Yeong-cheol, Seller of the Famous 1,000‑Won 'Yeongcheol Burger' at Korea University, Passes Away
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Lee Yeong‑cheol, known for selling the beloved 1,000‑won 'Yeongcheol Burger' near Korea University (고려대), has died after battling cancer. Rising from a difficult childhood working from age ten, Lee began selling handmade burgers from a street cart in front of the university in the early 2000s. His affordable burger became a campus legend and later expanded into a franchise. Despite rising costs, he insisted on keeping the burger price at 1,000 won to support students, and from 2004 he donated 20 million won annually to Korea University for the 'Yeongcheol Scholarship' for students in need. In 2015 financial troubles forced him to close, but alumni crowdfunded 68.11 million won to help reopen the shop. His funeral is at Korea University Anam Hospital; the burial will be at the Seoul National Cemetery (서울시립승화원).
