Korea University is launching a fundraiser for a planned 500 million won ($350,000) scholarship to honor Lee Young-chul, who sold burgers for just 1,000 won ($0.7) outside the campus for more than two decades. Lee died late last year.
“For the past 25 years, Lee stood closest to students and walked alongside Korea University in the warmest way possible,” Korea University President Kim Dong-won said Tuesday during a ceremony unveiling a commemorative plaque of Lee at a student cafeteria on its main campus in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.
“This plaque is not simply a marker of one individual’s name, but a reminder of the values and spirit the Korea University community must continue to uphold.”
According to the university, the tentatively named “Youngchul Burger Scholarship” aims to provide living expense support for students facing financial hardship, much like Lee did through his burgers.
Donations for the scholarship fund are being accepted through the university’s Office of Development and External Affairs website. The university will match public donations on a one-to-one basis until the 500 million won target is reached. Lee’s family has decided to donate the funds that the university had previously offered to cover his funeral expenses, the school officials said.
Beloved burger vendor
Lee’s Youngchul Burger opened in 2000.
With generously filled buns layered with stir-fried pork, cabbage and sauce for just 1,000 won, it was as much a source of comfort as it was a meal for students on tight budgets. He was so familiar and woven into campus life that students would take graduation photos with him at his store — as if he, too, were part of their academic journey.
Lee continued to prioritize affordability, keeping his prices consistently low even when rising costs meant selling burgers at a loss.
The roots of Lee’s generosity lay in his own life experiences. He did not grow up with ease and, from a young age, took on whatever work he could find.
“I started from a street stall, from a pushcart, but so many people around me — residents and students — helped me and loved me so much,” Lee said in a 2004 interview with a local news outlet. “At every moment, I want to help as much as I can, even when things are hard.”
Beginning in 2004, Lee donated 20 million won annually to Korea University. In 2015, however, financial strain forced Youngchul Burger to close.
The response came from the students themselves. More than 2,000 people joined a crowdfunding effort to save the business, raising nearly 70 million won and making it possible for the shop to reopen.
Lee died on Dec. 13, 2025, at age 57, after living with cancer since 2024.
After his death, tributes poured in. Flowers were placed in front of the shop, and thousands of condolence messages were posted online by the time of his funeral. Many credited Lee with helping them endure difficult student years and vowed to pay it forward.
tammy@heraldcorp.com
