Choi Soo-yeon

Choi Soo-yeon became CEO of NAVER Corporation in March 2023, succeeding co-CEO Han Seong-sook. Her appointment was historic — she became the first female CEO of a major Korean tech company, breaking a glass ceiling in one of the world's most male-dominated tech industries. A NAVER veteran of over 15 years, Choi previously led the company's technology platform division and oversaw the Japanese LINE messenger operations. Choi took the helm at a critical juncture. NAVER dominates Korean internet search with over 60% market share and operates a massive e-commerce platform (Naver Shopping), but faced threats from global AI companies (OpenAI, Google) and domestic rival Kakao. Her response was to position NAVER as Korea's AI champion: launching HyperCLOVA X, a Korean-optimized large language model, and integrating AI across NAVER's search, shopping, and content platforms. She also pushed aggressive expansion of NAVER Cloud, the company's enterprise cloud computing business. NAVER's most globally successful asset under Choi's oversight is Webtoon Entertainment, which she guided toward a U.S. IPO in 2024. Webtoon (the digital comics platform) has over 170 million monthly active users globally and is the source material for hit Netflix shows, establishing a content IP pipeline that could rival Japan's manga industry. The Webtoon IPO and subsequent performance are critical tests of NAVER's ability to extract global value from Korean content. Choi's key decisions include the HyperCLOVA X development pace and partnership strategy (including the contentious relationship with Saudi Arabia's investment fund), Webtoon's monetization and global expansion, NAVER Cloud's enterprise AI services, and navigating the complex regulatory environment in Korea. Her leadership style — more methodical and consensus-driven than founder Lee Hae-jin's entrepreneurial approach — will determine whether NAVER can successfully transition from a domestic internet giant to a global AI and content company.