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Miky Lee, vice chair of South Korean entertainment and media conglomerate CJ Group, received the Centennial Lifetime Achievement Medal at the 2026 Asian Hall of Fame ceremony in Los Angeles on Nov. 5, recognizing more than three decades of work connecting Korean entertainment with global audiences.
CJ ENM, the group's entertainment division, announced the honor Nov. 8. The medal recognizes individuals whose long-standing achievements and influence have made an exceptional contribution across society. Lee was recognized for helping expand the international reach of Korean film, music and television while fostering cultural exchange.
A belief in culture and the next generation
In her acceptance remarks, Lee described culture as essential to human life, comparing it to oxygen. She said its value can be easy to overlook in everyday life, even though people cannot live without it.
Lee also thanked those who had supported the collective achievements of the creative industries and emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for emerging talent.
“Our greatest legacy is not simply what we have achieved so far, but creating opportunities for the next generation to dream bigger and challenge new possibilities,” she said. She added that she hoped younger creators would pursue ambitions beyond what previous generations had imagined possible.
SM Entertainment's Lee Soo-man presents the award
The medal was presented by Lee Soo-man, a key producer at A2O Entertainment and a prominent figure in the K-pop industry. He was inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame last year, when Miky Lee presented his honor.
Recalling that introduction, Lee Soo-man said Miky Lee had called him the “godfather of K-pop” at last year's ceremony. He described her in turn as the undisputed “godmother of K-culture.”
The Asian Hall of Fame, now in its 22nd year, recognizes the achievements and contributions of people of Asian heritage in culture, the arts, sports and business. This year's inductees also included BLACKPINK member Rosé, former Japanese baseball star Hideo Nomo, Korean hip-hop artists Tiger JK and Yoon Mi-rae, and X Japan's Yoshiki.
Three decades of investment in Korean entertainment
Lee's influence on the global entertainment industry has been built through decades of investment and institution-building. In 1995, she led CJ's investment in DreamWorks SKG, the American film studio. She also served as an executive producer of “Parasite,” the South Korean film that won four Academy Awards in 2020, including best picture.
CJ's wider entertainment portfolio includes CGV Gangbyeon, which opened in 1998 as South Korea's first multiplex cinema, and the Mnet Video Music Awards, launched in 1999 and later developed into the MAMA Awards. The company also established KCON, a Korean pop culture convention platform that began in the United States in 2012.
Lee continues to support Asian creators through First Light Storyhouse, CJ ENM's global label, extending her focus beyond the success of established Korean entertainment brands to opportunities for the next generation of talent.
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