Samsung Founder's Calligraphy Sells for $72,000 at Auction

A calligraphy piece by the late Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chul has fetched 100 million won (approximately $72,000 USD) at a premium online auction held by K-Auction. The artwork, titled 'Gongsu-lae Gongsu-geo' (meaning 'come with empty hands, go with empty hands'), was part of the collection of 'Saemter,' a literary magazine that recently suspended operations after 56 years due to financial difficulties.

The auction for the calligraphy, which Lee Byung-chul often used, began with a starting price of 15 million won. Over the course of the online auction, which started on the 11th, the piece attracted 37 bids, ultimately selling for more than six times its initial asking price. The identity of the successful bidder has not been disclosed.

This particular artwork was originally gifted by Lee Byung-chul to Kim Jae-soon, the former National Assembly member and founder of 'Saemter,' in 1981. It had been displayed in the magazine's editorial office until its recent sale. The magazine's publisher, Kim Sung-gu, stated that the decision to sell the collection was driven by a desire to revive 'Saemter.'

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We decided to put up the collection with the desire to revive Saemter.