CJ chairman attends CJ Cup Byron Nelson to assess U.S. market push

CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun attended the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas over the weekend, using the PGA Tour tournament as a platform to assess the conglomerate's growing presence in the United States.

CJ said Sunday that Lee arrived at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney on Friday. The tournament, which ran from Thursday to Sunday, marked its 10th anniversary this year and was the first overseas edition Lee attended in person.

CJ operates globally across food, entertainment, biotechnology and logistics. The conglomerate is widely recognized as a driver of global Korean culture, famous for brands like Bibigo, best known for frozen mandu (dumplings) and the beauty retailer Olive Young, as well as CJ ENM, the financier and distributor of the Oscar-winning movie "Parasite" (2019).

CJ also sponsors the annual CJ Cup, which originally launched in 2017 as Korea's first and only official PGA Tour event. In 2024, it integrated its sponsorship with one of Dallas's oldest and most prestigious golf traditions, officially renaming the event the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

Lee, in his recent visit, reportedly toured the House of CJ, an exhibition space located at the center of the golf course, allowing tournament attendees to experience Korean beauty products, food and content.

This year's House of CJ, in particular, was 20 percent larger than last year's, covering approximately 750 square meters (8073 square feet). Participating brands included food service and culture company CJ Foodville with baked goods from its Tous Les Jours bakery chain; health and beauty retailer CJ Olive Young offering K-beauty experiences; and food and biotech CJ CheilJedang showcasing products from Bibigo. The event also marked the first public unveiling of jari, a premium distilled spirits brand that CJ plans to launch in the U.S. market in the second half of this year.

"The CJ Cup should develop into more than just a golf tournament — it should be a platform where people in the United States can directly experience and enjoy the K-lifestyle," Lee said. "On that foundation, we will expand the group's global business at a rapid pace."

The conglomerate added that Lee chose the CJ Cup as his first overseas management visit of 2026, reflecting his intent to accelerate the group's push into the United States, which it considers a key strategic market. Lee has conveyed a similar sense of urgency in domestic visits, including to CJ Olive Young.

"This is the last opportunity to leap forward as a global lifestyle leading company," he has been reported as saying. "Please move quickly and with a sense of urgency to capture demand in world markets before our competitors do."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY NOH YU-RIM. [[email protected]]