SK revives ex-chairmen in AI video to honor entrepreneurship

An image generated by artificial intelligence shows SK Group founding Chairman Choi Jong-gun, left, and former Chairman Chey Jong-hyon. Courtesy of SK Group

SK Group on Tuesday released an artificial intelligence (AI) video clip recreating its former chairmen to honor their entrepreneurship as the conglomerate marks its 73rd founding anniversary.

The five-minute clip features AI recreations of SK Group founder Choi Jong-gun and former Chairman Chey Jong-hyon delivering their past remarks and management anecdotes to current SK Group employees. The video has been playing at SK Group’s headquarters in Jongno District, Seoul, since Monday.

The video portrays the history of SK Group, beginning with the reconstruction of Sunkyong Textile's factory, which was devastated during the 1950-53 Korean War, and tracing the group’s expansion into textiles, hotels, oil and telecommunications.

SK Group was established in 1953 when Choi salvaged the remains of the factory and acquired the property through a postwar government disposition. Sunkyong’s linings and bedding fabrics gained nationwide popularity, laying the foundation for the company’s expansion as a textile group.

In the video, Choi recalls his philosophy of “straightening what is bent, reconnecting what is broken and rebuilding what has collapsed,” saying, “I believe we can do it, we must do it, and if we try, we can achieve it.”

SK Group’s expansion came after founder Choi’s younger brother, Chey Jong-hyon, took the helm of the group in 1973. The brothers used different English spellings of their shared surname.

In the video, the former chairman recalls his commitment to transforming Sunkyong into a world-class company, including his decision to establish a conglomerate whose business spans from petroleum to textiles.

He stresses that the group must “constantly prepare, plan and take on challenges,” recalling how this mindset led SK Group to acquire its mobile communications business — a key driver behind its rise into its current status — by bidding significantly above market prices in a privatization process.

The video concludes with current Chairman Chey Tae-won’s remarks urging SK employees to “write a new chapter of growth based on the spirit we inherited from the founding generation.”

SK Group said the AI video project was proposed by the current chairman to share the founding generation’s wisdom with employees. The video was based on more than 3,000 digitally restored voice recordings from the group’s archives.

“The founding generation’s legacy is expected to serve as both a compass and a source of insight in a rapidly changing business environment,” an SK Group official said.