Meet Grace: Bridging Cultures and Business in Seoul

Grace Baek, a Junior at the University of Southern California, is pursuing Business Administration and Accounting with a global outlook, shaped by her dual U.S.-Korean citizenship. Her passion for international work has led her from working with smallholder farmers in Indonesia to AAPI activism. Through CRCC Asia’s internship program in Seoul, Grace deepened her understanding of the Korean business environment, enhanced her cross-cultural communication skills, and contributed to global business strategies at Waveon. This transformative experience has further fueled her passion for international collaboration!

1. Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your background.

My name is Grace Baek and I’m a Junior at the University of Southern California studying Business Administration and Accounting. As a dual citizen between the U.S. and South Korea, my global perspective drives my interest in international work, specifically in Asia. 

I’ve been exposed to diverse cultures as I worked with Korean migrant workers to address local food shortages, engaged in AAPI activism as an editor for Fight for Asians, and partnered with smallholder farmers in Indonesia to develop data solutions for sustainable growth. This wide range of community experiences has taught me the value of cross-cultural exchange and global citizenship.

2. What motivated you to join the CRCC Asia program and select your specific host location? 

I joined the CRCC Asia program in Seoul because it offered a blend of professional and personal development through the internship and cultural immersion. Given my desire to work in Seoul post-graduation, I hoped to gain a deeper understanding of the Korean business landscape, such as cultural practices, market dynamics, consumer behavior, and regulatory frameworks. I also wanted to enhance my cross-cultural communication skills and build lasting relationships, creating opportunities for future collaborations and partnerships.

3. Please give us some snippets of your internship tasks. 

As a Business Development Intern at Waveon, I drove targeted PoC initiatives to validate feature viability by identifying and engaging high-potential customers. I also developed a comprehensive Go-to-Market strategy, supported by in-depth market research and customer interviews. Finally, I led the preparation for U.S. market entry, where I redesigned user processes, crafted product descriptions, blogs, and articles, translated guides into English, and proposed website improvements.

4. What were the skills you learned and applied, and what were some of the most rewarding aspects of your internship? 

During my internship, I honed and applied my analytical, strategic planning, communication, and market research skills. Leading the preparation for U.S. market entry allowed me to apply my creativity and attention to detail in redesigning user processes and crafting content.

The most rewarding aspect was seeing my contributions directly influence the company’s global expansion, thus driving impactful results in a fast-paced environment.

5. Looking back, how do you feel about your decision to join CRCC Asia? Is there anything else you’d like to share about your CRCC Asia experience?

I genuinely rate this experience as my most transformative one yet. I’m thankful for my Seoul cohort for making every day so fun and all the friends I met here. My heart is so full and I feel inspired to travel more in the future. 

I feel like I’ve grown so much this summer, socially, culturally, and professionally. I feel way more comfortable speaking in Korean, navigating foreign countries, being independent, and exploring new places.