'30-Year Friendship': Lee Boo-jin Makes a Finger Heart for the Cameras... BLACKPINK's Jisoo Also Attends 'Dior CEO' Degree Ceremony [On the Scene]

Delphine Arnault, Dior CEO,
receives honorary doctorate in business administration from Ewha Womans University
Shin Dong-bin and Shin Yuyeol, and Euisun Chung and his wife, attend
Lee Boo-jin, a friend of 30 years, makes a finger heart on stage
BLACKPINK's Jisoo also attends

Delphine Arnault, Chairman and CEO of Dior, and Hotel Shilla President Lee Boo-jin. Photo by Han Yeju.

Kim Young-ui Hall in the Music Building of Ewha Womans University in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the morning of November 12. A host of major figures from South Korea's business community gathered to attend the ceremony at which Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of French luxury brand Christian Dior, received an honorary doctorate. Among those in attendance were Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group; Shin Dong-bin, chairman of Lotte Group; Hyun Jeongeun, chairwoman of Hyundai Group; and Lee Boo-jin, president of Hotel Shilla. Shin Yuyeol, head of the Future Growth Office at Lotte Holdings and the eldest son of Shin Dong-bin, also attended, as did BLACKPINK's Jisoo, a global Dior ambassador.

Arnault arrived at the venue at 9:20 a.m., about an hour before the degree conferral ceremony began at 10:30 a.m., and greeted attendees. Shin Yuyeol and Shin Dong-bin then arrived, followed by Hyun Jeongeun, Euisun Chung, and Lee Boo-jin.

Lee Boo-jin, a friend of 30 years, makes a finger heart... Euisun Chung's family has ties to Ewha spanning three generations

They sat side by side in the front row of Kim Young-ui Hall and watched the ceremony. Shin Dong-bin sat next to his son, Shin Yuyeol, followed by Euisun Chung and his wife, Jung Jiseon. Arnault's husband, French telecommunications entrepreneur Xavier Niel, sat next to Lee Boo-jin. The scene brought together leading South Korean business figures and prominent members of France's luxury goods industry in one row to watch the ceremony.

Lee Boo-jin and Arnault are known to have been friends for 30 years. Lee drew attention when she arrived carrying a Dior bag. As Arnault began her acceptance speech and greeted the audience in French and Korean, saying, "Bonjour, annyeonghaseyo," Lee smiled broadly and applauded. During the commemorative photo session, Lee went up to the stage and posed with Arnault, making a finger heart together with her, in a warm display of friendship.

From left: Shin Yoo-yul, head of the Future Growth Office at Lotte Holdings; Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group, and his wife, Jung Jiseon; and Shin Dong-bin, chairman of Lotte Group. Photo by Han Yeju

Shin Dong-bin and Shin Yuyeol also have close ties with the Arnault family. When Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH, visited South Korea with his daughter Delphine in May, Shin and his son welcomed them in person at Lotte Department Store's Jamsil Avenuel World Tower branch. The four toured the luxury stores together and spent time with one another. Shin Dong-bin had also met Bernard Arnault during his visit to South Korea in 2023.

Euisun Chung's attendance reflected the longstanding relationship between Hyundai Motor Group and Ewha Womans University. A Hyundai Motor Group official said, "We were invited by Ewha Womans University, and attended because we support the purpose of the event." Chung's late grandfather, Chung Ju-yung, the founder of Hyundai Group, received an honorary doctorate from Ewha Womans University and donated the Asan Engineering Building on campus. Hyundai Motor Group has also maintained a partnership with the university to foster talent, including by donating the Hyundai Motor Building at the university's General Science Building in 2013.

Hyun Jeongeun's attendance also carried special significance. As an Ewha alumna, she became a fellow alumna of Arnault, who received an honorary doctorate that day. A leading South Korean businesswoman and a woman executive at the helm of the global fashion industry were thus connected by their shared ties to Ewha Womans University.

Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of Dior, delivers a speech after receiving an honorary doctorate at Kim Youngui Hall in the Music Building at Ewha Womans University in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 12th. Photo by Han Yeju

"Don't follow change; lead it"... Advice from Dior's first female CEO

Arnault, the guest of honor at the event, is the eldest daughter of Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods group. She has served as chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture since 2023. Dior's first female CEO, she is one of the key executives leading the global luxury industry.

In her acceptance speech, Arnault emphasized her special connection with South Korea. "South Korea has long been a very important market for Dior, and it remains just as important today," she said. "South Korea has always been a great source of inspiration in fashion, beauty, and music."

She also personally expressed her gratitude to Jisoo, who attended the event. "Dior is very proud to have global ambassador Jisoo with us," Arnault said. "Jisoo, it is an honor to have you here with us."

Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin. Photo by Han Yeju

Euisun Chung, Executive Chair of Hyundai Motor Group. Photo by Han Yeju

Hyun Jeong-eun, chairwoman of Hyundai Group. Photo by Han Yeju.

The message Arnault shared with students that day was about leadership that drives change. "Our world is changing rapidly, culturally, technologically, and in many other ways," she said. "I am confident that you will do more than simply keep up with change. You will lead it."

Drawing on her childhood experiences, she also stressed the importance of learning firsthand. From around the age of 10, she accompanied her father to Dior stores on weekends, where she learned the importance of product displays, lighting, and customer service. At 16, she worked as an intern selling cosmetics and perfumes at a Dior flagship store. "In retail, even the smallest details matter," Arnault recalled. "I learned that you have to create an emotional impression of a product, and that craftsmanship and quality are essential." She added, "Storytelling is a way to make customers dream. The store was my classroom, and the experienced staff were my teachers."

She also identified creativity as a key source of corporate competitiveness. "The ideas we come up with today can become tomorrow's icons," Arnault said. "Today's creative talent can become tomorrow's leaders." She added that she works with Dior creative designer Jonathan Anderson and the rest of the team to develop new ideas and turn them into actual products.

Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of Dior, receives an honorary doctorate at Kim Young-Ui Hall in the Music Building of Ewha Womans University in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 12th. Photo by Han Yeju

Four years of partnership with Ewha... Mentoring 79 South Korean university students

Dior and Ewha Womans University have partnered to foster female talent since 2022. That same year, Dior held its first fashion show in South Korea on the Ewha campus. Since then, the two sides have expanded their internship program and have also run a two-year retail leadership program for Ewha students and graduates.

Through Women@Dior, a program for fostering female talent run by Dior in partnership with UNESCO, Dior has provided mentoring to 79 South Korean university students. About two-thirds of them are Ewha students. Ewha students have won or reached the finals of the Women@Dior Entrepreneurship Challenge for two consecutive years.

Ewha Womans University awarded Arnault an honorary doctorate in business administration in recognition of her achievements in the global fashion industry and her contributions to fostering female talent. In her citation, Lee Yoonsil, dean of the Ewha Graduate School, said, "Arnault is a global business leader who has connected creativity and innovation with sustainable corporate growth and industrial value," adding that she "has broadened opportunities for young women to realize their potential and grow into future leaders."

Meanwhile, some of the business figures who attended the event were reportedly expected to have lunch on the Ewha campus.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.