SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo Man congratulated the new students of Seoul National University at the 2013 Entrance ceremony.

On March 4 at 11AM KST, he gave a congratulatory address to the new students at his alma mater as a sunbae, and received warm applause. He talked about his experiences as the first person to lead K-Pop beyond Korea's borders and emphasized four keywords to remember in life: 'self-respect, challenge, self-responsibility, social responsibility'.

His lecture was both meaningful and fun, as he addressed the students, "If you focus on what you like, then your passion for it will grow. That passion gives birth to hard-work which then leads to genius. I believe that you are not born as a genius, but that it is earned through effort. Chance of success comes for those who are passionate. The most successful and valuable life comes when you enjoy the job you chose because you liked and had passion for it."

He added, "If I dream by myself, it's merely a dream. But if we all dream together, that's the start of a new future. If we all dream of Korea's continuing growth, I believe our country can grow that much more."

Seoul National University is ranked 37th in the QS World University Rankings. The university is ranked fifth in the world in terms of graduates holding CEO positions on the Fortune 500 with nine alumni members.