To mark International Women’s Day (March 8), we spotlight four women leaders at Yanolja who are shaping the global travel tech industry.

As product builders, team leaders, and pioneers of new markets, they are driving change from their respective roles.
Through this series, we share their honest stories—from the beginnings of their careers to their journeys as women leaders, and the messages they hope to pass on to the next generation.

Meet the leaders who are forging their own paths at Yanolja, where technology and travel come together.

Meet the Leaders | Yanolja’s Women in Tech

― May (Younjung) Kim, NOL UNIVERSE CPO (Chief Product Officer)

Where My Journey Began

Where did your career journey begin?

I started my career at an agency as a planner, dreaming of becoming an advertising copywriter. But as I became more involved in the IT industry, I realized something important—I truly loved the process of building ideas and turning them into products.

After working at companies like Naver, XLGAMES, and Kakao, I eventually founded the travel app ‘Triple’.

What were some of the challenges you faced as a female leader in tech, and what unique strengths did you discover within yourself along the way?

Rather than facing challenges specifically because I was a woman leader, the biggest challenge was constantly trying not to miss the flow of the times as someone who builds products.

Technology evolves quickly. Trends shift across pop culture and consumer behavior. All of these signals are constantly changing, and my role has always been to read those signals and translate them into products.

Through many projects, I’ve realized that my biggest strengths are making quick decisions, moving fast, and building products with a sense of perspective that stays aligned with the direction of the times.

For people who build products, being half a step ahead can make a real difference.

Why Travel Tech — Why Yanolja

What inspired you to join Yanolja—the intersection of Tech and Travel?

The travel app Triple, which I founded, went through several mergers. Through that journey, I now work as CPO of NOL UNIVERSE at Yanolja Group.

What changes or possibilities excite you most about working at Yanolja?

As a product planner, I’ve always loved the process of building services through the work of shaping ideas.

At Yanolja, I now get to do that within a much larger ecosystem. Going forward, I hope to continue translating emerging trends into products—and ultimately prove my path through results.

To the Women Who Lead Next

What is one piece of advice you’d give to future female leaders? You can think of it as something you would say to your younger self.

The highest mountain I have to climb is the person I was yesterday.
You’ve already come this far, and you’re doing just fine. So don’t doubt yourself.

Rather than being defined by roles the world assigns to us—someone’s wife, mother, or partner—I hope we remember the passion we feel when we are known by our own name.

And I hope we never shrink in the face of the world’s bias. Because today, the world needs your leadership.

One Word That Defines Me

If you had to define yourself in ‘one word’, what would it be?

“I’m a Pathmaker May Kim, someone who proves the way forward through results.”

👀 LinkedIn Profile | May (Younjung) Kim, NOL UNIVERSE CPO