Junyoung Cho '12

Please tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from originally?
I was born and raised in South Korea, and lived over 11 years in the United States, Ireland, and Ethiopia.

How did you find out about Knox and what interested you in applying there?
I moved to the States when I was a high school sophomore and studied at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. My college counselor told me about Knox, the merit-based scholarship opportunities, and the liberal arts environment. I did some research, including reading books such as Colleges That Change Lives and Looking Beyond the Ivy League. I applied to Knox to be challenged intellectually in a small liberal arts educational setting where I could converse with professors and diverse classmates to become a more independent thinker who is able to accept or challenge varying thoughts.

Please tell us about your career. What is your current job? How did your time at Knox prepare you for this career? What skills or experiences helped you get this position?
I work at Nexon Korea as a Southeast Asia business development manager. In this position, I conduct market research, write analytical papers, formulate business strategies, negotiate with business partners, analyze competitors, meet with potential business partners and more. 

I am particularly interested in the gaming industry because video games have had a great impact in my life. They are where I met friends in person and online, exerted my competitive nature, and provided entertainment and fulfillment. I wanted to become a business developer in the game industry because I wanted more people around the world to experience the positive sides of video gaming. 

While at Knox, I was a curious and passionate student who took interest in a wide range of fields beyond my major and minor, such as classes in psychology and philosophy. I participated on the swim team and in my free time, I rollerbladed, wrote song lyrics, and created rap music. These experiences helped me learn to adapt quickly in my workplaces to meet certain goals or to solve complex business problems. The video game industry welcomes business professionals, game designers, artists, software engineers, data analysts, and more. Whatever field you are in, you will find a seat in the industry. Enjoying working with others is a great trait to have in the industry.

Prior to my current position, I was an army lieutenant, received an MBA from SKK GSB Sungkyunkwan University, and was the North American/Europe business development manager at small and large game companies.

Who were your favorite professors at Knox and what were some of your favorite classes? What other memories do you have at Knox that you are willing to share?
I enjoyed microeconomics, macroeconomics, economic development, accounting, managerial finance, marketing, psychology, and film. I also enjoyed learning about Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and I liked my poetry writing courses. Most professors had a positive impact in my life. I did have a favorite coach, Jonathan Powers, who encouraged swimmers to have fun during practices and meets.