[비즈한국] After successfully entering the aviation industry, a long-held ambition, Sono International Chairman Seo Jun-hyuk is accelerating the reorganization of his group. Following the acquisition of Trinity Airlines, the group's business domain, which was primarily centered on resorts and hotels, is expanding into aviation. However, as the aviation business entails significant capital investment and financial burdens, concerns are emerging that the chairman's gamble could translate into a strain on the group's performance.
'Trinity' Replaces 'Daemyung'... Sono Expands Aviation Business
Daemyung Sono Group has rebranded itself as 'Sono Trinity Group.' The name combines 'Sono,' its hotel and resort brand, with 'Trinity,' the new corporate name for T'way Air. It is noteworthy that the 'Daemyung' brand, which has symbolized the group's identity for about 40 years, has been dropped from the group name.
Daemyung began in 1979 when the late honorary chairman Seo Hong-song established the construction company Daemyung Housing. In 1987, the company established Daemyung Leisure Industry and launched its condominium business, cementing the 'Daemyung' name in the domestic resort industry. In 2019, the group changed its name to include 'Sono,' a brand derived from the Italian word for 'dream' (Sogno), to emphasize global business expansion, but the 'Daemyung' brand was still retained in the group name at that time.
However, since Seo Jun-hyuk, the eldest son of the late honorary chairman, took office as chairman of Sono International, the group's center of gravity has shifted toward aviation. Within three years of his inauguration, 'Daemyung' has completely disappeared from the group name, replaced by 'Trinity,' which symbolizes the aviation business.
The aviation business has long been considered Chairman Seo's ambition. In 2010, the then-Daemyung Group sought to enter the aviation market by securing the domestic sales rights for the low-cost carrier (LCC) AirAsia. Although they attempted to establish a domestic LCC in partnership with AirAsia, it did not lead to actual aircraft operations or airline ownership. After becoming the CEO of Daemyung Enterprise (now Sono Square) in 2011, Chairman Seo jumped into the bidding for T'way Air, but the deal fell through due to disagreements over the acquisition price.
Chairman Seo's commitment to the aviation business continued afterward. From 2015 to 2021, the Daemyung Group managed domestic operations as the Korean general sales agent for the Italian airline Alitalia. In 2024, the group also attempted to expand its aviation business by acquiring a stake in Air Premia, but it sold its entire stake last year to focus on securing management control of T'way Air. In 2025, Chairman Seo moved to re-acquire T'way Air after 14 years and succeeded, thereby securing control of the airline.
Post-acquisition, a brand reorganization process was also initiated. T'way Air passed a resolution at its regular shareholders' meeting this March to change its corporate name to 'Trinity Airlines.' The practical change of the trade name and operations under the new name are expected to proceed sequentially following approval processes from relevant domestic and international authorities.
Sono Trinity Group plans to create synergies between businesses by linking aviation routes with overseas accommodation and leisure products. To this end, it is accelerating the expansion of its overseas leisure and hotel business. Following the acquisition of two golf clubs in Guam, a U.S. territory, last year, the company established a local subsidiary in Japan this February to target the Japanese market. A representative from Sono International stated, "We are actively expanding our overseas business," and added, "We plan to secure 11 additional hotels in the Asian region by 2029."