Global Entertainment Media Luminary, Producer and Vice Chairwoman of CJ, Miky Lee to Deliver the USC School of Cinematic Arts 2025 Commencement Address
Global entertainment media luminary, producer and Vice Chairwoman of CJ, Miky Lee will deliver the USC School of Cinematic Arts 2025 Commencement address at the graduation ceremony held on Friday May 16, 2025, at the Shrine Auditorium, it was announced by Dean Elizabeth M. Daley. SCA alumnus Jon M. Chu who graduated in 2003 with a BFA in film & television production will speak at this year’s main, university-wide commencement ceremony May 15 at 7:00pm at the Los Angeles Memorial Colosseum.
“Miky Lee is a champion of artists and storytellers and a trailblazer in the evolution of multinational film collaborations,” states Daley. “She loves international cinema and brings that appreciation to every project she produces. Her career stands as a global model of success in the creative industries, and her dedication to creating cultural connection is an inspiration for us all. We are so pleased to welcome her to USC.”
As Commencement Speaker, Lee joins a recent list of celebrated entertainment figures including Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, Matt Reeves, Jon M. Chu, Paul Feig, Jim Gianopulos, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Donna Langley, Barry Meyer, Sumner Redstone, Jay Roach, Stacey Sher and Laura Ziskin.
Miky Lee, Vice Chairwoman of CJ Group, is a visionary leader in the entertainment industry, driving CJ's expansive entertainment and media ventures through its subsidiary, CJ ENM.
A pioneer who founded CJ’s entertainment and media division and led CJ’s investment in DreamWorks SKG in 1995, her rich history in entertainment leadership is marked by a series of transformative achievements. As an executive producer, she has played a pivotal role in bringing to fruition such acclaimed works as Parasite, the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture at the 92nd Academy Awards; Decision To Leave and Broker, which won Best Director and Best Actor respectively at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival; and Past Lives, a nominee for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the 96th Academy Awards.
Her influence also extends beyond the silver screen. A driving force behind K-pop’s global rise, she spearheaded the creation and expansion of KCON, the world’s largest K-culture and music festival, spanning the U.S., the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. She also founded the MAMA AWARDS, recognized as the world’s premier K-pop awards show.
Miky Lee serves on the boards of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, the Hammer Museum, Berklee College of Music, and Otis College of Art and Design. Her contributions to the entertainment industry and the global promotion of Korean culture have earned her numerous accolades, 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 the 2024 Abu Dhabi Festival Award from the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation. She was also honored with Korea’s highest cultural distinction, the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, in 2023, and received the 2024 Global Citizen Award from the Atlantic Council for her impact on the international entertainment landscape.