My research interest lies in political culture, elite behavior, civil-military relations, and survey & experimental methods.

I mainly study how shared beliefs and values are formed, change, and eventually shape elite decisions and behaviors. Some examples of what I study include political ideology and partisanship, social norms, diversity, group dynamics, and the application of behavioral insights to defense sector reforms. I explore these topics largely in the context of the United States and South Korea as well as other new and advanced democracies.

I received Alexander George Award for the best graduate paper presented at the Foreign Policy Analysis section of International Studies Association. I am a Ph.D. student majoring in political science at the University of California, San Diego, where I am the recipient of Marsha Chandler Fellowship. I hold M.A. in political science from Columbia University, the other M.A. in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I received University Fellowship, and B.A., highest honors, in political science and philosophy from Yonsei University, where I received National Humanities & Social Sciences Scholarship (in Korean, “인문100년장학금”).

To fulfill the military service duty as a South Korean male citizen while working on my dissertation project, I am working as a lecturer of military history (first lieutenant) at Korea Army Academy from June 2024 to May 2027. I am particularly excited about this valuable opportunity to improve my teaching skills and also conduct fieldwork in the country of my academic interest.