Andrew Lee (entrepreneur)

Andrew Lee (앤드류 이[3][4]/앤드루 이[5]) is an American entrepreneur, software developer and writer. He is the founder of the VPN service Private Internet Access, which started in 2010.[6][7]

In this Korean name, the family name is Lee.
Andrew Lee
Crown Prince of Korea[2]
Imperial by Constitution18 October 2018 – present
PredecessorPrince Yi Seok
BornIndianapolis, Indiana, United States
SpouseNana Lee
Issue3
HouseYi
FatherJay Lee
OccupationEntrepeneur, software developer

On 6 October 2018, Yi Seok, son of Prince Yi Kang (the fifth son of Emperor Gojong of Korea), nominated Lee as a "Crown Prince" of Korea, claiming that he is a descendant of the House of Yi, the ruling royal house of Korea during the Joseon dynasty, which lasted until 1897. Following his nomination as Crown Prince, Lee announced plans to launch an investment fund for Korean entrepreneurs and establish a free coding school in Korea.

He also co-founded Mt. Gox Live which was acquired by Japan-based Mt. Gox, then the world's leading Bitcoin exchange. He built their official mobile application. Mt. Gox closed in 2014.

Biography

Andrew Lee was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. He says that his parents never disclosed their royal relations, so he learned about his connection only through a passing reference from a relative. After his father provided him with a computer as a child, Lee became interested in the internet. He learned more about it through meeting people online on IRC chat rooms. He enrolled in Purdue University and transferred to University at Buffalo, but eventually dropped out of college to start work on the internet.

In 2009, Lee founded London Trust Media, Inc. LTM, a private holdings company. He founded Private Internet Access in 2010, which is the largest brand owned by London Trust Media.[8] He started PIA because of his interest in IRC, in order to protect one's IP address from exposure using an IRC bouncer. Eventually after exploring its use in m being exposed to different industries, he decided to take his work on internet privacy to the mainstream.[9]

He also cofounded and sold many startups. One of his bitcoin ventures includes Mt. Gox North America, Inc., which was acquired by Tibanne Co. Ltd. in early 2011. Lee contributes to online publications, including FOL, the online magazine of Rick Falkvinge, the founder of the Pirate Party.

About 2015 Lee met Yi Seok; the two got along so well that Yi Seok decided to nominate him as a Crown Prince of Korea. A “passing of the sword” was held at the Crustacean Beverly Hills, a high-end Vietnamese seafood restaurant in Los Angeles.[10] “I will commit to the values of love, human rights, peace and freedom for humanity to the best of my ability,” Lee swore on a ceremonial sword. Attendees included officials from Jeonju, the family's ancestral home; Los Angeles city council members David Ryu, Nury Martinez and Marqueece Harris-Dawson; and Bermuda Premier David Burt.[11]

In 2020, Lee and his family moved to a mansion in Thousand Oaks, California.[12]

References
  1. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/2175439/no-k-drama-fresh-prince-south-korea-real-royalty-and-hes-american
  2. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/2175439/no-k-drama-fresh-prince-south-korea-real-royalty-and-hes-american
  3. Jang, Su-ah (21 April 2020). "'황손 이석'의 LA사랑". JoongAng Ilbo. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  4. "'마지막 황손' LA한인회에 코로나 성금 10만달러 기부". 한경닷컴. 22 April 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  5. Jang, Byung-hui (20 October 2018). "베벌리힐스서 '대한제국 황태자' 탄생". JoongAng Ilbo. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  6. "An Interview With Andrew Lee, Founder of Private Internet Access". ProPrivacy.com.
  7. Smith, Nicola (29 December 2018). "Californian techie becomes Korean crown prince in fairytale twist" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  8. "Lifeboat Foundation Bios: Andrew Lee". lifeboat.com.
  9. "The Fight for Control: Andrew Lee on Open-Sourcing PIA | Linux Journal". www.linuxjournal.com.
  10. Nichols, Chris (14 December 2020). "A Korean Prince and Princess Now Call a $12.6 Million Thousand Oaks Estate Home". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  11. Korea, The Imperial Family of. "Andrew Lee Named New Korean Crown Prince". www.prnewswire.com.
  12. https://www.insider.com/south-korean-royals-california-mansion-photos-2020-12
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