The m25 Global Creative Series: TBWA\Media Arts Lab Seoul’s Youji Noh on developing creative awareness in Korea’s hyper-digital market
The m25 Global Creative Series returns for its second series highlighting the people behind the work, their instincts and cultural understanding. These conversations aim to inspire those whose careers are beginning – showing how imagination, collaboration and human insight remain at the core of meaningful creative practice. Here Youji Noh, Executive Creative Director at TBWA\Media Arts Lab (MAL) Seoul, explores how Korean creativity is travelling globally, the role of technology and AI in the industry, and the advice she gives to the next generation of creatives about observing culture from both inside and out.
In 2021 Youji was picked in Campaign Asia’s 40 Under 40 annual feature. Her journey into advertising began almost by accident, moving from a background in graphic design into the world of creative direction by learning the craft on the job. Growing up as a third‑culture kid gave her a natural instinct for storytelling with context, while her design training sharpened her eye for detail and problem solving
Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a successful agency ECD, what inspired you to pursue this career, what challenges you faced while carving your niche in an ever-changing advertising landscape, and which campaign stands out as the most memorable for its impact on your market or region?
I stumbled into advertising by chance. After college, where I studied graphic design, I picked up a book called The Most Creative People in Singapore and came across print ads by a boutique agency. I was drawn to what, at the time, looked like smart poster design. I called them up, and they hired me for their design department, where I literally learned advertising on the job.
Two things equipped me to pursue this path as a creative. Growing up as a third culture kid naturally developed my ability to tell stories with tailored context and perspective. My design background trained me to solve problems through visuals, words, sounds, and motion. Together, these experiences nurtured a sensitivity to detail and nuance.
In 2019, the streets of Seoul were dominated with youth listening to music on AirPods and each of their cases were customized with personality and their love for music. Apple and MAL picked up on that, made an animation film featuring personalized cases as characters to return the love back to Koreans. The track of course features a Korean musician. It received a lot of love by the youth despite Apple being an American company in Samsung’s backyard.
How has the South Korean advertising market transformed over the past decade, and what factors have driven this change?
Korea is still a heavily celebrity-driven market, but the types of influential figures in advertising are evolving and fragmenting. A decade ago, you’d see celebrities embodying aspirational lifestyles with mass appeal. Now, subcultures are expanding, and there are influential figures for everyone. People are gravitating toward more tangible and relatable figures.
Korea has one of the highest screen times globally and reacts quickly to anything new and fresh. “B-level taste” appeals to youth who are done with glossy, polished branding language. Ads with campy charm, raw humor, and a wacky sensibility are filling social space, sometimes not even ads at all, just anything cultural, authentic, and raw.
Recently, one of the most influential YouTubers consistently gave honest reviews of fast-food chain burgers, often criticizing new products. He’d say, “You have to whip the company into shape to improve the product,” and eventually, he was featured in their new burger launch campaign doing exactly that.
In what ways is South Korea positioning itself on the global advertising stage and what unique strengths does it offer that resonate with international brands?
More and more, Korean content is traveling beyond Korea. With K-pop, dramas, movies, food, and beauty, the world has never been more interested. There’s a notion that “what’s most Korean is the most global,” and I believe it’s about being outstanding and original. Koreans are a tough crowd to please. If something is good enough for Koreans, it will find its way to the rest of the world. In a way, Korean culture itself is positioning itself on the global advertising stage.
International brands working with Korean cultural ambassadors immediately capture the attention of global fanbases. These fandoms aren’t limited to Korea or the region – they reach fans on a global scale. Luxury fashion brands especially are aggressively securing Korean artists as brand ambassadors.
K-pop artists and actors who serve as global brand ambassadors are perfect examples. Jennie of BLACKPINK is a living Chanel advertisement. Naturally, her music videos, red carpet looks, and social media feeds are filled with Chanel exposure fans are all eyes on her every move.
How do local cultural values and creative storytelling influence advertising strategies in South Korea?
In my opinion, there are two cultural values that win the hearts of Koreans, firstly being seen and recognized as Korean. Stories that make you proud to be Korean resonate and win.
Second, pure entertainment. Koreans love to be entertained. We appreciate authenticity and the nuanced details within a story.
One recent campaign beautifully combines both cultural values. What’s typically a chest-beating political campaign featured some of Korea’s greatest cultural icons with a cameo from the president himself all wrapped in a campy, unexpected twist that kept audiences entertained while celebrating Korean pride.
With the rapid adoption of digital tools and AI, how is technology reshaping creative processes and outcomes in South Korea’s advertising industry?
Koreans are fast adopters and carry a fear of being left behind. We’re also very tech-savvy. I sometimes describe us as people who don’t read the manual, people not bound by tradition embracing the “hacks.” Naturally, the industry has been seeing a shift toward less traditional forms: agencies, production houses, and social content creators operating independently.
