Overseas Academic Training

The winning team of the 2022 KB Solveathon, KBJG, traveled to the United States in February 2023 for the overseas academic training program sponsored by the Tournament. During their visit, they toured prestigious universities in the US, participated in the Dream Canvas program (chat with mentors), and visited the New York branch of KB Financial Group. Continue reading for more inspiring stories from our first generation of KB Solveathon champions and follow their journey as they discover a a vast new world. If you click more button, it directs to Debate Korea Naver Blog, which is written in Korean.

[Silicon Valley/Twitter]

Mentor Min-hyung Lee

We met Lee Min-hyung, a software engineer at Twitter, one of the most popular social network companies that recently gained widespread attention following its acquisition by Elon Musk. We discussed machine learning, future applications of artificial intelligence models, trends in the Silicon Valley IT industry, and the life of a Twitter engineer. Mentor Lee shared fascinating news about Twitter and the industry, in addition to candid stories about his personal life.

[Silicon Valley/Meta]
Mentor Dan Stoyell

We met Dan Stoyell, a software engineer at Meta, the pioneer of social media and leader of cutting edge social networking services. Mentor Stoyell provided his insights about the importance of communication and articulation as an experienced debater. We also heard about his motivation for beginning debate at a young age and his life at Meta.

[Silicon Valley/Samsung Electronics]

Mentor Jae-won Kim

We met Kim Jae-won who is an employee of Samsung Electronics, a South Korean Electronics corporation that landed on the Forbes Magazine ‘World’s Best Employers’ for three consecutive years. Mentor Kim relayed his thoughts on the working environment of Korean conglomerates global offices and briefly discussed about a project he is planning to launch.

[Silicon Valley/Snap]

Mentor Ui-Seong Han

Ui-seong Han is a seasoned mentor with extensive experience in the United States IT industry, including Google and Snap Inc. He shared his insights into working in Silicon Valley, an intriguing environment where fierce competition and work-life balance coexist. He also shared his honest thoughts on living in the United States as an Asian.

[Finance/KB Kookmin Bank]

Mentor Ik-heon Kim

Upon our visit to the New York branch of KB Kookmin Bank located in the world’s financial mecca, Wall Street, we had a meaningful discussion with Branch Manager Ik-heon Kim. We learned briefly about corporate finance in the New York branch in addition to his thoughts on various social issues and the United States.

[Finance/J.P.Morgan]

Chan-ho Yoon

We met Mentor Chan-ho Yoon, an Equities Trader at J.P. Morgan. Stock investing has become increasingly popular in Korea, even among individual investors and the youth. We had the opportunity to hear Mentor Yoon's perspective on the stock market as an institutional investor, along with his opinions on various issues surrounding the financial market.

[Yale University/Physics PhD]

Mentor Ki-dae Shin

We had a conversation with Mentor Shin, PhD in Physics. As a professional with experience in one of the leading disciplines of modern science, Mentor Shin shared his invaluable insights about the crossover between humanities and physics, along with many fascinating scientific facts.

[Yale University/Climate &

Environmental Engineering Researcher]

Mentor Seung-hoon Baek

We met with Mentor Seung-hoon Baek, who works with data to analyze current environmental phenomena. Our conversation with Mentor Baek was an opportunity to learn about climate and the environment, a field that has gained significant interest following serious environmental problems such as global warming and climate anomalies. We had a delightful time with our mentor, who also provided career and academic advice.

[Youtuber/Amiyo]

Gyu-chang Hwang

We had the pleasure of meeting a very special mentor who left his medical studies at Cornell University to pursue his dream of becoming a chef, and flew to South Africa. His dedication, determination, and incredible work ethic was truly inspiring. He has now become a popular cooking content creator on YouTube, and continues to share his expertise with a large following.