First-Generation Influencer and CEO Lee Joo-hee Passes Away; Final Message Was "Have Crazy Confidence"

Lee Joo-hee, the CEO who led the fashion brand Avou Collection and was active as a first-generation influencer, has passed away suddenly. She was 43.

On June 26, an obituary and a portrait of the late CEO were posted on the official Avou Collection social media account. Her bereaved family stated, "Yesterday, Lee Joo-hee, who was a precious partner to her husband, a mother to a child, and loved by many as the CEO of Avou Collection, left our side. As she was someone who always dreamed of sharing better things and creating a beautiful and happy world with many people, we are still in deep sorrow and find this news hard to believe."


They added, "We originally intended to share this news after all procedures were completed, but as so many people have been expressing their concern and asking after her, we are sharing the news with a heavy heart. We would be grateful if you could join us in mourning and praying for the peace of Lee Joo-hee, who was always bright and full of love as a person before she was the CEO of Avou."

Many are in shock over the sudden news. This is because, just two days ago, she had posted a video taken with her husband on social media and shared her daily life with her children, communicating with her fans as usual. Following the announcement of her sudden passing, messages of tribute and condolences have been pouring in online.

CEO Lee Joo-hee made a name for herself as a first-generation influencer and female entrepreneur representing the online shopping mall market by successfully growing her fashion brand, Avou Collection. While running her own brand, she shared her experiences in entrepreneurship and branding through lectures and social media, providing motivation to many. In particular, during her 2020 lecture for "Sebasi" (15 Minutes That Change the World), she candidly shared her startup process under the theme of "How to Transform into the Person You Want to Be Within 5 Years."

At the time, she explained, "Although I majored in fashion, I felt very uncertain after working in other fields for a while. However, I started an online shopping mall, visited world-renowned fabric fairs in person to secure deals with fabric suppliers used by luxury brands, and built my own brand by consistently sharing stories about the production process and fabrics with customers through social media." She also shared her vision of "entering the U.S. fashion market within the next 5 years." Furthermore, she recounted her experience of starting a business with a 45 million won loan after a career break following childbirth, and left the advice, "Have confidence and dream wild dreams every day."

Reported by Kang Kyung-yoon (SBS Entertainment News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.