CJ Group Vice Chairwoman Lee Mee-kyung receives lifetime achievement medal at Asian Hall of Fame; Rosé also inducted

CJ Group Vice Chairwoman Lee Mee-kyung received a lifetime achievement medal from the Asian Hall of Fame in the United States in recognition of her contributions to globalizing Korean content. This year's inductees also included Blackpink's Rosé, pioneering Japanese baseball player Hideo Nomo and other figures from music, sports and business.

CJ ENM said Lee received the Centennial Lifetime Achievement Medal at the 22nd Asian Hall of Fame ceremony held in Los Angeles on Thursday (local time). She was recognized for more than 30 years of work connecting Korea and the world across film, music and broadcasting, and for expanding the foundation for Korean content to reach international audiences.

The Centennial Lifetime Achievement Medal is a special award given to individuals who have contributed to industry development, cultural influence and cross-cultural collaboration. Lee is the fourth recipient, following James Hong in 2020, Nancy Kwan in 2021 and Connie Chung in 2024.

The award was presented by Lee Soo-man, key producer at A2O Entertainment. Last year, Lee Mee-kyung had introduced Lee Soo-man when he was inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame; this year, the roles were reversed. "If I am the godfather of K-pop, Vice Chairwoman Lee Mee-kyung is the godmother of K-culture," Lee Soo-man said.

In her acceptance speech, Lee said, "Culture is like oxygen — we take it for granted, but we cannot live without it." She added that the greatest legacy to leave behind is not simply what has been achieved so far, but the opportunities created for the next generation, expressing her hope that emerging creators would dream bigger and push beyond existing limits.

A range of individuals and companies across multiple fields were inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame this year alongside Lee. Blackpink's Rosé was recognized for expanding K-pop's global influence through her international music activities. Beyond her work with the group, Rosé made her mark on the world music market with her solo album "rosie" and her collaboration with Bruno Mars on "APT."

Former major league pitcher Hideo Nomo was named an inductee in the sports pioneer category. Chipmaker TSMC and global restaurant brand Din Tai Fung were also inducted in the corporate category. Other inductees included actress Lisa Lu, Emmy Award-winning producer Simran Baidwan and singer Jessica Sanchez.

Founded in 2004, the Asian Hall of Fame honors the cultural heritage and achievements of Asian and Indigenous peoples and supports activities in culture, education and research. This year's ceremony was held in conjunction with WinTESS, a scholarship program supporting women in technology, entertainment, science and sports.

Lee's award reflects a broader shift in which Korean content's global reach has expanded beyond exporting finished works to encompass production, investment, distribution and creative collaboration. CJ participated in the investment in DreamWorks SKG in 1995 and opened CGV Gangbyeon in 1998, ushering in the multiplex cinema era in South Korea. Across its film, broadcasting and music operations, Lee is widely credited as a central figure in driving the globalization of the Korean content industry.

In film, director Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite" stands as a landmark achievement. Lee served as executive producer on the film, which won four Academy Awards in 2020 — including best picture, best director, best original screenplay and best international feature film. It was the first non-English-language film to win the Academy Award for best picture.

In music, CJ ENM invested heavily in expanding through global platforms. Mnet, the MAMA Awards and KCON — launched in the United States in 2012 — grew into major channels for introducing Korean music and culture to international fans. KCON broadened its scope beyond music performances to become an event where audiences could experience Korean culture across food, beauty and lifestyle.

CJ ENM's more recent strategy has moved a step further — from introducing Korean content abroad to co-developing and co-producing projects with overseas creators and production companies. Discovering creators for global projects and pursuing co-productions represent an effort to build a foundation for the Korean content industry to sustain a lasting presence in the world market.

In her acceptance speech, Lee emphasized creating opportunities for the next generation of creators. "The greatest legacy we can leave is not simply what we have achieved so far, but creating opportunities for the next generation to dream bigger and take on new possibilities," she said. "I hope the next generation will dream dreams far greater than we ever dared to dream, and surpass the limits we once thought were fixed."