The 17th president of South Korea, Lee Myung Bak, will be inaugurated today in Seoul. (Korea is 19 hours ahead of us, so today is Monday there.)

Many South Koreans refer to him by his initials, MB.

I saw Lee last October at the Pusan International Film Festival, when he walked the red carpet. He was more popular than any other star at the ceremony.

He didn't stay very long. His entourage whisked him away.

Is it fate or coincidence that Lee was born Dec. 19, 1941, married on Dec. 19, 1970, and won by a landslide Dec. 19, 2007?

Some South Koreans believe he was destined to win the election, despite a lot of negative campaigning just days before the election. Reporters said that the main focus of the election was the economy, and voters believed Lee was the man to jump-start the South Korean economy.

Lee was born in Osaka, Japan, where his father worked, and grew up in Pohang, Gyungsang buk-do (just north of Busan) as one of seven children in a family with a modest income. He worked during the day and studied at night to get into the prestigious Korea University. There, he majored in business administration in 1965.

Lee continued his education as a visiting scholar at George Washington University in 1999.

He joined Hyundai Corporation in 1965 and became president and CEO of 10 Hyundai Group affiliated companies.

After his 27 years at Hyundai, Lee ventured into politics becoming an assemblyman from 1992 to 1998. In 2002, Lee was elected mayor of Seoul and served until 2006.

He wrote four books: "There is No Such Thing as a Myth," "I See Hope When Everyone Else Talks of Despair," "Chunggyecheon Flows to the Future" and "My Mother."

When asked about U.S.-Korea relations, Lee has been quoted as saying, "The Korean-American alliance has served as a key pillar for Korea's security and prosperity. The time has come not only for revitalizing the alliance, but forging a new strategic architecture for the 21st century — an alliance joined by common values that fosters a new era of peace and stability not only on the peninsula, but throughout Asia."

Many South Koreans are eager to see what direction the country will head. With the dollar weakening against the Korean won, many South Koreans are interested in diversifying their assets overseas, including in Hawai'i.

THIS WEEK'S K-DRAMA SYNOPSES

'BRIDE FROM VIETNAM'

Episodes 53 and 54

Tonight at 7: Sung-il visits Se-mi and tells her to break up with Young-su.

Tonight at 8: When Young-su and Se-mi are arguing, they get into an accident.

'KING & I'

Episodes 37 and 38

Tomorrow at 7:50 p.m.: So-hwa asks Uh Woo Dong the nature of her relationship with the king, and Uh Woo Dong tells her they're just friends.

Tuesday at 7:50 p.m.: Chuh-sun tells the king his subjects will disobey him if the king himself breaks the protocol to see Uh Woo Dong.

'BAD GUY'

Episodes 5 and 6

Wednesday at 7:50 p.m.: Oh-joon apologizes for kissing Dal-lae and she punches him, sealing their relationship's status as playful yet romantic.

Thursday at 7:50 p.m.: Oh-joon accepts the fact that Dal-lae is actually a widow with a daughter.

'SCARY GIRL'

Episodes 29, 30 and 31, 32

Friday at 7:50 p.m.: Young-rim asks Seung-mi about Joon-chul, but Seung-mi can only tell her that Joon-chul was taken in Young-rim's place.

Saturday at 7:50 p.m.: Eun-ae is dumbfounded by the document she received.