Dr Hyunsun Yoon
About
Overview
Hyunsun Yoon is Senior Lecturer in Strategic Communication and Programme Director for Postgraduate Taught Media at City St George’s, University of London. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), she brings over two decades of experience researching and teaching media, advertising, and marketing communications. Her work has been supported by major funders including the British Academy, the Leverhulme Trust, the DM Trust, and the Korean Cultural Centre UK.
Hyunsun’s research is situated within the field of strategic communication, with a particular focus on digital media and communication, advertising and marketing communication. Her work expands the field beyond organisational messaging and examines strategic communication as a socio-cultural process influencing consumer experiences, inequalities, and power relations in digitally mediated environments.
Over the years, Hyunsun has developed a distinctive focus on ageing populations and digital inclusion, situating later life as a critical site for rethinking how communication technologies mediate care, connection, and wellbeing. Her current projects investigate the role of AI-powered companion robots for older adutls and the use of creative AI tools in supporting informal carers of people living with dementia, bridging critical theory with real-world applications in health, ageing, and digital innovation.
Her research has been disseminated widely through invited collaborations and public engagement with organisations such as the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the UN International Maritime Organisations (IMO), Singapore Tourism Board, European Institute for Commercial Communications Education (EdCom), the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA), and the History of Advertising Trust (HAT).
Hyunsun is the author of Branded Entertainment in Korea (Routledge, 2021) and co-author of Social Media Marketing: Digital Marketing in a Networked World (Kogan Page, 2026), which combine critical theory and practice to illuminate the rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape, particularly in the Global South. Currently, she is the Associate Editor of Communication & Society. In addition to her scholarly outputs, she has built a substantial track record in student experience, employability, and pedagogical innovation, recognised through multiple student-led teaching awards and staff-led innovation awards.
Alongside her academic work, Hyunsun contributes to the field as an elected Board Member of EdCom and serves as a jury member for major international competitions, including the Effie Awards Europe 2025 and the pan-European Ad Venture competition. She also leads the European Network of Ageing Studies (ENAS) Mentorship Advisory Panel.
Qualifications
- MCIPR, The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), United Kingdom, September 2025
- CMBE (Certified Management & Business Educator), Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS), United Kingdom, 2022 - March 2024
- SFHEA, Higher Education Academy, United Kingdom, November 2018
- FHEA, Higher Education Academy, United Kingdom, January 2008
- PGCE, University of East London, United Kingdom, September 2006 - June 2007
- PhD, Cardiff University, United Kingdom, September 1996 - November 2005
- MA, Cardiff University, United Kingdom, September 1995 - August 1996
- BA (Hons), Ewha Womans University, South Korea, March 1991 - August 1995
Employment
- Judge (Branding Building Category), Data and Marketing Association (DMA), United Kingdom, July 2025 - present
- Judge, European Association for Communications Agencies (EACA), Belgium, May 2025 - present
- Associate Editor, Communication & Society, Spain, May 2025 - present
- Programme Director, PGT Media, Communications and Creative Industries, City St. George's, University of London, United Kingdom, August 2024 - present
- Senior Lecturer in Strategic Communications, City St. George's, University of London, United Kingdom, April 2024 - present
- Elected Board Member - Research Committee, European Institute for Commercial Communications Education (EdCom), Belgium, October 2022 - present
- Academic Jury, European Institute for Commercial Communications Education, Belgium, September 2022 - present
- Programme Leader, Senior Lecturer, University of Greenwich, United Kingdom, September 2017 - March 2024
- Consultant, 1HQ Branding Agency, United Kingdom, June - July 2013
- Visiting Lecturer, Korea National University of Arts, South Korea, April - May 2012
- Visiting Lecturer, Yonsei University, South Korea, June - September 2011
- Senior Lecturer, University of East London, United Kingdom, September 2010 - August 2017
- Lecturer, University of East London, United Kingdom, January 2005 - August 2010
- Associate Lecturer (Hourly Paid Lecturer), Cardiff University, United Kingdom, September 1997 - August 1999
- Doctoral Researcher, UNICEF, United Kingdom, June - October 1997
- Honorary Ambassador for Gwent, Wales, UK, Gwent County Council, United Kingdom, September 1996 - present
- Programme Coordinator, Thomson Foundation, United Kingdom, September 1996 - February 1997
Languages
English (can read, write, speak, understand spoken, peer review) and Korean (can read, write, speak, understand spoken, peer review)
Publications
Publications by category
Books (3)
- Yu, Z. and Yoon, H. (2026). Social Media Marketing Digital Marketing in a Networked World. Kogan Page. ISBN 9781398623163.
