My name is Hyunjung Kim (김현중). I am a student at Yonsei majoring in Information Interaction Design.
Education
I have experienced both the Korean and International education systems. I attended elementary school in Australia, public middle school in Korea, and attended international school in high school. Consequently, growing up in such a diverse environment has shaped me into the person I am today. Although I faced many challenges adapting to different cultures and experiences, I often found myself unsure of my identity and capabilities.
Computer programmer
But exposing myself to different experiences, I finally found clarity during high school about my interests and career path. Initially, I believed computer programming was my passion because I enjoyed bringing my ideas to life through coding. Consequently, I learned Java and even published my own app to the public. However, as I delved deeper into computer programming, I began to realize that it wasn’t the right fit for me. I found myself increasingly stressed when facing unresolved issues while creating apps. The difficulties allowed me to reconsider my future as a computer programmer. I initially thought I had been on the wrong career path all along, but I eventually came to the realization that my true passion lay in designing and planning app layouts. At that point, I knew I needed to pivot my career towards becoming a UX/UI designer. This realization led me to apply for the Interaction and Information Design (IID) program at Yonsei University.
UX/UI designer
Although I wasn’t exactly sure what I was delving myself into as a UX/UI designer,I hoped that enrolling in courses at Yonsei University would provide me with some clarity. As a freshman, I found myself leaning more towards UI design, as the projects I worked on were primarily related to UI.
However, I remained unsure whether the theories I learned in my UI design courses were applicable in real-world job scenarios. These questions were not solvable as I did not know anyone who were UI designers. To gain firsthand experience and seek answers, I decided to pursue an internship as a UX/UI designer during the summer break. Engaging in a real-world project in this capacity, I soon realized that there were disparities between my expectations and the actual reality of the job. It was at this point that I began to reconsider my path, leaning towards pursuing a career as a UX designer, which I found more intriguing.
UX research course
As I finished my internship and rethinking about a job as a UX designer, I found myself unable to make a definitive decision at that point. Once again, I realized that I needed more practical experience to solidify my path as a UX designer. That’s why I am currently enrolled in this course, as it aims to provide understanding into what a job as a UX designer needs and offers a deeper understanding of UX. My understanding of UX might differ from the internship experiences so I believe that the UX research method class will provide me with a more comprehensive perspective on UX. While I can’t definitively state that being a UX designer is the ultimate answer to my future career, I am confident that I am moving closer to finding it through this process.
Strengths
I believe I have a wide perspective of seeing the world differently due to my exposure to both the Korean and International education systems. This is because the diverse cultural experiences have increased my understanding of various approaches to such matters. For instance, in terms of UX/UI, my exposure to diverse environments has given me insights into how users from different backgrounds, whether in Korea or internationally, engage with the interface in distinct ways.
Additionally, I consider one of my strengths to be my ability to collaborate and work effectively with others. Growing up in different environments has allowed me with the ability to bring people together and synthesize their thoughts into a whole. Since I have a passion for creating new things, I recognize that I cannot fully develop ideas on my own. Other people’s skills and insights are essential to fulfill my own limited abilities. Utilizing my ability to bring people together to create projects can be achieved.
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