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

― Crystal (Sujung) Lee, Inbound Business Planning Lead 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 Sujung Lee, and I lead the Inbound Business Planning Team at NOL UNIVERSE.

While studying abroad in the U.S., I had the opportunity to intern at SeaWorld Orlando. What stayed with me most was seeing how people weren’t simply spending a day at a theme park—they were creating moments they would remember for a lifetime.

That experience made me realize, for the first time, how rewarding it felt to contribute to other people’s joy and happiness.

Naturally, I became interested in the travel and leisure industry, and started my career at Everland. At the time, Korea’s inbound travel market was beginning to grow rapidly, but businesses designed specifically for international visitors were still close to zero.

I began building the foundation for that market step by step—introducing foreign payment systems, creating incentive structures for global OTAs, and expanding FIT (Free Independent Traveler) offerings.

Through that process, I realized I genuinely enjoy building and defining entirely new markets from the ground up.

After that, I joined LEGOLAND Korea Resort as an early launch member, where I experienced another “0→1” journey. Later, at a global OTA, I worked across various businesses connecting content and commerce, broadening my understanding of global markets and partnerships.

Then one day, I came across an article announcing NOL UNIVERSE’s vision of becoming a Korean brand challenging the global OTA market. At that moment, it felt less like curiosity and more like certainty—“This is something I absolutely want to be part of.”

Since joining the company, I've been involved in every stage of NOL World's global business—from strategy and platform launch to building operational frameworks, expanding partnerships, and developing new businesses.

Rather than following a path someone else has already created, I find the greatest joy in imagining markets that don't yet exist and turning them into reality. Looking ahead, I hope to continue creating new customer experiences by connecting travel and content while helping Korean brands unlock new possibilities in the global market.

Leading Across Borders

What do you find most rewarding about working globally, and do you have any memorable episodes to share?

Ironically, the most memorable experience was also one of the most uncertain moments.

It was when we first started planning Play&Stay, which has since become one of NOL World’s signature global products.

At the time, there were already products overseas that bundled concert tickets with hotel stays. But what we wanted to create was more than just a package. Our goal was to design the entire customer journey—from arriving in Korea to attending the concert—and create a new travel experience that solved the real pain points international visitors faced.

We didn’t even have a name yet, so a small group of us sat together asking ourselves, “What should we call this?” That’s actually how the name “Play&Stay” was born.

As we developed the product, we mapped every step of the customer journey—from arriving in Korea to returning to the hotel after the concert—to identify where travelers experienced the greatest inconvenience. We found that many international visitors had to wait in long lines to pick up their tickets and often struggled to find transportation after the concert ended. So, although we were an online platform, we focused on improving the offline experience by allowing guests to collect tickets at their hotels in advance and providing shuttle services to the venue.

In the end, Play&Stay became much more than a bundle of concert tickets and hotel accommodations. It evolved into a seamless travel experience that makes visiting Korea for a concert easier and more enjoyable from start to finish.

What made the experience especially meaningful was that everything was built by a tiny team of just five people. From ticketing and wristband inventory management to packaging merchandise and handling on-site operations, we built every part of the business ourselves from the ground up.

I still vividly remember those late nights spent together in one room, working through countless challenges side by side.

Today, Play&Stay has become one of NOL World’s signature products, serving travelers from more than 74 countries and expanding through partnerships with leading entertainment companies.

Looking back, it was one of the hardest periods—but also one of the most exciting and rewarding. More than simply creating a product, we were solving real customer challenges and building an entirely new travel experience together. That is still what makes global business so rewarding for me, and why this remains one of my most memorable experiences.

When leading in a global environment, what core capability do you believe matters more than language itself?

If I had to define one core capability for global business, it would be having the courage to make the first move.

In global markets, I believe it's far more important to take the initiative and validate your ideas—even when there’s no precedent—than to spend too much time searching for the perfect answer. Building a global business from a Korea-based organization isn’t about following an established path. More often than not, it means creating one that has never existed before.

That’s why I’ve always tried to focus on finding ways to make things happen rather than reasons why they can’t be done. Instead of relying on familiar approaches or past success formulas, I believe embracing new ideas with an open mind is what ultimately creates a competitive edge in global business.

Many of our key initiatives started with that mindset. We proactively approached the Korea Tourism Organization to explore new partnership opportunities, worked with entertainment agencies to turn limited K-pop ticket offerings into official exclusive sales, and initiated collaborations with global payment providers such as WeChat Pay, UnionPay, and Mastercard to build new business models together.

Of course, many people initially questioned whether these ideas were even possible. But I believed Korean brands could compete on the global stage, and that someone had to take the first step in order to create a new path.

