About

Hello! My name is Soeun Yang. I am a Senior Researcher at the Media Research Center of the Korea Press Foundation. My research focuses on media literacy and youth media use, with increasing attention to AI environments—particularly AI literacy and AI natives. I examine how emerging technologies shape individuals and society, and I develop interventions that promote positive online experiences while mitigating potential harms.

Education & Professional Background

I earned my B.A. in Social Studies Education from Seoul National University. After graduation, I worked as a middle school teacher, where I developed a strong interest in adolescents’ digital media use.

I received my Ph.D. in Communication from Seoul National University in 2020. My dissertation on adolescents’ online communication and civic development was recognized with the Top Dissertation Award from the Children, Adolescents, and Media Division of the International Communication Association (ICA, 2021).

After completing my Ph.D., I joined the Center for Digital Humanities and Social Sciences at KAIST as a research professor, where I expanded my research scope through interdisciplinary projects. My work there included studies on identity in the metaverse, chatbot-based interventions, and computational approaches to media effects in digital environments.

Research Approach

I am a communication researcher with strong training in quantitative methods, particularly survey research. My work also focuses on the development and implementation of digital media literacy interventions, often leveraging emerging technologies to support more effective and scalable approaches.

Selected Works (Lead)

Trust Me (2021)
A digital game designed to enhance media literacy.

Article

Facts Please (2024)
A digital game designed to fact-checking education.

Article Media

Meta4AI (2025)
An LLM-based platform for assessing AI literacy.

Article Media

Collaborative Works

Kami
A chatbot that uses environmental anthropomorphism to promote pro-environmental behavior. Article

Doppelganger LLM
An identity-trained large language model. Article1 Article2

Letters to One’s Future Self
An AI-based identity system for reflective letter writing. Article Media

My research is interdisciplinary, drawing on media studies, education, and psychology to better understand how young people navigate digital environments. I was awarded a five-year research fellowship from the National Research Foundation of Korea to support a project examining digital natives’ media use from a developmental psychology perspective (later paused upon my appointment at the Korea Press Foundation). More broadly, I am interested in collaborative research that connects theoretical inquiry with practical intervention design.

I welcome opportunities to connect with others working in related areas.