Jiyoon: Hello, I’m Jiyoon Han, TPM and Data Team Lead in the Enterprise Product organization. I’ve been with Upstage for almost five years—by October 2025, it will be my 5th anniversary, and I’ve been here for 4 years and 8 months. Initially, I focused on building and designing data for AI model development and evaluation. Since April this year, I’ve also taken on TPM responsibilities.

Jiyoon: The core project I’m currently working on is the World Best LLM (WBL), a proprietary AI foundation model project. 
It’s a government-backed initiative to build a national-level AI model. Over two and a half years, five elite teams compete, with one 
team eliminated every six months until only two remain—a sort of “Superstar K” for AI. I oversee the data team and also serve as the 
project’s execution PM.

Jiyoon: Every project has its challenges and rewards. For me, being selected for the national AI foundation model project stands out. My personal contribution to winning the project was modest, but it was an incredible experience seeing the excellence of my 
colleagues. The announcement came on June 20, 2025, and we had to submit the proposal within a month—a highly intense 
schedule. Our team worked in a Warroom for a month, strategizing on the technology and ecosystem impact to include in the proposal. It was the culmination of all of Upstage’s technical and business capabilities. 
As a TPM, my goal now is to manage this project so we can be ultimately selected while ensuring the data team aligns perfectly with 
the model development timeline. The first phase runs from August to December, and developing a frontier model within this short time frame is a challenge in itself.

Jiyoon: In data and TPM roles, collaboration often happens more with other functions than within the same role. 
Everyone is professional at defining problems and finding the most efficient solutions. 
Working with such capable colleagues has taught me a lot about efficiency and creativity.

Jiyoon: I’ve become much more adaptable to change. Early on, our team’s catchphrase was “what was right then is wrong now.” 
In AI, trends shift in about three-month cycles, especially post-ChatGPT. Annual or long-term plans are largely meaningless. 
Instead of trying to predict change, I’ve learned to design change myself or ride the waves of change with agility. 
I used to be overwhelmed by fast-moving trends, but now I can embrace change confidently.

Jiyoon: I’m interested in using technology to improve people’s daily lives. AI will impact almost every aspect of life, and I hope people 
can genuinely feel that life has improved. AI should be applied to solve everyday inconveniences and enhance daily life. At Upstage, I 
believe we can experiment with how powerful our AI models can be and what they can achieve.

Jiyoon: Upstage emphasizes a One-Team approach. It’s about thinking beyond your own tasks and results, and considering your 
work in relation to colleagues, teams, and the company as a whole. Working this way helps you learn how to operate organically and 
align with overall workflows. Sometimes, it even feels like we’re sharing the same brain—no extra explanations are needed, and work 
proceeds quickly and efficiently.

Jiyoon: I joined during the start of COVID-19, when remote work was still unfamiliar in Korea. 
Although I had previous remote experience, Upstage conducted all interviews remotely, which was impressive. 
I remember spending a whole day in interviews with five Stars and realizing halfway through that the sun had set and the lights were 
off. I wondered if remote work could be productive, but now I’m confident that work can be focused and effective anywhere in the 
world. There’s trust that everyone will deliver results according to agreed schedules, and that trust has rarely been broken.

Jiyoon: I focus on problem-solving skills in interviews—how candidates identify and define problems, and their approach to solving
 them. I pay attention to how logically they explain their thought process. It helps to reflect on past projects: what challenges you
 faced, how you overcame them, and if you couldn’t, what you would do differently next time.

Jiyoon: Upstage’s culture strongly supports autonomy. The team sets goals, but how you achieve them is flexible. 
Most work is high-intensity, enabling rapid growth. Colleagues know how to create results, and you can learn to deliver your own 
results along the way. Often, you realize that success isn’t just about you—it’s about the team. I hope aspiring Stars experience this 
mindset for themselves.