Vol. 2 [Publisher's Letter]

SXSK is a wordplay on Austin’s iconic festival, SXSW (South by Southwest), reimagined as South by South Korea. Interestingly, SXSW itself is said to have drawn inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s film North by Northwest. In that sense, perhaps our reinterpretation is simply part of that ongoing creative lineage.

Through this publisher’s column, I hope to share my thoughts and reflections with you—not only as the head of the alumni association, but as a fellow member navigating these rapidly changing times.

These days, I find myself spending day and night keeping up with the tsunami of AI products and technologies pouring into the world. With new breakthroughs emerging almost daily and entire industries being reshaped in real time, I feel both a sense of urgency and a profound sense of awe at living in such a transformative era.

As alumni president, one question weighs heavily on my mind:
In a world being rapidly reshaped by AI, what role can our alumni association play in supporting recent graduates and early-career members in their employment and professional growth?

I believe the core mission of any alumni association lies in fostering meaningful connections that enable each member to grow and thrive.

This year, I will continue to reflect deeply on what tangible value our alumni association can offer—and work toward translating that reflection into concrete action.

(As part of my own AI experimentation, I built a service called awed.life. What would once have required a team of five or six people working for two months was completed by myself in just three days.)

John Kim (PGE '05) / Publisher / President of UTAKA