Youseok Lee (Graduated in 2018)
Associate Professor of Marketing, Dongguk Business School, Dongguk University–Seoul
Methodologically, I was trained in and gravitated toward quantitative marketing. Much of my work focused on modeling adoption and diffusion at the brand and product levels. In terms of substantive areas, I was particularly interested in entertainment marketing, high-tech marketing, and marketing channels.
I completed my PhD in February 2018 and joined the College of Business at Myongji University as an Assistant Professor in September of the same year. I was promoted to Associate Professor in September 2022. Since September 2025, I have been serving as an Associate Professor of Marketing at Dongguk University–Seoul.
The SNU Marketing program has been instrumental in helping me achieve my career goals, both in terms of its academic rigor and its reputation. The faculty are truly world-class, and the program offers training that reflects the standards of top global research institutions.
At the same time, the program provides strong institutional support, including generous funding and opportunities to attend international conferences, which allow students to focus fully on research. In addition, earning a degree from Seoul National University—widely recognized as the leading university in Korea and a globally respected institution—serves as a strong positive signal in the academic job market.
Beyond its academic excellence and reputation, one of the program’s greatest strengths is its alumni network. Graduates of the SNU Marketing PhD program hold faculty positions at major universities across Korea and are actively engaged in the academic community.
This network can be incredibly valuable—not only in securing faculty positions, but also in establishing oneself as a scholar in the long run. The support from senior colleagues and peers within this community continues to be a meaningful asset throughout one’s academic career.
Jisu Yi (Graduated in 2019)
Associate Professor of Marketing, College of Business Administration, University of Seoul
During my PhD, I approached online consumer reviews not simply as textual data, but as signals generated in the marketplace. From this perspective, I studied how the content and structure of reviews relate to consumer behavior and product performance, combining text analytics with econometric modeling. I also examined factors that influence the adoption of new products, with a broader interest in how information affects consumer decision-making.
After completing my PhD, I worked as a lecturer at several universities while continuing my research. I then joined Sejong University as a research professor (2020–2021), followed by a tenure-track faculty position at Gachon University (2021–2025). I am currently a faculty member in marketing at the University of Seoul, where I continue my research and teaching
The SNU Marketing program, in my view, was not only about learning what to study, but also about developing how to think as a researcher. As I worked on my own research, I learned how to develop an idea into a clear research question and translate it into an empirical study. The program encouraged connecting theory, methods, and data within this process, rather than approaching them separately.
I also benefited from the openness of the faculty and the strong research culture among peers. Being surrounded by colleagues who were publishing in SSCI journals raised my expectations for what constitutes good research and motivated me to pursue my own publication experience. That experience has stayed with me and continues to shape how I approach research today.
I would recommend this program primarily because of the strength of its research training and faculty. The program provides an environment in which students learn how to develop a research idea into a publishable paper, with close guidance from faculty throughout the process.
Another advantage is the strong presence of alumni in academia. While it may not be the primary factor in choosing a program, it becomes particularly helpful when preparing for the job market, as there are many senior scholars to turn to for advice. It also supports collaboration, as the shared background often makes it easier to initiate and continue joint research.
Overall, the program offers both solid training and a network that remains useful well beyond graduation.
Jongdae Kim (Graduated in 2022)
Assistant Professor, College of Business Administration, Chonnam National University
During my Ph.D. program, I was broadly interested in the quantitative modeling of consumer behavior. To build a strong methodological foundation, I took a wide range of graduate-level courses not only in marketing but also in economics and statistics. Ultimately, I wrote my dissertation on a model of “rational addiction.” In addition, I developed an interest in natural language processing, which was emerging as an important trend in marketing research at the time.
After graduating in 2022, I worked as a research professor at the Data Science Research Institute at Seoul National University of Science and Technology for one year. During this time, I had the opportunity to collaborate with faculty members and graduate students in engineering disciplines, particularly in the areas of artificial intelligence and deep learning. Since September 2023, I have been serving as an assistant professor at the College of Business Administration at Chonnam National University, where I teach courses such as Big Data–Driven Marketing, Marketing Research, and New Product Development.
The program provided a rigorous curriculum covering key methodologies and foundational papers in quantitative marketing. More importantly, it offered the invaluable opportunity to learn from and interact with world-leading scholars in the field. Through continuous communication and mentorship, I was able to gain deep insights into research and academic thinking. These experiences have served as a strong foundation for my career and continue to shape my development as a researcher.
I highly recommend the SNU Business School Ph.D. program for its rigorous training in marketing theory and quantitative methods. The program not only helps students develop strong research capabilities but also provides valuable marketing insights through close mentorship from leading scholars. It fosters a stimulating research environment and offers excellent preparation for an academic career through opportunities for research collaboration, conference presentations, and teaching experience.
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