Sejong News
Meet Professors Baek Seong-uk and Hwang Jin-soo, Selected as “Highly Cited Researchers” for Two Consecutive Years
오세혁
2026-05-18
“Beyond individual achievement, it is especially rewarding that this recognition demonstrates externally that our university possesses global research competitiveness.”
Professor Baek Seong-uk of the Department of Content Software and Professor Hwang Jin-soo of the Foodservice Management Program have been honored as recipients of the “2025 Highly Cited Researchers (HCR)” designation. Organized by Clarivate, a global information analytics company, the Highly Cited Researchers list recognizes scholars whose papers rank within the top 1% by citations in their respective fields each year. Notably, both professors were also selected in 2024, marking two consecutive years on the list and reaffirming their exceptional academic influence in their disciplines.
Following your selection as an HCR in both 2024 and 2025, how did you feel upon hearing the news?
“It was deeply meaningful to learn that I had been selected again in 2025 after 2024. HCR is not simply an indicator based on the number of papers published or short-term achievements; rather, it comprehensively evaluates how consistently and broadly one’s research over the past decade has been utilized across the global academic community. In that sense, this recognition carries great significance, as it affirms that both the direction and overall outcomes of my research have been internationally acknowledged. Beyond personal accomplishment, it was even more rewarding because it demonstrated externally that our university possesses global research competitiveness. I believe this achievement was made possible not only by individual effort, but also by the university’s supportive environment and institutional systems that enabled researchers to focus steadily on their work.”
Among the research achievements that led to this HCR recognition, which do you consider especially meaningful?
“Since my doctoral studies in the United States, I have continued my work primarily in computer vision. My early research focused on machine learning-based approaches, which later expanded into deep learning-based visual intelligence. More recently, rather than concentrating solely on algorithmic performance competition, I have focused on the quality and utilization of data that fundamentally determine AI performance. In particular, my studies on how to verify and refine large-scale real-world data, as well as how to systematically evaluate data bias and reliability, have resulted in highly cited publications. I believe this cumulative research trajectory contributed significantly to my HCR selection. It is also particularly meaningful because these studies have strong practical applications in areas such as CCTV-based computer vision for smart cities and multimodal AI.”
What research directions or goals do you plan to pursue moving forward?
“I intend to continue my research in computer vision and deep learning, with particular emphasis on deepening it from a Data-centric AI perspective. To build trustworthy AI for real-world social environments, I believe data quality, bias, and refinement processes are critically important. Accordingly, I plan to systematically analyze how real-world data influences AI performance and decision-making, while also strengthening international collaborative research to enhance the broader applicability of my findings.”
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“Simply introducing technology is not enough—the key lies in predicting and analyzing how consumers’ behavioral intentions are formed for these technologies to be successfully commercialized.”
How do you feel about being selected as an HCR for two consecutive years?
“It is a tremendous honor to be selected again in 2025 following 2024. In truth, I have never conducted research with awards or external recognition in mind. I see this recognition simply as a result of exploring phenomena that I found intellectually compelling. Since the social sciences field has relatively fewer HCR recipients, this selection feels even more meaningful.”
What areas of research do you primarily focus on?
“My research centers on applying emerging technologies such as drones, autonomous driving, facial recognition, and 3D printing to the foodservice industry. Beyond simply introducing these technologies, the core objective is to predict and analyze how consumer behavioral intentions are formed in order for such innovations to be commercialized successfully. For example, I have examined both the positive benefits and perceived risks consumers associate with food delivery services using autonomous vehicles, identifying factors that increase technology acceptance intentions. To strengthen the validity of this research, I am also conducting comparative studies involving potential consumers both domestically and internationally.”
What led you to focus on the convergence of new technology-based services and the foodservice industry?
“In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, technology-based services have become a critical determinant of industrial competitiveness. Attempting to understand consumers only after technology has entered the market is already too late; identifying the drivers of potential consumer acceptance before commercialization is the key to building successful services. Furthermore, these technologies are closely linked to sustainability through factors such as energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction, making them highly important from an environmentally responsible management perspective.”
As a researcher, what values do you consider most important, and what is your ultimate goal?
“I place the greatest importance on research that contributes meaningfully to the realities of the foodservice industry—research centered on practical implications. The value of research is greatly enhanced when theory and practice are not disconnected, but instead linked in ways that genuinely benefit industry and society. Moving forward, I plan to focus on the limitations of robots fully replacing humans, deeply analyzing human-technology interaction and exploring ways for technology-based services to be stably integrated into industrial settings.”
Do you have any advice for students?
“When it comes to acquiring new knowledge, stepping back even slightly can ultimately leave you far behind. Opportunities emerge through the process of trying, even when something feels unfamiliar or uncomfortable, and those experiences become invaluable long-term assets. Remember that the regret of never trying is far less valuable than the lessons gained from trying and failing. I hope students will always maintain a spirit of challenge.”