Ultimately, I believe global business is built not by those who simply speak different languages, but by those who discover new possibilities, have the courage to knock on new doors, and keep moving forward by learning from failure rather than fearing it.

What We’re Building Next

What role does the Inbound Business Planning Team play within NOL UNIVERSE?

The Inbound Business Planning Team is still a relatively lean organization, so we operate a little differently from a typical planning team. We don’t stop at proposing ideas—we identify partners, design business models, launch products, and stay involved until they generate real business results.

I believe a good plan is only complete when it’s successfully executed. That’s why our team doesn’t separate planning from execution. We take responsibility all the way until our ideas become real experiences for customers.

I’d describe the role of our Inbound Business Planning Team in two ways.

First, we create businesses that don’t yet exist.
By observing changes in the market and evolving customer needs, we identify new opportunities and turn them into real products and services with sustainable business models. Products like Play&Stay and the NOL World Card all began by solving real customer pain points, and we grow those ideas into businesses through global partnerships.

Second, we bring the perspective of global customers into the organization.
Because NOL World is a platform built for international travelers visiting Korea, it’s essential that we view our services through the eyes of global customers rather than domestic ones. By listening to customer feedback and analyzing data, we gain a deep understanding of what international travelers truly want and expect, then reflect those insights in our products, services, and business decisions.

Ultimately, I see the Inbound Business Planning Team as a team that transforms new opportunities into businesses while bringing the voice of global customers into the organization. Beyond delivering results today, our most important role is to lay the foundation for NOL World to become Korea’s leading global inbound travel platform.

What do you find most exciting and rewarding about leading global business at NOL UNIVERSE?

What excites me most is that this work goes beyond simply running a business — it’s about helping build an entirely new market and ecosystem.

One of the most rewarding parts of my work is meeting partners such as the Korea Tourism Organization, local governments, and entertainment companies. Whenever they tell us they hope NOL World will grow into a meaningful player in the global market, I feel both a great sense of pride and an even greater sense of responsibility.

I hope NOL World grows beyond being a larger platform and becomes one that helps strengthen Korea’s inbound tourism ecosystem. If we can bring more international travelers to Korea while creating opportunities for local destinations, small travel agencies, entertainment companies, hotels, and many other partners to grow together, I believe that will be the greatest value of what we do.

Another exciting part is competing on the same stage as major global OTAs that already dominate the market. But I believe we can compete by building on our strength as a platform that understands Korea better than anyone else, combined with the unique appeal of K-culture.

Being part of a Korean company creating new possibilities in the global market—and helping NOL World lead that change—is what gives me the greatest sense of pride.

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

Three years from now, I hope NOL World will be recognized as Korea’s leading global platform.

I believe the boundaries between travel and content will continue to disappear. People will travel to Korea not only for sightseeing, but also to attend concerts, visit filming locations from their favorite dramas, enjoy shopping, and experience local cuisine. Travel will increasingly become a seamless journey connecting a wide range of experiences.

As AI continues to evolve, discovering and comparing products will become easier than ever. I believe the true competitive advantage of a platform will no longer lie in the products it offers, but in how seamlessly it connects every moment of the customer’s journey. I also believe there is still tremendous potential in the experiences customers have on the ground. Connecting concerts, accommodations, transportation, payments, and local attractions into one seamless experience represents one of the greatest opportunities for platforms to differentiate themselves in the future.

That’s why I hope NOL World grows beyond a platform that simply connects products and becomes one that connects experiences.

I also hope NOL World’s growth contributes to more than the success of a single platform. I want it to help build a healthy inbound tourism ecosystem where concerts, local destinations, hotels, and many other partners can grow together. I would love to see a platform built by a Korean company set a new standard in the global market.

And three years from now, I hope I’ll still be working alongside the Inbound Business Planning Team—continuing to create new markets by exploring paths no one has taken before.

One Word That Defines Me

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

“I’m Crystal (Sujung) Lee, someone who always Makes It Happen.”

Whenever I start something new, I tend to think less about “Can this work?” and more about “How can we make this work?”
Rather than getting distracted by uncertainty or outside noise, I focus on the outcome we want to create and keep pushing toward it.
That’s why I care less about finding the perfect answer, and more about finding the most realistic and executable way forward.

To me, work is more than just a job — it’s a process of growth and self-realization.
As long as I’m part of an organization, I believe it’s natural to contribute and create meaningful results.
Ultimately, I hope to be remembered as someone who makes things happen, no matter the situation.

👀 LinkedIn Profile | Crystal (Sujung) Lee, Inbound Business Planning Lead at NOL UNIVERSE