People
Jinhyung Kim, Ph.D.
Lab Director
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Associate Professor at Department of Psychology, Sogang University
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Co-PI at Institute for Hope Research, Sogang University
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Board of Directors Member at the International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology
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Ph.D. in Social and Personality Psychology, Texas A&M University
“What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger." Since my young self was fascinated by this Nietzsche’s quote, I have been interested in understanding how one’s own will guides the way we go through ups and downs in our life. This is reflected in my research. Broadly speaking, my research examines: the ways in which people discover their true self and make authentic decisions; the roles of motivational, contextual, and personality factors in the experience of existential meaning; how people find and maintain hope through the senses of agency, autonomy, and self-determination.
Da Ye Lee
Graduate Student
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M.A. in cultural, social, and personality psychology, Korea University
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B.A. in British & American language and literature, psychology, and communication, Sogang University
Da Ye is a Ph.D. candidate. She is mainly interested in authenticity, life adversity, and hope. She aims to explore the conditions under which people feel authentic, whether through alignment with one's own dispositions or through socially valued actions. She is also drawn to the strength and resilience of people who face adversity and pain. She seeks to understand how those experiencing physical discomfort and existential uncertainty--such as chronic pain and cancer patients--not only endure, but actively pursue meaningful lives driven by deeply embedded purpose.
Yedo Jang
Graduate Student
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B.A. in Buddhist Studies, Dongguk University
Yedo is a graduate student. Her research interests include belief in free will, authenticity and well-being. She is particularly interested in research related to people's perceptions and subjective interpretations of these topics.
Minji Seok
Graduate Student
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B.A. in psychology, Sungshin Women's University
Minji is a second-year graduate student exploring the psychological foundations of authenticity and meaning in life. She is particularly interested in how these concepts shape human experiences and interactions in a social context. Through her research, she aims to deepen our understanding of what it means to live a truly meaningful and authentic life
Da Yeon Choi
Graduate Student
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B.A. in Psychology and Business Administration, Sogang University
Da Yeon is a graduate student. She hopes to pursue research related to true self, presented self, and the psychology of discrimination.
Mackenzie Kim
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Mackenzie is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in psychology. She enjoys learning about the correlation between identity and human behavior. Due to her experiences as a golfer, her interests expanded to include the importance of mental resilience, teamwork, and strategic decision-making.
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Devadoss Samuel Raj Janicee Sathiya
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Janicee is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology and American culture. As a daydreamer herself, she is fascinated by daydreaming and the human brain's imaginative creativity, which led to her exploring several psychological concepts to understand the reason behind it. She especially enjoys learning about free will and hope. She is also interested in true self and sense-making as she wishes to analyse herself and find the true meaning behind her life and existence.
Bu Seunghyun
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Seunghyun is a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology. She is particularly interested in the relationship between identity problems and psychopathology. She believes that a lack of core identity leads to various mental health issues, and that enhancing authenticity is crucial to preventing these problems. Her primary interests include narcissism, borderline personality disorder, and dissociation, all of which are closely related to identity problems.
Ayu Najwa
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Najwa is a fourth-year undergraduate interested in how cultural and environmental contexts shape identity among individuals who engage in crime or antisocial behavior. Her work explores the intersection of culture, personality, and criminology—why people diverge in development while sharing common psychological foundations. She aims to advance understanding of personality development and psychopathology and is seeking opportunities as a research assistant.
Yoon Heechan
Graduate Research Assistant
Heechan earned his undergraduate degree in economics, business management, and psychology, and completed his master’s in organizational psychology. His academic journey led him to explore the narrative frameworks used by social entrepreneurs and ways to enhance employees’ mental health and well-being. These interests sparked deeper questions about what makes life meaningful and how that meaning varies from person to person. His recent interests include positive psychology, career calling, self-expression, the courage to create, and what it means to be authentic during an age of rapid AI development
Cho Minju
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Minju is a research assistant who double-majored in Psychology and Philosophy as an undergraduate. Her research interests focus on authenticity, meaning in life, well-being, and existential psychology. She is particularly interested in how different forms of life meaning shape individuals’ self-identity and influence the ways they interact with society. Her work aims to examine how meaning-based self-concepts guide values, social behavior, and psychological well-being.
Lee Yuna
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Yuna is an undergraduate student who is deeply interested in how individuals' interactions with their environment differ based on their self-perception. She believes that the sense of hope, free will, and self-authenticity can vary according to one's innate disposition and cultural context. Maladaptation is also one of her significant academic interests, and she wants to explore its cause and solution in relation to one's self-construal and existential meaning.
Alumni
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Jisang Yune (M.A. graduate, 2025) - Currently doctoral student at The Pennsylvania State University
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Kyungmin Nam (M.A. graduate, 2025)
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Hyunjin Kim (M.A. graduate, 2024)