CAREER HISTORY
DEVSISTERS VR Group Director 2 years 11 months, Sep 2021 – Aug 2024, Seoul, Korea
Spearheaded the development of a VR game based on Devsisters’ flagship IP, CookieRun, encompassing all aspects of the project, from proposal and team building to production management and partnership with Meta.
- Successfully established the game’s direction and created a prototype within six months, despite the company’s lack of VR infrastructure.
- Secured a partnership with Meta and oversaw the entire production process, ensuring timely release on the Meta Quest Store.
- The game was selected as a Meta TVC, Quest 3 Launch pop-up showcase, and retail demo game in Japan.
Effectively managed a cross-functional team to ensure the project’s timely completion and adherence to high-quality standards. - Cultivated strong relationships with key stakeholders, including Meta representatives, to secure necessary resources and support.
- Game trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp7JXaZuuTU
SECTA9INE OF SPC GROUP CXO 3 months, June 2021 – September 2021, Seoul, Korea
Served as a CXO at Secta9ine, a company leading SPC Group’s digital brand experiences centered on Happy Point app with 20M users. Managed overall user experience for consumer-facing digital channels, drove the development of a new marketing platform for SPC brands utilizing AR technologies, and collaborated with the branding department to create character IPs for Happy Point.
KAKAO IX UK Regional Director 2 years 6 months, October 2018 – April 2021, London, UK
Established and led Kakao’s first European subsidiary, successfully droviving two key objectives: overseas user growth for KakaoTalk, which had reached its saturation point in Korea, and managed the successful European debut of the Kakao Friends character IP.
- Expanded KakaoTalk’s global reach by implementing localization strategies and introducing Kakao Friends’ online store in Europe.
- Elevated brand awareness and engagement for Kakao Friends through a series of high-impact offline events, including the Kakao Friends debut at Winter Wonderland, Europe’s largest winter festival.
- Forged strategic partnerships with leading industry players, including IMG, the world’s largest licensing group, to expand Kakao Friends’ licensing reach across Europe.
- Presented Kakao’s services and the Kakao Friends brand at major European trade shows, such as Brand Licensing Europe, Maison et Objet, and 100% Design.
ARAMCO UX Lead 1 year 6 months, April 2017 – October 2018, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Led a comprehensive Digital Transformation project focused on brand and user experience across Aramco, driven by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 policy initiatives, including women’s driving and Aramco’s upcoming IPO.
- Developed and implemented user experience guidelines for Aramco’s internal network and community apps.
- Led the creation of a VR app to enhance understanding of the oil refining industry.
Oversaw the design and launch of a new corporate website. - Established a digital service infrastructure to support Saudi women in obtaining driving licenses.
AKQA Senior UX Architect 1 year 8 months, June 2015 – February 2017, London, UK
Contributed to and led user experience design for a diverse range of projects, including Nike, Volvo, Barclays, and Virgin.
- Focused on optimizing the onboarding and during-training experiences for Nike Training App, conducting extensive user testing to ensure seamless user journeys.
- Led the development of innovative Nike Running promotional projects, including an app that utilizes Google Street View to create personalized music videos after running sessions and an app that generates music based on running patterns.
- Drove the user experience of Holiday recommendation AI for Virgin Holidays that utilizes IBM’s Watson to recommend personalized vacation packages.
RAZORFISH Senior UX Architect 1 year 9 months, September 2013 – June 2015, London, UK
Led a small UX team, effectively managing two UX architects and delivering successful projects for clients such as Lloyds Bank, BNP Paribas, Unilever, and Mc Donald’s.
- Overhauled the user experience across McDonald’s Europe’s entire digital channels, encompassing both campaigns and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
CHEIL UK Senior Interaction Designer 9 months, December 2012 – August 2013, London, UK
- Managed the UX design of interactive kiosks for Samsung’s new product launches, ensuring seamless user experiences across various retail locations in the UK.
- Revamped the UX of Samsung Europe’s website, enhancing navigation and search.
- Successfully pitched and won a storytelling project for Saudi Aramco.
NATIVE DESIGN Senior Interaction Designer 8 months, April 2012 – November 2012, London, UK
- Led UX design projects for Samsung and HP, focusing on innovative user experiences for future products based on their new technologies.
EY-SEREN Design Consultant 2 years 2 months, February 2010 – March 2012, London, UK
FREELANCER (while studying in the UK) EY-Seren, Seeper, Clay Interactive 3 years 9 months, May 2006 – February 2010
VINYL Interaction Designer 8 months, October 2005 – May 2006, Seoul, South Korea
D’STRICT Interaction Designer 1 year 6 months, April 2004 – September 2005, Seoul, South Korea
NHN CORP. Junior Designer 1 year 6 months, October 2002 – April 2004, Seoul, South Korea
EDUCATION
2009 ~ 2011
MFA Computational Studio Arts, Goldsmiths, University of London, London Pass with Merit
2007 ~ 2009
BA Hons Graphic Design Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London Awarded 1st Class Honours
LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE
Korean (Naive)
English (Full Professional Proficiency)
FINE ART PRACTICE
In addition to my professional career, I have been actively involved in fine art, focusing on kinetic sculpture for many years. My key achievements include exhibitions at public galleries such as the Saatchi Gallery, Tate Britain, and the V&A, works in the Saatchi Gallery and private collections, and exhibitions at numerous private galleries. Some of the sculptures I have created focus on interaction with the viewer through the use of various sensors and servomotors. My work can be viewed at ronincho.com.
LET’S TALK
Based in South Korea. Currently open for opportunities.
© 2024 Hyunsang Cho All rights reserved.