2025 Spring/Summer
Welcome to SUITE's Highlights
Get ready to explore
what we've been up to lately
The Launch of KU's College of Media & Communication
In March 2025, Korea University proudly launched its new College of Media & Communication, the first of its kind among top-tier Korean universities. Initially established in 1965, the School of Media has now expanded to include a new Global Entertainment Department, which exclusively admits international students and offers comprehensive education in entertainment business strategy and content production.
The College aims to nurture future leaders of global media who combine creativity with data science to tackle the complex challenges of the global media ecosystem.
🙏 In Gratitude: Commemorating Prof. Kim’s Contribution
We are proud to share a moment of honor for our lab:
Prof. Seongcheol Kim received a plaque of appreciation from Korea University in recognition of his generous donation of KRW 100 million, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the School of Media. His contribution reflects a deep commitment to fostering the next generation of media scholars and creators.
Glimpse of the College of Media & Communications Launch Ceremony
A celebratory moment marking a new chapter in media education. The launch ceremony brought together students, faculty, and industry leaders to envision the future of global media and communication.
Editor:
As a member of this community, witnessing the launch of the College of Media & Communication was truly inspiring. It was a proud and emotional moment that reflected the dedication and vision of everyone who made it possible.
I feel especially proud and grateful to see our advisor, Prof. Seongcheol Kim, not only leading with wisdom but also giving back with generosity through this commemorative donation. His support is a powerful reminder of the values we carry forward as researchers and members of this growing academic community.
Here's to the future we’re building together. 🥂
New LOGO for SUITE LAB
A new logo for SUITE Lab is here. Thank you for designing it, Seungyeon!
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
-
Introduction: Why Do Digital Platforms Matter?
-
How Korea’s Digital Platforms Have Been Evolved?
-
Digital Platform Ecosystem: Who Are the Main Players and What about Their Competitiveness?
-
How Cultural Production Has Shifted in the Digital Platform Age?
-
Policy/Regulation: What Are the Policy Responses to the Rapid Progress of Global OTT Platforms and the Underperformance of Local OTT Platforms?
-
Are Korea’s Digital News Platforms Healthy?
-
Do Korea’s Entertainment Platforms Promote the Korean Wave?
-
How Has YouTube Music Outperformed Korea’s Digital Music Platforms?
-
Can Korea Stay Ahead of Emerging Digital Platforms?
Academic
Progress
There's a lot happening in our lab.
I will give you a brief summary of our monthly highlights!
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.
Publications
Yeah!!! Finalllllly, the articles have been accepted!
Niche analysis of competition among music streaming services in Korea
Available Online
Journal
Journal Index
Methodology
March 2025
Telecommunicaions Policy
SSCI/SCIE
Online survey, Niche analysis using SPSS
Keywords
Music streaming, Music streaming service, Music streaming platform, Niche analysis, Melon, Genie music, FLO, YouTube music
Summary
This study investigates the competitive landscape of music streaming services in South Korea, with a focus on 4 major platforms: YouTube Music, Melon, Genie Music, and FLO. Using niche theory as a conceptual framework, the research analyzes user satisfaction across five key dimensions—price value, recommendation system, music diversity, ease of use, and optional services. Survey data were collected from South Korean teenagers aged 14 to 18 to assess how each platform positions itself within the digital music ecosystem. The results reveal that YouTube Music holds a competitive advantage due to its wide-ranging content and superior recommendation algorithms. In contrast, local platforms face challenges in differentiating their services and retaining their niche markets. The study offers strategic implications for Korean music streaming services to enhance their competitiveness and respond effectively to the growing dominance of global platforms.
Saehe
(1st Author)
This paper is especially meaningful to me, as it’s the first one I worked on after starting graduate school and has now been published. As someone living in Korea and genuinely enjoying Korean culture, I naturally became interested in how local industries—especially digital platforms—compete with global services. I’ve always had a strong interest in the music industry, so I decided to focus my research in that area. With the help of my advisor and lab, I was able to shape a solid topic and carry it through to the end. I see this paper as just the beginning, and I’m excited to continue exploring meaningful research topics moving forward.
Publications
Yeah!!! Finalllllly, the articles have been accepted!
Research trends in entertainment robots: A comprehensive review of the literature from 1998 to 2024
Available Online
Journal
Journal Index
Methodology
December 2024
Digital Business
Scopus
Bibliometric Analysis, Systematic Literature Review
Keywords
Entertainment robot, Social robots, Bibliometric analysis, Systematic literature review
Summary
This study offers a comprehensive review of entertainment robot research from 1998 to 2024. By combining bibliometric analysis of 237 academic works with a systematic review of 26 non-technical papers, the study reveals a critical gap between technological development and user-centered perspectives. The findings highlight the need for a clearer definition of “entertainment robots,” greater interdisciplinary collaboration, and expanded research into emotional engagement and cultural diversity in human–robot interaction.
Min Hyeok
(1st Author)
My first scholarly article! It’s far from perfect, but I did my best. Once again, I would like to thank Professor Kim. This wouldn’t have been possible without his support and guidance. Learned a lot through this process, and I’m excited (and a bit nervous) for what’s next. Here’s to many more articles!