"Recharging Passion and Spirit of Challenge" Entrusting the Company to a Professional Manager and Becoming the Youngest on the Theater Stage

Gaming Industry Star Kim Jeong-ju Passes Away

Founded Holding Company in 2005
Joined Theater Group 'Dok' in 2006
Stage Debut in 'Dolgodol-a'

Strong Interest in Social Contribution
Established Private Fund for Venture Entrepreneurs
Led Construction of Children's Rehabilitation Hospital

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] "Create a corporate culture where work feels like play instead of causing stress."

The late Kim Jung-ju, founder of Nexon (NXC director), made this request in 2005 when he established the holding company and entrusted Nexon and all its affiliates to professional managers. After handing over the company, he headed to the theater stage in Daehangno, Seoul. In 2006, he joined the theater troupe ‘Dok’ and took on the role of the youngest member, checking lighting and sound equipment. Among young people in their twenties, he ran around from rehearsal to the end of the play and even made his stage debut in the play ‘Dolgodolra’.

At that time, Kim explained to acquaintances within the company that the reason he appeared on stage was "to recharge passion and a spirit of challenge." He added that the chores like stage arrangement and lighting, usually done by the youngest members, were as important as the 80-minute play itself, just as creating a good game is the result of many developers working together. What he cared about most when appearing on stage was that it should not be seen as "a simple hobby of a wealthy person." That is why he volunteered to be the youngest member.

Kim’s mother is Lee Yeon-ja, a graduate of Seoul National University’s College of Music, Piano Department. This is why he enjoyed playing piano and violin from a young age. As an elementary school student, he even won first place in the violin category of the Ewha Kyunghyang Music Competition. Through his eldest aunt Lee Soon-ja, an honorary professor of Library and Information Science at Sookmyung Women’s University, and his second aunt Lee Sung-mi, former president of the Korean Art History Association, he developed a deep knowledge of humanities and fine arts. This upbringing laid the foundation for Kim’s innovation.

Kim’s interest in computers and games began in middle school. In the 1980s, he often visited the computer experience center at Kyobo Bookstore in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Noticing this, his uncle Kim Jae-ik, former Blue House economic secretary, gifted him a computer. Later, he earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Seoul National University in 1991 and a master’s degree in computer science from KAIST in 1993.

His interest in arts and humanities like music and fine arts was the energy behind Kim’s innovation. With a capital of 60 million won, he rented a small officetel in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, and founded Nexon. While simultaneously pursuing a doctoral program at KAIST, Kim faced difficulties but was able to grow the company with the help of his mentor, KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung.

At the inauguration ceremony of the 17th president of KAIST last year, Kim tearfully said in his congratulatory speech, "I was not diligent as a student and couldn’t do anything properly during my master’s and doctoral studies. The professor and his wife took care of me warmly and trusted, supported, and helped me unconditionally while I was both a student and running a company."

As he said when leaving the company, he dreamed of a world where children could play freely and emphasized it as his personal mission. In the 2015 book ‘Play,’ which tells the story of Nexon’s founding, he said, "What I envy most about Disney is that they don’t squeeze children to enjoy the content," adding, "This is the challenge we need to solve."

He also showed great interest in social contribution. In 2012, he joined forces with first-generation internet entrepreneurs like Lee Jae-woong, founder of Daum, to create a private fund worth 20 billion won to nurture younger venture entrepreneurs. In 2018, he announced that he would not pass on management rights to his children but would return his wealth to society, and he took the lead in building a children’s rehabilitation hospital through the Nexon Foundation.

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