Instead of ordering food, they leave flowers and handwritten thank-you notes, mourning Lee Young-chul (1968~2025), the beloved owner of Young Chul Burger, who passed away last week at the age of 57.
For more than two decades, Lee sold 1,000-won burgers to hungry students near the university’s Anam campus. To many, he was not just a shopkeeper but an uncle-like mentor who quietly fed generations through hard times. Online condolence boards filled quickly, with more than 1,300 messages posted. Alumni — including graduates from the classes of 2005 and 2009 — returned to leave tributes. Around 40 mourners sent funeral wreaths, a rare sight for a small neighborhood eatery.
Born in 1968 in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, Lee lost his father in elementary school and moved to Seoul to survive on odd jobs — from working at Chinese restaurants to day labor. Crushed by debt, he began selling burgers from a handcart in front of Korea University in 2000.
His signature “street burger” — made with a hot-dog bun, grilled meat, cabbage and sauce — quickly gained a reputation for its taste and generosity. Even when ingredient prices rose and profits disappeared, Lee refused to raise the price.
Beginning in 2004, he donated 20 million won annually to Korea University for scholarships, contributing more than 100 million won in total. When financial difficulties forced him to close the shop in 2015, students raised 68 million won to help him reopen.
Lee died on December 13 after battling lung cancer.
“Lee showed great kindness and love to Korea University students for decades,” said Kim Dong-one, president of Korea University, during a visit to the funeral parlor. “He fed students during difficult times with his 1,000-won burgers and gave back through scholarships year after year.”
To honor his legacy, Korea University will establish a scholarship in his name and cover his funeral expenses.
At the storefront where students once lined up for a warm, affordable meal, silence has replaced the sizzle — but gratitude remains, handwritten and laid gently at the door.
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