At the ‘NEXT GEN MIXER’ hosted by the Los Angeles Korean American Chamber of Commerce and held on the 27th at the LINE Hotel in Koreatown, Los Angeles, Chairman Yong-Gi Lee is seen introducing the pros and cons of business partnerships in his role as a mentor. Participants are networking during the event. LA Korean American Chamber President Sang-Bong Jung delivers opening remarks prior to the start of the program. Keynote speakers and chamber board members who helped organize the mixer pose for a commemorative photo. From left: CK Kim, Doug Pak, President Sang-Bong Jung, Min-Ji Ryu, Chairman Yong-Gi Lee, LA Chamber Vice President Sean Mo, Director Alex Cha, Director Jason Song, and Senior Vice President Yoon-Jae Park. / Reporter Moon-Ho Kim

The Los Angeles Korean American Chamber of Commerce’s ‘NEXT GEN MIXER’ was held to great success, drawing far more attendees than expected.

More than 180 people attended the event, far exceeding initial expectations, engaging in extensive networking.

Mentor lectures were delivered by Chairman Yong-Gi Lee, CK Kim, and others.

Participants expressed hopes that the event would develop into a platform for ongoing gatherings.

The ‘NEXT GEN MIXER,’ hosted by the Los Angeles Korean American Chamber of Commerce (President Sang-Bong Jung) on the 27th at the LINE Hotel in Koreatown, drew a much larger crowd than anticipated and concluded with great success. Organizers initially expected around 100 attendees, but nearly 200 people registered during the RSVP stage, and more than 180 ultimately attended, filling the second-floor café where the event was held to near capacity.

The strong turnout confirmed the next generation’s strong thirst for both “knowledge” and “connection,” while also raising expectations that the gathering could mark the beginning of a Korean American–style platform similar to “TED Talks” or “Sebasi (15 Minutes That Change the World).”

Young professionals from a wide range of fields, including attorneys, CPAs, designers, bankers, and insurance professionals, as well as individuals currently operating businesses or preparing startups, expressed hopes that the gathering would not remain a one-time event but instead evolve into a new form of ongoing community.

The mixer began at 5 p.m. and was conducted as a standing reception with a light dinner for about an hour. Starting at 6 p.m., four keynote speeches followed opening remarks by President Jung. In his address, Jung encouraged attendees by saying, “Those of you here today are the protagonists of Koreatown. I hope this gathering becomes a creative opportunity and a new beginning that strengthens both your lives and your businesses.”

President Jung also personally contributed $10,000 to support the next-generation mixer, in addition to sponsorship from the LA Korean American Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Chang-Keun Kang, chairman of Korean apparel company Edgemine, donated $5,000, demonstrating strong interest in next-generation initiatives.

The speakers were prominent figures in the Korean American community whose names alone are widely recognized and whom it is rarely possible to meet in person. They included former Tapas Media CEO and former Global Strategy Officer (CSO) of Kakao Entertainment Chang-Won Kim (CK Kim); Doug Pak, CEO of BLD Venture and Ceragem; Min-Ji Ryu, team manager of Emart America, attending on behalf of CEO Ju-Sang Park; and Yong-Gi Lee, former co-CEO of True Air, an air-conditioning parts manufacturer. Speaking as mentors, they candidly shared their experiences related to business, the American Dream, and partnerships.

The lectures by Kim, who sold Tapas Media, North America’s first webtoon platform, to Kakao Entertainment in 2021 for $510 million; Pak, who built businesses in chain restaurants, franchising, finance, and real estate with annual revenues exceeding $200 million; and Lee, former LA Korean American Chamber president who sold True Air in 2020 for $360 million, were described as invaluable opportunities rarely available even at a cost.

Sean Mo, vice president of the LA Korean American Chamber of Commerce and a lead organizer of the event, said, “We spent a lot of time thinking about what we could truly offer the next generation. We felt it would be meaningful to have speakers who have experienced successful startups, growth, and exits across various industries share their experiences and insights.”

CK Kim introduced several essential qualities that startup founders should possess, advising that entrepreneurs must have confidence in their businesses and be able to control their mental state. Doug Pak emphasized the importance of ideas as well as maintaining a positive approach in business. Min-Ji Ryu expressed hope that Emart’s case would help those preparing for business by offering insight into strategies and execution for entering the U.S. market as a major food conglomerate.

Chairman Yong-Gi Lee shared candid insights on both the advantages of partnerships favored by young entrepreneurs and ways to overcome their drawbacks. His know-how from maintaining a 40-year partnership with Chairman Eung-Mok Lee while successfully leading True Air is considered legendary in the industry. Distributing copies of his English autobiography, Beyond the American Dream, Lee emphasized that “partnerships provide opportunities to pool capital one does not personally have, but partners must share similar business philosophies, practice the ‘51-49% rule’ by working more while taking a smaller share, and show consideration for one another.”

Vice President Sean Mo, who oversaw the event, stated, “To ensure this event does not end as a one-time gathering, we collected not only contact information during the RSVP process but also participants’ areas of interest and needs. Based on this, we plan to develop the event into a platform that provides ongoing networking, mentorship, and advisory roles for second-generation Korean American talent.”

Eighty-year-old Chairman Yong-Gi Lee, who demonstrated remarkable energy at the event, remarked, “I’m amazed. I didn’t expect so many from the next generation to attend. This is truly what a chamber of commerce should be doing. The first generation should support them so they can continue to gather and grow.”

There were, however, some shortcomings. The relatively small venue became crowded due to the large turnout, and the standing mixer format lasting over two hours reduced audience concentration during the lectures, leaving a minor blemish on an otherwise successful event.

Reporter Moon-Ho Kim

Source: The Chosun Daily USA
https://chosundaily.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=hotclick&wr_id=31269