Platform services are already offering AI-generated ad packages designed to be more efficient and algorithm-friendly. HSAD recently announced efforts to integrate AI and social platforms into their services. The landscape is definitely shifting rapidly as technology advances.
Numerous digital creator agencies like SANDBOX provide full-service solutions from production to creator management making the creative process faster, more efficient, and more targeted in terms of media KPIs.
The challenge that emerges with this shift is the constant need to create content that cuts through the noise, something that stands out from the sea of dopamine-laden content flooding social platforms.
What role does social media play in the advertising strategies of South Korean brands, and how are these strategies evolving to meet global trends?
Koreans live actively online, to keep up with screen time, digital publishers post real-time content on Instagram and YouTube feeds on an hourly basis. Targeted ads are delivered through algorithms, which means geographical borders virtually disappear. There’s little barrier between local and global trends. If something is culturally trending in Korea even if it seems trivial, regional digital publishers pick it up the same day.
Emerging Korean brands increasingly communicate in English on Instagram, expanding their market beyond Korea. The strategy is no longer geographically limited. A perfect example is Cardi B promoting K-beauty. Her genuine love for Korean products, including the famous Buldak Carbonara Noodles, made headlines back in Korea. A Korean beauty brand collaborated with her on social media something no one anticipated would introduce the product to a global audience at this scale.
What advice would you give to young talent aspiring to enter the advertising industry in South Korea?
As a creative, the key to success hasn’t changed: developing a keen awareness of society and culture, and making meaning out of it. Essentially, finding insights. Have a point of view, but don’t forget to listen to different perspectives.
Ultimately, the tools may evolve, but the goal remains the same to tell a compelling story and move your audience. This is what I’ve always believed advertising to be: not rocket science, but rather a lot of pattern reading, observing, and finding ways to delightfully connect with your audience.
How does the creative landscape in South Korea encourage innovation compared to more other markets?
People in Korea grow bored more quickly, making it almost mandatory for brands to keep innovating to survive. It’s nearly impossible to find shops or restaurants that last a decade on the streets of Seoul; the pace of change is so rapid that we often forget what was once there.
This trend extends to consumer purchasing behaviors as well. People seldom visit offline retailers, yet offline experiences such as pop-ups and flagship stores are crucial for establishing a brand’s online presence. Anything that is “post-worthy” is likely to succeed, but it must be purposeful and authentic to the brand’s philosophy.
Since Korean culture is having a moment (especially through social) the appeal of trends are seldom limited locally, anything that can be shared on social media will spread regionally and onwards.
Can you describe an early moment in your career where a pivotal experience or mentor changed your perspective on advertising?
My first creative director spoke about ideas such as finding connections between boxes to make new meaning, by taking things that are around us but creating links to bring out a different perspective. This really trained me to observe my surroundings and find or break patterns to provoke a story for the audience. Since advertising, like design, is about solving problems, this approach has been working for me. Not inventing something entirely new, but taking an insight and giving it an intentional twist.
One thing I remind younger creatives is to grasp the culture they are living in. We are in the business of constantly being aware of youth culture, but sometimes they’re too deep in it to notice it, or think it’s too frivolous. So if they can learn to observe it from an insider AND outsider point of view, they can tell a unique story.
What are the key challenges that agencies face when expanding into the South Korean market and how have they overcome them?
Brands must genuinely connect with their audiences, and understanding the culture and its nuances is critical, especially in Korea. People need to feel seen, heard, and connected.
Years ago, we created the ‘Easy as iPad’ campaign, which demonstrated the joyful ways the iPad could be used. The global ads did not resonate with Koreans, who are sophisticated iPad users. To address this, we highlighted specific iPad behaviors, such as diary decoration and sticker creation, which might have seemed niche but actually resonated with the Korean audience.
Agencies must recognize that their brand can hold completely unexpected value and perspectives, sometimes even unintended with the Korean audience. Additionally, many local brands engage with culture in real time because Koreans appreciate two-way brand communication. This is similar to how they interact with their favorite K-pop bands.
Considering the unique characteristics of the South Korean advertising market, what strategies or approaches have proven most effective for foreign production companies and creative teams looking to enter and succeed in this market?
South Korea happens to rank No. 1 globally in ‘AI Slop’ views with 8.4 billion views on YouTube. We probably are addicted to dopamine generating content, looking for pure entertainment in our feed constantly. In this context, being authentic, raw, and responsive will be more valuable than being polished or overly refined. Engaging with or challenging cultural norms are particularly prominent in Korea. While these elements may not be unique to Korea, the intensity and competitiveness of the market make them crucial for success.
Foreign entities might find this timeline/cycle insanely fast and hard to keep track of. You’re also letting the audience have half the control over the communication. I find this could be liberating for a small lesser-known brand vs. an established brand.