What kind of work does Amorepacific’s Digital Strategy Division do?
The Digital Strategy Division is responsible for formulating strategies on how the company should respond to market changes in major digital-related technologies, e-commerce, marketing, and more. For example, in a market rapidly changing due to the rise of technology like generative AI, we provide direction on how our company should view it and what changes we should make. We also support the execution of other subsidiaries as a group’s center of excellence. Lastly, we plan various digital initiatives on outlets such as G.G., a virtual influencer, the metaverse of web3, and NFTs.

* WEB3.0 refers to internet with functions to read + write + own (Blockchains, Cryptocurrency, NFT)

How do you envision the evolution of the beauty industry with the emergence of digital tech like AI?
Even in the era of an advanced, digital world, I believe that technology should be a supplement. There are many cases where good technology overlooked the mind of the consumer, leading to failures. I think the direction of evolution for beauty companies should be found in the way people engage in skincare and makeup. We must remain true to what Amorepacific pursues. Technology should help each individual pursue their own beauty more effectively, as a role supporting the company in doing its core business better. By doing this well, we can discover opportunities to evolve from being a manufacturer to a service provider beyond our core business using technology. That’s the change that can happen through the intersection of technology and the beauty industry.

It is crucial to understand the rapid changes in technology and associated trends. What methods do you use to better understand these new digital technology trends?
I believe my role is to discover and promote initiatives to apply and attempt from a consumer and business perspective. The most important thing for this is ultimately the ‘interest’ in how the world operates. Observing how social media platforms such as TikTok or Kakao, offline retail, and other companies are changing, as well as what people around me are doing, always helps. Showing interest in what apps my family, friends, colleagues, and kids are using and how they spend their daily lives in the digital realm makes it easier to understand how to market and sell.

You recently attended CES. Were there any technologies that you found interesting or captivating?
The biggest reason for the CES visit of course was because of generative AI. What I felt again was that AI is not just an issue of specific industries anymore but is seamlessly integrating into various industries from manufacturing to individuals’ daily lives. Consumer goods companies like L’Oreal, retailers like Amazon and Walmart are discussing how to innovate customer experiences through AI, and mobility companies are introducing ‘infotainment’ cases related to autonomous driving. Rather than finding these technologies interesting per se, I find the new business opportunities emerging from such changes appealing.

What are some ways to become familiar with digital technology?
The pace of change in digital is incredibly fast. The fact that ChatGPT users reached 100 million within just two months is an example, and it has continued to evolve since then. To keep up with the times, I mainly read a lot of articles, papers, blogs, and digital-related media, mostly before going to bed every day. Secondly, as I mentioned earlier, observation. I go out a lot and explore. Even on weekends, I go to hip neighborhoods with my family. Instead of just looking at digital with my eyes, I directly use the technologies that are integrated into daily life when I come across them.