Introduction

Professor Young Eun Huh received her Ph.D. in marketing from Carnegie Mellon University and joined Seoul National University after serving as an assistant professor at HKUST and as a tenured associate professor of marketing at KAIST. Professor Huh’s research focuses on consumer behavior and decision-making, with an emphasis on health and new technology. Her research has been published in leading journals, including Science and the Journal of Consumer Research, and has been covered by major news outlets, including the New York Times and the BBC. Professor Huh is also on the editorial review board of the Journal of Consumer Research.

Career Overview and Research Background

1. What inspired you to begin research in marketing?

Many people first think of advertising when they hear the word “marketing,” but, in fact, marketing is a much broader concept. It is a field that concerns the entire process of creating value for consumers, including product development, pricing, and distribution strategies, which I found fascinating. I was especially interested in its role of connecting consumers with companies.

When I was a master’s student at Seoul National University, there was a course for doctoral students that required a lot of reading of articles. That was when I first thought, “This is so fun.” I developed a passion for delving deeper as I encountered theories that could be applied across diverse environments. Looking back, that motivated me to continue my research in marketing. Being able to predict and explain consumer behavior was also intriguing.

2. You had various teaching and research experiences at HKUST and KAIST before joining the SNU Business School. How did your experiences in the two universities shape your research and teaching style?

My time in Hong Kong and at KAIST was truly a period of gratitude that helped me to grow significantly as both a researcher and an educator. Hong Kong is a global city, offering numerous opportunities to meet researchers from diverse backgrounds and to collaborate with master’s and doctoral students from around the world. Thanks to these opportunities, I gained a perspective that transcends cultural and national boundaries, and they also made me reflect on how to conduct impactful research. It was a period during which I developed an understanding of the global market.

At KAIST, on the other hand, I worked alongside people developing technologies, and my interests naturally gravitated toward AI, robotics, and biology. Through this experience, I began conducting further research into how to apply technology and data to business administration from multiple perspectives. Even in teaching, I began teaching convergently across multiple disciplines because I was teaching practical courses for engineering students. These experiences have also influenced my teaching style.

Research Areas

3. You are researching the effects of new technology on consumer decision-making. What are the greatest changes or issues these days? How are you analyzing the impact of AI and smart technology on consumer behavior?

I think AI is fundamentally changing consumers’ decision-making. Traditionally, decisions follow five stages: recognition of need, information search, purchase decision, use of the purchase, and post-purchase evaluation. However, this cycle has now been completely reconfigured by AI. Whereas consumers were the agents in the past, AI now predicts consumer preferences and assists with decision-making.

For instance, let’s consider Netflix. Rather than asking “What should we watch?”, we select from the options provided by the algorithm. AI knows me even better and analyzes my taste to make decision-making easier. Such changes have marked a major turning point in consumer behavior research.

Teaching Activities

4. You have taught many courses throughout your career. What would be a lesson or piece of advice you would like to share with your students, especially those who major in marketing?

It is so easy to search for information these days. If you have a question, you can simply ask ChatGPT. However, I believe that the “ability to ask good questions” is still within the human realm. This is also crucial in marketing. The ability to define a problem and understand why it is important ultimately separates research from practice.

I also think that marketing should not be studied only in classrooms. Industry trends change so rapidly that it is much more important to go out into the field and learn by experience. This is why, in my courses, I often conduct consulting projects in which you collaborate with companies. I hope students can gain hands-on experience and tackle real-world problems.

5. What would you advise students who are considering graduate school? We would especially like to hear how to gain a deeper understanding of marketing.

If you enjoy research and delving deeper into new questions, I think you will be a good fit for graduate school. I recommend this to students who retain difficult questions and think about them to the end.

Nowadays, the research environment in Korea has greatly improved, so there are plenty of opportunities to become professors at prestigious foreign universities after completing your degrees in Korea. I hope students do not settle in Korea but explore the world through research. Dream big and make the most of the great environment you have been given.

6. How do you see the future of marketing, and what competencies are expected of students who will work in this field in the future?

Today, technological advances are so rapid that academia often struggles to keep pace. Consequently, the ability to ask “fundamental questions” has become even more important. Because human nature does not change easily, you need to cultivate the ability to discern change within it. In the end, I think the point is to gain insights that allow you to predict consumer behavior regardless of the era.