Im Mi-kyung Inspires USC Graduates with Life Lessons

Im Mi-kyung, Vice Chair of CJ Group, delivered an inspiring speech at the graduation ceremony of the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California (USC) on May 16, 2025. Following her address, she received a standing ovation from the graduates. USC is renowned for producing prominent figures in the film industry, including 'Star Wars' creator George Lucas.

During her speech, Im shared her life journey and the core values that have guided her: humility, resilience, and compassion. Reflecting on her own experiences, she noted that more than half of her classmates at Seoul National University came from small rural towns. "I realized that my peers were incredibly talented and intelligent, and I had studied alone without any tutoring. This made me feel very small and taught me humility," she recalled.

Im emphasized the importance of resilience by recounting the challenges CJ faced when introducing the first multiplex theaters in South Korea. "At that time, most cinemas had outdated screens, and people thought we were crazy," she said. Since opening the first multiplex in 1998, CJ has launched over 190 multiplexes, transforming the Korean cinema-going culture from almost non-existent to an average of five visits per year per person.

She also shared a lesson in compassion learned while working with director Steven Spielberg, who quietly mentored young filmmakers. Im expressed her commitment to supporting directors Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho, and Kim Ji-woon when she first met them, believing they would become great filmmakers.

"I witnessed these directors respecting each other's work and nurturing young filmmakers, all stemming from compassion," she explained. Im concluded her speech by wishing that these values would empower the graduates to create stories that resonate with people worldwide.

As her speech concluded, faculty members and graduates rose to give her a heartfelt round of applause.