A lot of the time, Ph.D. research focuses on unique and original methods and the right research puzzle that’s interesting to academics but not necessarily to the public. The future research I do will have a public policy and service component to it, without compromising academic standards. In addition to my academic research, I’m passionate about the future of the Korean Peninsula, which was divided into two sovereign states, (North and South Korea) as a result of the Korean War. Initially, I thought the future was a unified Korea without nuclear weapons, but now I don't know.

I do believe China will play a critical role. I think the Korean Peninsula will be the litmus test of the possibility of U.S-China cooperation in the new world order. I’m a regionalist at heart. I conduct China-related research. I’m from Seoul, Korea, but I lived in Qingdao, China, from 2004 to 2009.

In 2008, the city hosted the sailing competition in the Beijing Olympics. When I went back to China in 2017 to pursue a master’s degree, I realized that, as a child, I had seen the most liberal side of China. I had a peek into how quickly China developed and prepared for its diplomatic debut. It was profound because I got to see it myself instead of just reading about it. I’ve been fortunate that both institutions I’ve attended — Georgetown University and Princeton — are committed to public service. At both schools, I've learned from many professors who were once policymakers and decision-makers. In hearing their stories, I got to see their passion and dedication to public service. Those experiences shaped what I do want to do. All of this is why I am inspired to be a good academic who does research that benefits society.