- Yoon, H., Sunyoung, Y., Jiyoung, P., Donghoo, L., Sun, H., Yuri, K.... Jihun, P. (2024). 지금, 여기, 여성적 삶과 문화 [in Korean]. Seoul, South Korea: Ewha Womens University Press. ISBN 9788973009923.
- Yoon, H. (2020). Branded Entertainment in Korea. Routledge. ISBN 9780429552663.
Chapters (7)
- Yoon, H. (2025). Advertising History of South Korea in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. The Routledge Companion to the History of Advertising (pp. 217-225). Routledge.
- Yoon, H. (2024). The hidden persuaders in your entertainment? Digital Advertising Evolution (pp. 146-161). Routledge.
- Yoon, H. and Šegota, T. (2022). Using Live Briefs in Marketing Education: How to Increase Student Employability by Blending Sustainability and Internationalization. Socially Responsible Consumption and Marketing in Practice (pp. 349-358). Springer Nature Singapore. ISBN 9789811664328.
- Yoon, H. (2017). The Legacy of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Olympic Cities 2012 and the Remaking of London (pp. 87-95).
- Yoon, H., Yu, S.-.K., Hong, S.-.K. and Jung, S.-.Y. (2012). 해외 언론의 한류보도 분석 연구. 해외 언론의 한류보도 분석 연구 Seoul, South Korea: Korea Press Foundation.
- Hardy, J., Macrury, I., Powell, H. and Hawkin, S. (2013). The Advertising Handbook. Routledge.
- MacRury, I. (2017). Olympic Cities: 2012 and the Remaking of London. In Poynter, G. (Ed.), Routledge.
Conference papers and proceedings (8)
- Yoon, H. (2024). What's wrong about funny videos? TikTok perpetuating ageist stereotypes, or is it? TikTok Cultures in Korea 9 September, [Online] Curtin University, Australia.
- Yoon, H., Ylänne, V. and Olsen, D. (2023). Look them in the eyes – Investigating the perception of the UK’s COVID-19 public health campaign among minority ethnic older adults. British Society of Gerontology (BSG) 52nd Annual Conference 2023 5-7 June, Norwich, U.K..
- Ylanne, V., Dennis, O. and Yoon, H. (2022). Minority ethnic older adults’ narratives about COVID-19 public health campaigns. European Network in Aging Studies & North American Network in Aging Studies Joint Conference 28 September-1 October, Bucharest, Romania.
- Thompson, Z., Yoon, H. and Booth, P. (2022). DISPERSED ASSESSMENT IN REMOTE LEARNING TO INCREASE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN TIMES OF CRISIS. 14th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies 4-5 July.doi:10.21125/edulearn.2022.1299
- Yoon, H. (2022). Innovative assessment, student experience, and employability in advertising education. Learning & Teaching Festival, University of Greenwich 23 June, London, U.K..
- Yoon, H., Lee, G. and Lee, S. (2019). Digital Divide: A Case of South Korean Older Adults. Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway Steering Committee and WSIS Regional Review, United Nations Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) 27-28 August, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Yoon, H., Ma, J. and Lee, G. (2019). Can brands recover from consumer backlash on social media caused by racially insensitive advertising and marketing communications campaigns? Global Fashion Management Conference 11-14 July, Paris, France.
- Yoon, H. (2018). Motivation, engagement and interactivity: Use of the Student Response System in the classroom. The 16th Academic Practice and Technology Conference 3 July, London.
