2025 Fall/Winter
Welcome to SUITE's Highlights.
Get ready to explore
what we've been up to lately
Academic
Progress
There's a lot happening in our lab.
I will give you a brief summary of our monthly highlights!
Publications
Yeah!!! Finalllllly, the articles have been accepted!
How Do Users Contribute to YouTube Channels’ Revenue? An Empirical Analysis of Korean Beauty Channels
Available Online
Journal
Journal Index
Methodology
June 2025 (Print November 2025)
Computers in Human Behavior
SSCI/SCIE
Fixed-effect panel data anaylsis, hierarchical regression
Keywords
User agency, YouTube, Digital platform, Platform economy, Content monetization
Summary
This study explores how different stages of user engagement influence the revenue of beauty-focused YouTube channels in South Korea, conceptualized through a four-stage user agency framework. By analyzing metrics such as watch time from new, returning, and subscribed viewers and likes, the research finds that returning viewer watch time (affective agency) is the most significant predictor of revenue. While new viewer and subscriber watch time also contribute positively, visible engagement metrics like likes (active agency) showed no statistically significant effect on financial outcomes. The findings suggest that for sustainable growth, creators should prioritize fostering deep, emotional connections with returning audiences rather than relying on superficial visibility metrics.
Sewon
(1st Author)
My first journal publication! This study explores the platform economy by examining how users act as co-creators of value through different stages of agency. This research would not have been possible without the invaluable guidance of my advisor and co-authors at Korea University, as well as the real-world data provided by Beaus Company. I see this paper as a foundation for my future work, and I am excited to continue investigating the evolving relationship between users and digital platforms in the years to come.
Publications
Yeah!!! Finalllllly, the articles have been accepted!
Resilience in telecommunications networks: A Korean case study
Available Online
Journal
Journal Index
Methodology
May 2025 (Print July 2025)
Telecommunications Policy
SSCI/SCIE
Systematic Literature Review, Bibliometric Analysis, Topic Modeling Analysis, Case Study
Keywords
Resilience, Telecommunications networks, Digital resilience, Network resilience, South Korea
Summary
This study examines how research on telecommunications network resilience has evolved and what “resilience in practice” looks like in the South Korean context. We combine a systematic review with bibliometric and topic-modeling analyses to map major themes and shifts in the literature. The study further explores four case studies on South Korea, covering cyberattacks, infrastructure failures, and climate-induced outages. South Korea, one of the world's most digitally connected countries, offers a relevant case context given its high dependence on telecommunications services and vulnerability to both cyber and environmental risks. Based on the findings, this study highlights the importance of enhancing “resilience literacy” among all stakeholders.
Min Hyeok
(1st Author)
This paper was an attempt to connect research trends with real-world cases to better understand what telecommunications resilience means in practice. It is far from perfect, but I learned a great deal throughout the process. I am sincerely grateful to Professor Kim for his guidance and to everyone in the lab who supported the work.
Book Publication!
Korea’s Platform Empire: An Emerging Power in the Global Platform Sphere
Korea's Platform Empire explores the evolution of digital platforms in South Korea’s media sphere, and their global political, economic, cultural, and technological influence. With a focus on Korea in the context of the global platform revolution, the book takes a methodical look at the broader social implications, and the impact on cultural production. The authors explore various facets of the media and cultural industries, looking beyond social media to news broadcasting and the music industry and look at the policy and regulations behind this shifting technological advancement. This book will appeal to students and scholars working on media industries, digital media, platform studies, information and technology studies, Korean and East Asian media studies, and the creative and cultural industries.
Authors
Publisher
Seongcheol Kim, Dal Yong Jin
Routledge
Table of contents
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Introduction: Why Do Digital Platforms Matter?
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How Korea’s Digital Platforms Have Been Evolved?
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Digital Platform Ecosystem: Who Are the Main Players and What about Their Competitiveness?
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How Cultural Production Has Shifted in the Digital Platform Age?
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Policy/Regulation: What Are the Policy Responses to the Rapid Progress of Global OTT Platforms and the Underperformance of Local OTT Platforms?
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Are Korea’s Digital News Platforms Healthy?
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Do Korea’s Entertainment Platforms Promote the Korean Wave?
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How Has YouTube Music Outperformed Korea’s Digital Music Platforms?
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Can Korea Stay Ahead of Emerging Digital Platforms?
Media
Appearances
Do you recognize the significance of local platforms in today's global society?
If you have an interest in the platform industry, this video will guide you in organizing your thoughts and developing a comprehensive understanding of the topic.