Doctoral Candidate – BSL-aSSIST
Nationality: South Korean
Highest Academic Degree: Executive MBA (2009)
Institution / University: Aalto University, Finland
Professional Career
I’ve worked in the business- events marketing, and venue management field for 20 years. From 2003 to 2013, I worked at KINTEX, the biggest convention center in Korea, where I had many experiences regarding venue marketing and trade show management, such as motor shows, boat shows, and global conferences. Then I established my first startup company, X4MICE, where I operated various business events, including trade shows and K-drama exhibitions. After that, I started my second company, VM Consulting. VM Consulting provides consulting, education, and advisory services for venue management and trade show marketing. I especially have specialties in marketing for convention centers and unusual venues like museums, arenas, and local cultural spaces. I have professional things in trade show marketing also, so I am running VM Consulting company as CEO providing venue and trade show consulting services now. I published two books regarding venue management and trade show marketing.
Research Interest
Developing an experience marketing model for unusual venues: Focusing on the case studies with the grounded theory
This research aims to investigate the cases of attracting business events by designating museums, art galleries, etc., as unusual venues, and to find a model for activation by attracting such business events to derive conditions for activating offline complex cultural spaces.
Statement of Motivation for a BSL-aSSIST Dual Doctoral Degree Program
I have three reasons for choosing this program. Firstly, this program provides a global perspective and a cutting-edge course program. Whenever I face issues and problems to solve for my clients, I need to develop my capabilities to think strategically and globally. BSL can allow me to transform my current phase to another level for the future business. Second, I chose this program as it will provide me with a differentiated doctoral program compared to other programs. I hope that BSL will be a platform for me to study my agenda and communicate with a professional expert beyond the industry of my field. Third, I’ve tried to find a global doctoral program to study and work in simultaneously. The BSL program provides me with an excellent opportunity to have a balance between work and study. So, it is an appropriate program for me.