Journal articles (20)
- Lee, G., Sohn, S. and Yoon, H. (2026). Dual impacts of anthropomorphic relationships with companion robots at home for older adults: evidence from Hyodol users in South Korea. AI & SOCIETY. doi:10.1007/s00146-026-03027-4
- Yoon, H. and Lee, J. (2025). Genre in Transnational Television: A Case of Netflix Originals Korean Dramas. Television & New Media, 26(2), pp. 243-258. doi:10.1177/15274764241265040
- McKenna, B., Cai, W. and Yoon, H. (2025). Chinese older adults' social media use: a study of WeChat from a social practice perspective. Information Technology & People, 38(1), pp. 363-379. doi:10.1108/itp-10-2022-0787
- Yoon, H., Olsen, D. and Ylänne-Thomas, V. (2024). Minority ethnic older adults’ perception and behaviour towards COVID-19 public health campaigns in the UK. Communication & Society, 37(4), pp. 125-141. doi:10.15581/003.37.4.125-141
- Yoon, H., Lee, G., Nguyen, T.H.H., Lee, S. and Šegota, T. (2024). Exploring smartphone-related digital divide among South Korean older adults. Ekonomski vjesnik, 37(1), pp. 29-43. doi:10.51680/ev.37.1.3
- Yoon, H. and Kelly, A.J. (2023). Brand Blunders and Race in Advertising: Issues, Implications, and Potential Actions from a Macromarketing Perspective. Journal of Macromarketing, 43(3), pp. 403-417. doi:10.1177/02761467231178550
- Thompson, Z., Yoon, H. and Booth, P. (2023). Dispersed assessment: A novel approach to enhancing student engagement during and beyond Covid-19. The International Journal of Management Education, 21(2). doi:10.1016/j.ijme.2023.100811
- Yoon, H. and Vlachos, P. (2023). Cultural Institutes Abroad in the 21st Century: The Case of the Korean Cultural Centre UK. International Journal of Arts Management, 25(2), pp. 79-91
- Wright, D.K., Yoon, H., Morrison, A.M. and Šegota, T. (2023). Drinking in style? Literature review of luxury wine consumption. British Food Journal, 125(2), pp. 679-695. doi:10.1108/bfj-06-2021-0661
- Mogaji, E. and Yoon, H. (2019). Thematic analysis of marketing messages in UK universities’ prospectuses. International Journal of Educational Management, 33(7), pp. 1561-1581. doi:10.1108/ijem-05-2018-0149
- Lee, J. and Yoon, H. (2017). Narratives of the nation in the Olympic opening ceremonies: comparative analysis of Beijing 2008 and London 2012. Nations and Nationalism, 23(4), pp. 952-969. doi:10.1111/nana.12318
- Yoon, H.C., Yu, S.K. and Yoo, S.H. (2017). Framing Gangnam Style. Journal of Arts and Humanities, 6(8), pp. 01-01. doi:10.18533/journal.v6i8.1243
- Yoon, H.C. (2017). Facilitating Public Access to the Arts: Applying the Motivation, Opportunity, and Ability Framework to the Case of the UK Royal Opera House. Journal of Arts and Humanities, 6(7), pp. 01-01. doi:10.18533/journal.v6i7.1218
- Yoon, H. (2014). Lessons from Digital Switchover in South Korea. Television & New Media, 15(6), pp. 538-550. doi:10.1177/1527476413487817
- YOON, H. and POWELL, H. (2012). Older consumers and celebrity advertising. Ageing and Society, 32(8), pp. 1319-1336. doi:10.1017/s0144686x1100095x
- Yoon, H. (2011). Accountability of public service broadcasting: BBC Case study. Digital Media Trend
- Yoon, H. (2011). BBC Future Strategy: 'Delivering Creative Futures' and Its Interim Review. Broadcasting and Communication, 12(1)
- Yoon, H. (2011). Sports Programming in Public Service Broadcasting: Comparative Analysis of BBC and KBS . Media, Gender & Culture, 19
- Yoon, H. (2010). Third Time Lucky?: Bid Legacy of PyeongChang for Winter Olympic Games. The International Journal of Sport and Society, 1(2), pp. 145-156. doi:10.18848/2152-7857/cgp/v01i02/54008
- Yoon, H. (2004). Representation of Older People in Korean Advertising. The Milestone, 2(1)
Reports (2)
- Yoon, H., Sekyong, Y., Seok-kyong, H. and Suyoung, J. (2012). 해외 언론의 한류보도 분석 연구 [in Korean]. Seoul, South Korea: Korea Press Foundation.
- Yoon, H. and Vlachos, P. Impact study of the Korean Cultural Centre UK's Korea/UK 2017/18 Season [Project Report]..
Other
- Yoon, H., Olsen, D. and Mogaji, E.(2022). In the pursuit of an effective clearing campaign.