Previously at Google, designing AI UX for Google Assistant, alongside experiences at IDEO and as a startup founder. Passionate in leveraging AI to drive user-centered design and strategic innovation in technology.
Experience
2021 — 2025
2021 — 2025
Seoul, South Korea
As the Head of UX at GC company, South Korea's leading travel application, I lead multidisciplinary design teams, encompassing UX Design, Design Systems, UX Writing, and Creative Design. My role is pivotal in merging design with business goals, enabling effective collaboration across diverse teams, and steering user-centric design strategies. Under my management, the team has excelled in creating a cohesive experience across various platforms, catering not only to our direct consumers but also to B2B partner platforms.
Key Responsibilities:
* Team Leadership: I guide a dynamic team of UX professionals, ensuring the integration of various design elements into a unified and compelling user experience across all platforms.
* Strategic Collaboration: I work intimately with VP-level leaders from Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Sales to synchronize design initiatives with broader organizational objectives.
* Design Direction & UX Research: I lead the development and implementation of forward-thinking design strategies and direct UX research to gain deeper insights into user needs and behaviors. This approach is key to enhancing user engagement and propelling product development.
* Cultivating Team Culture: I am committed to fostering an excellent and autonomous team culture, where creativity, innovation, and independent problem-solving are deeply valued. This approach empowers my team to excel in their roles and contribute significantly to the company's success.
2016 — 2021
2016 — 2021
Mountain View
At Google, my primary objective as a UX Design Lead was to craft a proactive and personal Google Assistant experience. I aimed to reshape user interactions with AI technology by emphasizing personalization, user trust, and technological innovation. Several of my projects gained recognition at the Google I/O keynote, highlighting their impact and innovation.
Key Achievements:
* Designing Proactive Assistant: I pioneered the conceptualization and design of the proactive Google Assistant. This initiative signified a significant transformation in the Assistant's capabilities, evolving from simple reactive responses to providing anticipatory assistance, tailored to the unique behaviors and preferences of each user.
* Collaboration with Cross-Functional Teams: My role was pivotal in leading collaborative projects among cross-product area (PA) UX designers. I successfully unified diverse design viewpoints, ensuring a cohesive, proactive, and personalized user experience with Google Assistant.
* Designing for Personalization and Data Transparency: Balancing personalization with data transparency was a critical aspect of my work. I developed approaches for the Assistant to intuitively understand users while maintaining clear transparency in data usage and management, ensuring users remain informed and in control.
2015 — 2016
2015 — 2016
Seoul, Korea
At Dibiup, a pioneering social group payment platform designed to simplify pooling money from groups and splitting checks, I played a key role in both its inception and growth. As a co-founder, my contributions were pivotal in launching MVP and securing seed funding to assemble our foundational team.
Key Contributions:
* Strategic Launch and Funding: I was instrumental in the initial launch of Dibiup, driving efforts to secure vital seed funding that enabled us to build a robust founding team, setting the stage for the company's future growth and success.
* Product Development and UX Design: My responsibilities extended to the product side, where I led the concept development and strategy formulation through comprehensive user research. I was directly involved in designing the user experience for both the iOS and Android applications, ensuring an intuitive and user-friendly interface that resonates with our target audience.
2014 — 2015
2014 — 2015
At Korbit, Korea's foremost bitcoin service company offering exchange, wallet, and merchant processor services, I played a multifaceted role in shaping the user experience and driving the product's success.
Key Responsibilities:
End-to-End User Experience: I was responsible for defining and delivering the complete user experience, ensuring a seamless and intuitive interaction with our services.
Brand Development: I spearheaded brand development, establishing design style guides that defined and elevated Korbit's visual and user interface standards.
Product Strategy: My role involved managing the product roadmap and prioritizing the backlog, aligning product development with strategic business goals.
Team Leadership and Project Management: I led product teams, effectively managing diverse projects to ensure timely delivery and high-quality outputs.
User and Customer Research: Conducted thorough user research and customer analysis, employing data analysis to gain insights into user behaviors and preferences, which informed product development and enhancement strategies.
2013 — 2014
San Jose, California
At Samsung R&D, I led the UX design for Milk Video, a video discovery app, overseeing the entire design process from user research to interaction design.
Key Contributions:
Milk Video Project Leadership: As the UX Design Lead for Milk Video, I was responsible for guiding the project from its initial user research phase through to the final stages of interaction design, ensuring a seamless and engaging user experience.
Tablet App Design for TV Enhancement: I designed a specialized tablet application aimed at augmenting the TV watching experience, focusing on user-friendly features and intuitive navigation.
Sports App Concept Development: My role also involved concept development for sports applications, where I crafted innovative app designs tailored to enhance sports enthusiasts' experiences.
Education
ArtCenter College of Design
MFA
Rhode Island School of Design
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Hongik University