The 2026 Gold House Gold100 recognizes the most influential Asian Pacific leaders shaping global culture today—and among them, Korean and Korean-descendant figures stand out for their breadth of impact and cross-industry influence. From award-winning television and global music production to esports, technology, and fine dining, this year’s honorees reflect how Korean creativity and leadership continue…
When Son Heung-min arrived in Los Angeles in mid-2025, the response was immediate and overwhelming. Within weeks of his transfer to LAFC, his No. 7 jersey sold out across retailers, triggering major stock shortages for both the club and Adidas. Sales reportedly surged past 1.5 million units, making Son’s jersey the best-selling of any athlete…
On a cold January morning in 1890, twenty‑five‑year‑old Seo Jae‑pil stood in a Washington, D.C., courtroom and took the oath that made him the first Korean to become a citizen of the United States. In exile from his homeland, where the government had killed most of his family members, the young man had already lived…
Above: Korean refugees wait to board the SS Meredith Victory. On a frigid December day in 1950, as communist forces pushed toward the North Korean port of Hungnam, tens of thousands of Korean civilians gathered in desperation while American forces prepared to evacuate. With UN soldiers, weapons, and military equipment to load, they had no…
Even the best players in the increasingly complex world of mass media news must innovate or die, and no one knows this better than Hannah Yang, Chief Growth and Customer Officer at The New York Times. A lawyer by training, Yang is in a unique business position where she is responsible for navigating enormous market…
(Article updated on April 8, 2025, with video footage of rocket launch and hatch opening) Astronaut Jonny Kim is the first Korean American to go to space. He’s also arguably one of the most remarkable individuals you’ll ever hear about. On the eve of his first launch into space, we reflect on a man who…
In the Asian American legal community, Don Liu is a rock star. Not only did he push through the bamboo ceiling to ascend the top echelons of corporate America but he paved the way for scores of other Asian Americans to achieve similar heights. When I met Don in 2010, he was the general counsel…
Commanding center stage at the Grand Ole Opry, comedian Henry Cho looked right at home, drawing the kind of belly laughs that only come when people really “get you.” There’s an energy, a feeling like no other. Just ask any performer or athlete. There’s nothing like killing it in front of a home crowd. With…
“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated” – Confucius “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo Da Vinci * When I think of Ju Rhyu and her Mighty Patch success story, I am awed by the simplicity of her journey. In 2017, Rhyu bootstrapped one product and launched it the fastest…
In the dynamic worlds of corporate law and cultural philanthropy, Salle Yoo is a fascinating figure. In 2012, while she was a partner at a prestigious law firm, Yoo took a huge risk by pivoting to become the first General Counsel of a three-year-old start-up. The company was called Uber Technologies, and the rest is…