Korea University to create scholarship to honor late Young Chul Burger owner
Published: 15 Dec. 2025, 11:23
Updated: 15 Dec. 2025, 12:29
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- LEE TAE-HEE
- [email protected]
![Lee Young-chul, owner of Young Chul Burger, poses for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo back in Jan. 5, 2016. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/15/0eb392a1-5966-49aa-a2fc-acd432dad8f9.jpg)
Lee Young-chul, owner of Young Chul Burger, poses for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo back in Jan. 5, 2016. [JOONGANG ILBO]
Korea University will create a scholarship and cover funeral costs to honor the late Lee Young-chul, owner of Young Chul Burger, who fed the university's students with an affordable and fulfilling meal since 2000.
Lee, owner of the Young Chul Burger restaurant in front of Korea University, passed away on Saturday at the age of 57 after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2024.
He began selling burgers from a small handcart in front of the university in 2000, quickly gaining popularity among students for his 1,000 won (70 cents) burgers that were generously filled with various meats, cabbage and sauces.
Lee was more than just a burger shop owner to Korea University students, even making donations of 20 million won every year since 2004 for the university to use as scholarships.
Following Lee's death, many have been visiting his funeral parlor and restaurant to express condolences and bring flowers.
![Flowers commemorating late Lee Young-chul are placed in front of his burger shop on Dec. 14. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/15/e6e7cdad-0387-474b-b1a8-df0ef52a3177.jpg)
Flowers commemorating late Lee Young-chul are placed in front of his burger shop on Dec. 14. [NEWS1]
"Lee showed great kindness and love to Korea University students for the past several decades," said Kim Dong-one, president of Korea University, visiting Lee's funeral parlor on Sunday. "He helped provide meals for students during difficult times with his 1,000 won burgers and even went on to donate scholarships every year."
"We have alumni, and even those now teaching as professors, who were able to continue their studies thanks to his support. His noble and warm spirit will remain forever in the hearts of the Korea University community.”
A plaque commemorating Lee will be installed at Korea University's Student Union Building and funeral costs will be fully covered by the university. A scholarship in Lee's name will also be created, a nod to his continuous donations.
![Lee Young-chul's funeral parlor is set up at the Korea University Anam Hospital's Funeral Hall [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/15/5198d8ba-0cd1-4cae-8d1a-fcba8e39887c.jpg)
Lee Young-chul's funeral parlor is set up at the Korea University Anam Hospital's Funeral Hall [YONHAP]
Lee was born in 1968, and worked at restaurants, factories and construction sites to maintain a living. As the Asian financial crisis took its toll, he started selling burgers from a small handcart in front of Korea University in 2000 to make ends meet.
His 1,000 won burgers quickly became popular, and led him to open his restaurant, Young Chul Burger, in front of the university in 2002. Business grew, with Lee opening over 80 branches in 2007.
Burgers continued to be sold at 1,000 won, but business became difficult, and all of Lee's branches shut down in 2013. The main branch in front of Korea University also had to shut down in 2015. But the university's students had his back, raising money for Lee to have Young Chul Burger open in front of Korea University in 2016.
The store again had to shut down due to rising rent in 2018, but reopened in front of the university again in 2019. While it was difficult to keep selling burgers for 1,000 won, he still sold them for an affordable price of just 4,900 won.
BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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