Joonho Bae

In accordance with Article 82, Clause 1 of South Korea’s medical law, the field of therapeutic massage is exclusively reserved for individuals who are either visually impaired or nationally certified professionals. Among the 7,100 visually impaired individuals engaged in massage therapy, these experts possess three years of specialized education in the art of massage. However, a prevailing prejudice against the massage industry exists in South Korea, often due to its unfortunate association with the sex trade. Adding to this complexity is the dominance of illegal establishments that hire sighted, foreign masseurs for cheap labor, posing a significant threat to the livelihood of blind masseurs.

Guided by the belief that entrepreneurial endeavors aimed at benefiting others can foster a more sustainable world, I co-founded and led ChamSonGil Cooperative, a startup dedicated to empowering blind masseurs. Our venture was underpinned by two key missions: first, to challenge and dismantle the bias against the massage industry, and second, to establish supportive and favorable working environments for blind masseurs who confront financial constraints and limited business management skills. In pursuit of the first mission, we orchestrated a series of voluntary massage demonstrations at diverse venues, including subway stations, flea markets, and senior centers. Through these initiatives, we have proudly served over 1,000 individuals, sparking considerable interest in the therapeutic benefits of massage.

Moreover, to address the issue of low daytime turnover, we innovated a distinctive B2B service and product line tailored for the younger demographic, particularly those in their 20s and 30s. This strategic expansion successfully tapped into a previously untapped market segment. Our efforts extended nationwide, with 11 branches established by 2022. Importantly, our cooperative achieved an average monthly income of $3,000 for each masseur—surpassing the average salary of blind individuals in South Korea by a remarkable 30%.

Our social impact did not go unnoticed. We garnered esteemed recognition through multiple awards and accolades from prominent organizations, including the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Seoul Metropolitan Government, Enactus, SK Happiness Foundation, and Soonchunhyang University. This transformative journey instilled within me the values of integrity, passion, innovation, and collaborative leadership, as I strive to uphold these principles in my ongoing career pursuits.

Following my graduation from Seoul National University, I embarked on a journey with SK Telecom, a market-leading telecom conglomerate renowned for pioneering 5G technology and securing over fifty percent of South Korea’s telecommunications market share. During my tenure of slightly over a year, I assumed the role of a marketing manager, overseeing the operations of more than 40 retail stores across Seoul.

My primary focus was on refining the distribution strategies for cellular devices, a task of critical importance due to the intricate interplay between projected demand and limited supply. This equilibrium holds profound implications for the profitability of retail outlets, especially when confronted with the competitive releases of new iPhone and Samsung Galaxy models. To address this challenge, I devised an adaptive simulation framework that could be dynamically updated on a daily basis. Anchored in the variables of inventory levels and turnover ratios across the stores, this framework enabled us to make informed decisions.

This hands-on engagement with real-world complexities provided me with an intellectual exhilaration. It had long intrigued me to understand how various decision-making factors—such as resource allocation and scheduling—interact to shape operational performance metrics like profits, inventory costs, and turnover ratios. The practical exposure I gained reaffirmed my passion for delving into the empirical validation of these effects. This profound experience served as the catalyst for my resolute commitment to pursuing a career as an operations management researcher.

With the objective of enhancing overall engineering productivity and executing optimal management strategies for intricate systems, I am compelled to tread the path of industrial research. My aspiration to unravel the intricacies of decision dynamics and their tangible impacts on operational performance remains unwavering, driving me to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of complex systems and their effective management.