Minkyung Kim (Enrolled in 2011)
Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business
Ph.D. from Yale School of Management (Marketing) > Assistant Professor of Marketing at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School > Assistant Professor of Marketing at Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business
This program played a very important role in helping me move toward my career goals. Through the master’s program at Seoul National University, I was exposed to a wide range of academic research in marketing, which gave me the chance to explore different subfields and gradually discover the questions, topics, and methods that I find most exciting. That exposure was especially valuable because it helped me move beyond a general interest in research and develop a clearer sense of my own research identity.
The program also helped me learn how to think more like a researcher. My conversations with my advisor, Professor Inseong Song, as well as with other faculty members, were incredibly helpful in shaping the way I approach academic work. They taught me not only how to read papers more carefully and critically, but also how to frame research questions, identify a contribution, and write my own work in a more rigorous way. In addition, discussions with fellow master’s and Ph.D. students were a meaningful part of the experience. Exchanging ideas, talking through papers, and learning from one another created an environment that was both intellectually stimulating and personally encouraging.
Overall, the program gave me both the academic foundation and the confidence to pursue the next stage of my career. It helped me better understand what a life in research looks like and prepared me in a very practical way for further academic training.
I would strongly recommend the Seoul National University master’s program to anyone who is seriously considering an academic career. It is an excellent place to begin that journey because it offers something that is often hard to find elsewhere: meaningful exposure to academic research, along with the opportunity to develop your own ideas over an extended period of time. Rather than simply learning concepts in the classroom, students are able to engage closely with current research, think carefully about important questions, and become familiar with a wide range of methods, perspectives, and research tools.
One of the greatest strengths of the program is the chance to learn directly from faculty members who are deeply engaged in research. Through classes, advising, and individual conversations, I learned a great deal about how to approach academic work more seriously and rigorously. The faculty helped me understand not only how to read papers carefully, but also how to identify meaningful research questions, think about contribution, and approach my own research and writing in a more structured way.
I also found it valuable to be surrounded by peers who were highly engaged and motivated in research. Conversations with them often helped me grow as a researcher and made the academic environment even more stimulating. In that sense, the program offered not only strong faculty mentorship, but also meaningful friendships and a real sense of academic community.
I would also recommend the program because of its strong reputation. Seoul National University is highly respected, and the master’s program in Marketing is well regarded by top PhD programs outside Korea. For students who hope to continue on to doctoral study, that reputation can be an important advantage. More importantly, the program provides the training, mentorship, and academic environment needed to grow. It is a place where students can build a strong foundation, clarify their interests, and take important first steps toward a career in research.
Jin Kim (Enrolled in 2011)
https://jinkim.science/
Incoming Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)
The master’s program in marketing at SNU provided the theoretical and methodological foundation necessary for my doctoral studies and helped shape my research interests in consumer behavior and decision making.
I would recommend the master’s program in marketing at SNU to others because it enables students to explore diverse topics in marketing and social psychology and refine their research interests, while also providing strong training in research methods. I think that the combination of broad exploration and methodological training prepares students to begin research immediately and effectively upon starting their PhD.
Yewon Kim (Enrolled in 2013)
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