Connecting customers, partners, cultures, and markets across the globe — these are the people helping shape the future of travel tech at Yanolja.

In this edition of Meet the Leaders, we spotlight the leaders driving Yanolja’s global business forward.

From their career journeys and experiences working across borders to the insights shaping the AI era, discover the stories behind the people building Global Yanolja.

Meet the Leaders | Behind Global Yanolja

― Saemi Baek, Head of Entertainment Group at NOL UNIVERSE

My Journey So Far

Tell us about your career journey—from where you started to what excites you today.

Hello, I’m Saemi Baek, Head of the Entertainment Group at NOL UNIVERSE.

For over 20 years, I’ve worked across a wide range of content businesses, including concerts, live performances, sports, and exhibitions. Starting my career as an entry-level employee and eventually leading a business group, I’ve had the opportunity to experience every aspect of the content industry—from on-site operations and strategic planning to investment reviews and partnership development.

Looking back, I’ve always been interested in one question: What kind of value can content create in people’s lives?
To me, great content goes beyond simple consumption. It creates memorable experiences and moments that stay with people long after the event itself.
That’s also why I continue to find the content business so exciting and rewarding.

As K-content gains global influence, I believe there is an even greater opportunity to connect content with travel and leisure, creating richer and more meaningful customer experiences.
NOL UNIVERSE is uniquely positioned to do exactly that. By combining platforms, technology, travel, leisure, and content, we have the opportunity to create entirely new markets—and that possibility continues to inspire me every day.

Leading Across Borders

What has been one of the most memorable experiences in leading the entertainment business at NOL UNIVERSE?

Rather than a single project, what I find most rewarding is seeing content become a real driver of tourism and local economies.

In the past, people might attend a concert or sporting event while traveling. Today, more and more travelers are planning entire trips around seeing their favorite artists or experiencing specific content.

This shift is expanding the role of the entertainment industry itself. A single event can create value across multiple industries—from airlines and hotels to transportation, tourism, and local businesses.

Seeing international visitors come to Korea specifically for a concert, then experience Korean culture and travel along the way, continually reminds me of the influence and growth potential of K-content.

What capability do you believe matters more than language when leading global business?

For me, the most important capabilities are curiosity and the ability to understand context.
Language is simply a tool. What truly matters is how deeply you understand your customers and the markets you serve.

Even among K-pop fans, customers in Japan, the United States, and Southeast Asia engage with content in very different ways. The data may appear similar on the surface, but the motivations and decision-making behind those behaviors are often completely different.

That’s why I constantly ask “Why?”
I try to understand not just the numbers or the outcomes, but the context behind them.

Today, AI helps make this process much faster and more sophisticated. Market analysis that once took months can now be completed far more efficiently through data and AI.

But ultimately, it is human curiosity—not AI—that discovers new opportunities.
We are entering an era where success will belong not to those who have all the answers, but to those who ask better questions.

What We’re Building Next

What role does the Entertainment Group play within NOL UNIVERSE?

The Entertainment Group plays a key role in connecting content and customers.
We plan and operate a wide range of products and services across concerts, sports, exhibitions, and other forms of entertainment, making it easier and more convenient for customers to enjoy these experiences.

At the same time, our role goes beyond simply selling content.
If an international customer travels to Korea to attend a concert, that experience shouldn’t end when they leave the venue. The real value is created when it connects to travel, tourism, and local cultural experiences.

Through those connections, we aim to expand the value of K-content experiences while providing customers with richer leisure experiences overall.

What does building a global business at NOL UNIVERSE mean to you?

To me, global business is not simply about expanding into overseas markets.
It is about helping customers around the world naturally experience the value that Korean content can offer.

Today, K-pop, live performances, exhibitions, and sports have established strong competitiveness in global markets. We are moving beyond exporting content and into an era where content becomes the foundation for entirely new experiences and ecosystems.

As a platform that connects travel and leisure, NOL UNIVERSE has an important role to play in that transformation.
Our challenge is to help more global customers discover Korea through K-content—and discover new ways to travel through Korea.

As a global leader, what kind of change or impact do you hope to create at Yanolja over the next three years?

Over the next three years, I want to focus on expanding global customer experiences built around K-content.

My goal is to create a seamless journey—from discovering content, to planning a trip, to experiencing it in person.
Data and AI will play a critical role in making that possible. They allow us to better understand customer needs and deliver more personalized experiences.
That said, technology itself is never the goal. The goal is always to create better experiences for customers.

From an organizational perspective, I also want to foster a culture that thinks and acts with a global mindset.
New markets rarely come with clear answers. What matters most is creating an environment where people are willing to experiment, learn, and grow through new challenges.

One Word That Defines Me

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

“I’m Saemi Baek, a Catalyst who sparks change and creates new possibilities.”

I find the greatest fulfillment in connecting people, content, and businesses to create new opportunities and meaningful change.
I’ve always been passionate about discovering new possibilities and turning them into reality.

To me, this work is more than just a profession—it’s an opportunity to create new value and bring people together through shared experiences.
I hope to be remembered as someone who starts change and turns possibilities into reality—a Catalyst.