership at the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, which she co-founded with her late husband in 2004.

Her dedication to cultural preservation and advancement recently earned recognition when she received the prestigious “Red Cross delivery ban” from the Korean Red Cross in October 2024. This honor acknowledges her 34-year commitment to humanitarian causes and community service, including her role as a founding member of the Korean Red Cross’ high-value donor group since 2016.

Despite facing challenges, including her resignation from the directorship of the Samsung Museum of Art amid family-related controversies in 2017, Hong’s influence in the art world remains substantial. Her expertise in art collection and evaluation, initially nurtured by Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chul, has been crucial in building one of the most significant art collections in Asia. Her collection spans works from contemporary artists like Lee Ufan and Do-ho Suh to international masters such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Andy Warhol.

Hong’s educational background, including a degree in Applied Arts from Seoul National University, has informed her sophisticated approach to art curation and collection. Her professional journey, which began at JoongAng Ilbo Publishing and led to her chairperson role at the Samsung Arts and Cultural Foundation, demonstrates her commitment to bridging the worlds of business and culture.

As we progress through 2025, Hong Ra-hee continues to navigate the complexities of inheritance, legacy preservation, and cultural stewardship. Her story exemplifies the intersection of corporate responsibility and cultural leadership in modern South Korea, making her an enduring symbol of the nation’s economic and cultural advancement.