Junsok Huhh(허준석)
Economist, data scientist, and hobbyist coder
Currently
NCSOFT 엔씨(South Korea), Executive Director
Specialized in
Data analytics, Economics
Research interests
- Analytics of MMORPG and its community behaviors
- Econometric analysis on online gaming behaviors
- Real-money trading in online games
- Game theory
Employment(Industry)
2024.01 -- present
NCSOFT, Management Analytics Group (Seongnam Gyeonggi · South Korea)
- Lead(executive director)
2019.02 -- 2023.12
NCSOFT, Data Center(Seongnam Gyeonggi · South Korea)
- Lead(executive director)
- managing the group of data scientists
2018.03 -- 2019.01
NCSOFT, I&I Division
- Lead
2014.08 -- 2018.03
NCSOFT, R&I Team
- Lead
2013.05 -- 2014.07
KISDI$^*$ 정보통신정책연구원(Jinchun Chungchungbuk · South Korea)
- $*$ Korea Information Society Development Institute
- Senior Researcher(Telecommunication Unit)
2012.01 -- 2013.03
FourThirtyThree 네시삼십삼분(Seoul · South Korea)
- Data Analyst, Consultant
Employment(Academy)
2011 -- 2012
Seoul National University, Postdoc., School of Economics(Seoul · South Korea)
2007 -- 2013
Seoul National University, Lecturer, Information and Multimedia Culture
- Lecture: “Economics and Management of Cotent”, “Serious Gamming”
2013 -- 2013
Kyunghee University, Lecturer, Humanitas College 후마니타스 칼리지(Seoul · South Korea)
- Lecture: “Game Theory, Evolution, and Cooperation”
2011
Seoul National University, Lecturer, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology
- Lecture: “Understanding Digital Games”
2004--2010
Seoul National University, Lecturer, School of Economics,
- Lecture: “Principle of Economics”, “Microeconomic Theory”
Education
2010
Seoul National University(Seoul · South Korea)
- Ph.D. School of Economics
- Title: “Three Essays on Evolutionary Game Theory and Its Economic Applications”
1997
Seoul National University, M.A. School of Economics 1997
- Title: “An Critical Inquiry on New Institutional Economics”
Seoul National University, B.A. School of Economics 1995
Interests of Works and Researches
At NCSOFT
From February 2019, I served for four years as the head of an organization known as the Data Center at NCSOFT. Contrary to what the name might suggest, the “Data Center” at NCSOFT is not an entity that operates hardware infrastructure. Rather, it is a designation for an organization where data engineers, analysts, and modelers collaborate together.
In my role as the head of the organization, I led the development of an independent data platform and foundational services for analysis based on open-source technology. I also developed analysis and dashboard services in close collaboration with the business analysis and modeling organization, as well as services for detecting fraudulent users. Although I do not have direct experience in engineering or development, my primary responsibility was facilitating the alignment and collaboration between engineers, analysts, data organizations, and other departments within the company, ensuring mutual understanding and cooperative efforts.
Before I joined Data Center, my responsibilities encompassed the design of the online game economy, data analysis of online game log data, and the formulation of corporate strategies based on economic situation analysis.
At KISDI
While at KISDI, my primary focus was on competition policy for the telecommunications industry. I extensively explored topics such as the tariff policy of mobile communications and the antitrust issues related to Korean online search engines.
Graduate work
In my doctoral thesis, I applied the methodologies of evolutionary game theory and its dynamics to various economic theories. The thesis is composed of three papers, each with a distinct theme. Their titles are:
- “The Role of Opportunistic Punishment in the Evolution of Cooperation”
- “Evolutionary Dynamics of Social Ties”
- “Replicator Dynamics in Populations with Players of Diverse Abilities”
Other topics
Another facet of my research is centered on online games and their economic repercussions on society. The majority of my work is grounded in the particular context of the Korean online gaming industry, encompassing the effects of Real-Money Trading(RMT) on online gaming services and individual gamers. My research currently underway includes:
a. Exploring the Relationship between Game Design, Player Behaviors, and RMT b. Analyzing User Data in Korean Online/Mobile Gaming
Publications
Books and book chapters
2013
Jun Sok Huhh. “Who’s Afraid of Social Games(Chapter 7).” Game Phobia [Korean language]. Communication Books. [Korean language]
2009
Jun Sok Huhh. “The Evolution of PC bang Culture in Korea(Chapter 7).” Gaming Cultures and Place in Asia-Pacific [edited by Larissa Hjorth, Dean Chan]. Routledge.
2009
Jun Sok Huhh, Larissa Hjorth and Bora Na. “Games of gender: a case study on females who play games in the Seoul, South Korea(Chapter 14).” Gaming Cultures and Place in Asia-Pacific [edited by Larissa Hjorth, Dean Chan]. Routledge.
2006
Jun Sok Huhh. Business of Fun–Economics of computer games industry 재미의 비즈니스. ChekSeSang. [Korean language]
Journal articles
2017
Jun Sok Huhh and Jeong Wook Byun. “North Korea’s Nuclear Weapon Development and South Korea’s Strategic Reaction: A Signaling Game Approach.” Ehwa Journal of Social Sciences 33(1): 107–142. [Korean language]
2014
Jun Sok Huhh and Jeong Wook Byun. “Hyperbolic Discounting and the Effect of Handset Subsidy Regulation in Mobile Telephony Service Market.” Telecommunucations Review 24(4):566–576. [Korean language]
2013
Jun Sok Huhh and Jeong Wook Byun. “Price Competition and Handset Subsidy Competition in Mobile Telephony Service Market.” Telecommunucations Review 23(5):676–685. [Korean language]
2012
Jun Sok Huhh and Jung-Kyu Choi. “The Decay in Contributions in a Public Goods Game: Learning Hypothesis, Strategy Hypothesis and Reciprocity Hypothesis Revisited.” Journal of Econometric Theory and Econometrics 23(2):165–186. [Korean language]
2008
Jun Sok Huhh. “Culture and Business of PC Bangs in Korea.” Games and Culture 3(1):26–37.
2005
Jun Sok Huhh and Sang-Woo Park. “The Emergence and Economic Functioning of Secondary Market in MMORPG.” Journal of Information Science 23(6):42–49. [Korean language]
1999
Jun Sok Huhh. “Finding the Alternative in-between Market and Capitalism: Theoretical Challenge of Radical Economics.” Economy and Society 42. [Korean language]
1998
Jun Sok Huhh. “On Theoretical Foundation of New Institutionalist Economics : ‘Power’ vs, ‘Efficiency’.” Review of Social Economics 11. [Korean language]
1998
Jun Sok Huhh and Jung-Kyu Choi. 1998. “Review of Radical Institutionalist economics.” Trend and Perspective 37. [Korean language]
Honors
2010
Best Dissertation of The College of Social Sciences of Seoul National University of the Year 2010
2010
Best Paper for Young Economists Competition hosted by Korean Economic Association(KEA) at 14th International Conference 2010
1997 -- 1999
Il-ju Foundation(일주 재단) Graduate Scholarship
Technical Skills
Proficient Python, R, Mathematica, $\rm \LaTeX$, markdown, Quarto
Familiar
Docker, Kubernetes, NetLogo
Last updated: Mar. 2024