On the 27th, Bill Gates, the chairman of the Gates Foundation and founder of Microsoft (MS), appeared on the tvN entertainment program “You Quiz on the Block.” He discussed his decision to donate 99% of his wealth, stating, “I don’t plan to spend my money on myself, nor do I want my children to inherit the business.”
Gates explained on the show, “I believe my children should earn their own money and find their own way. That’s why I decided that what’s left with me should be given back to society.”
In May, during the 25th anniversary of the Gates Foundation, Gates announced his plan to donate 99% of his personal wealth, along with the foundation’s contributions, to society by 2045, amounting to approximately 200 billion dollars (about 280 trillion won).
He credited his parents for inspiring his philanthropic efforts, noting, “My parents were not very wealthy, but they did a lot of giving and volunteering.” He continued, “I’m living by my mother’s words that with great wealth comes great responsibility and duty.”
He emphasized his commitment to giving back, saying, “Just as I poured all my energy and talent into creating MS, in my second career, I will focus on returning wealth to society and innovating for the underprivileged.”
During the broadcast, Gates responded to questions from previous “You Quiz” participants. When asked about his daily expenses, he acknowledged, “Honestly, I live in a nice house with a big garden and have people who cook delicious food. I also use a private jet when I travel, which sometimes makes me feel guilty, but it allows me to visit places like Africa and around the world.”
Additionally, Gates shared a humorous moment on the show, mentioning that he uses a Samsung Galaxy Fold phone, which was a gift from Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong, so he didn’t have to pay for it.
On his first trip to South Korea in three years, Gates met with Lee on the 22nd at Samsung Electronics’ headquarters in Seoul to discuss Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) collaborations. The two have previously collaborated on the “RT” project, initiated by the Gates Foundation in 2011 to provide sanitary toilets to underdeveloped countries.
Throughout the broadcast, Gates modestly reiterated that his success was largely due to luck, stating, “I think I’m the luckiest person in the world. The decline in computer costs coincided with MS’s founding, so personal computers became a reality, which was fortunate for the company.”
The program also offered a glimpse into Gates’s everyday life. He shared, “I eat hamburgers and fries four times a week. You can’t go wrong with a hamburger.” Furthermore, Gates mentioned his “think week,” a twice-yearly retreat where he disconnects from the world to read extensively. The books that have influenced him significantly include “The Better Angels of Our Nature,” “Factfulness,” and “How the World Really Works.”
Finally, Gates participated in a quiz segment, correctly identifying the sound of the oldest Windows boot-up, earning a prize of one million won, which he donated to a meaningful cause.