Miky Lee, Vice Chairwoman of CJ Group received the Arts Champion Award at the 2025 Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF), held in Newport Beach, California, on October 19.
Widely recognized as one of the most prestigious film festivals on the U.S. West Coast, the Newport Beach Film Festival annually honors creative visionaries and their contributions to the film industry.
This year, Miky Lee was recognized for her decades-long leadership in promoting the globalization of Korean culture and expanding cross-cultural understanding in the global entertainment and art community.
The festival highlighted Miky Lee’s far-reaching influence, noting, “She is recognized for bridging East and West in global media and for supporting the arts through education and industry initiatives.”
In her acceptance speech, Miky Lee articulated the guiding vision that has driven her dedication to the entertainment industry. She stated, “30 years ago, CJ began its journey in entertainment and media, and I’m grateful to have been a bridge between different cultures and to be able to support talented creators and their dreams.”
She also addressed her recent cross-cultural film projects bringing Korean stories to American films and American stories to Korean films, adding, “This year, I am especially fortunate to have been part of developing two films that were inspired by stories from other cultures, such as Bugonia and No other Choice. These films show us that stories transcend borders and that art is about deepening our understanding of one another and celebrating the shared humanity that binds us all. Art is not just about creation — it is about connection.”
This year’s honorees include renowned Hollywood figures such as acclaimed actors Scarlett Johansson, Brendan Fraser, Mark Hamil, Diane Lane, Lee Byung-hun and many more. Park Chan-wook, director of “No Other Choice,” and Jerry Bruckheimer, producer behind “Top Gun: Maverick” and “F1,” have also joined the celebration.
As the founder of CJ’s entertainment and media division, Miky Lee led CJ’s investment in DreamWorks SKG and has continually pursued her vision of bridging East and West, investing in Skydance Media, acquiring FIFTH SEASON, and launching First Light StoryHouse to support authentic and diverse storytelling. Her influence spans film, television, and music, from launching Korea’s first multiplex cinema, CJ CGV, in 1998 to producing and executively producing four Oscar-winning “Parasite,” “Lady Vengeance,” “August Rush,” “Thirst,” “Mother,” “Snowpiercer,” “The Handmaiden,” “Decision to Leave,” “Broker,” “Past Lives,” and the upcoming “Bugonia” and “No Other Choice.”
Over the years, Miky Lee has been recognized by several esteemed institutions, including the 2022 Pillar Award from the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the 2022 International Emmy Directorate Award from the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and Korea’s highest cultural distinction, the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, in 2023. In addition, she received the 2024 Global Citizen Award from the Atlantic Council, the 2024 Abu Dhabi Festival Award from the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, and the 2025 Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the Ellis Island Honor Society.
