Background

I was born in St. Louis, MO but primarily raised in Orange County, CA and Seoul, South Korea. Having lived half of my life in the US and the other half in Korea, I have a unique perspective and an ability to understand and embrace two distinct cultures. I attended Cornell University and received my B.S. in Applied Economics and Management. Upon graduation, I moved back to Korea and joined Cheil Worldwide, Korea’s largest advertising agency and a subsidiary of Samsung. During my three years at Cheil, I led the digital marketing efforts for numerous South Korean technology clients as a digital strategist and a user experience designer, developing go-to-market campaigns and engaging user experiences.

Career Path

My experience as a digital strategist and user experience designer has piqued my interest in developing and marketing technology that starts from the user. Although working at an agency has given me the wonderful opportunity to market technology for a wide array of clients and product categories, I want to transition to the technology industry as a product marketer and make significant impact in not only marketing products but championing the voice of the customers and users and influence the development of innovative products. However, working at a creative agency also taught me that good ideas are often not enough to make an impact. This led me to UNC Kenan-Flagler for an MBA education that will enhance my leadership capabilities and provide a well-rounded foundation in management which will help me make great ideas become a reality. The Kenan Scholars program will serve as a great platform to widen my perspective and hone my leadership skills.  I look forward to exposure to industry thought leaders and an opportunity to work with the Kenan Institute’s outstanding faculty and partners in researching and developing cutting-edge technological solutions for real-world challenges.

Interests and Hobbies

I want to become a father and husband who will always be there for his family. My baby boy provides me with the biggest joys of life and motivates me to always be a better person. I also greatly owe my wife who is a South Korea native and made the big leap to travel to the other side of the world and start a new life in the US. Music has always been one of my biggest interests and passions. In Korea, I used to be a drummer and producer for various bands and hip hop crews and hope to pass on my love of music to my son.