I was born and raised in South Korea (Jeonju, Daejeon, Seoul, Changwon, and Dongducheon) and have lived in Hong Kong (Kowloon Tong), Taiwan (Muzha District, Taipei City), Canada (Vancouver), and across the United States, including the San Francisco Bay Area (CA), Ann Arbor (MI), Cambridge (MA), and soon the Research Triangle (NC). My path has been non-linear, spanning academia, industry, public service, and civic technology. These experiences have shaped my identity, the research questions I pursue, and the problems I engage with, grounded in both scholarship and lived experience.
As a first-generation college student from a working-class family, I’ve also written personal essays reflecting on my career, research, and life:
Professional Reflections
I Didn’t Think I’d Return to Academia — Until I Saw What Was Missing
Researching and Doing Policy Science as a Political Scientist
Personal Reflections
Career Advice
Academic Job Talks as Storytelling: Why Character Matters as Much as Plot
How to Write a Statement of Purpose for Graduate School in Political Science
Korean essays
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