Hana brand strategist demonstrates dedication in era of waning employee loyalty

By Yi Whan-woo Shin Woo-jung, a brand strategist at Hana Financial Group, possibly represents fully committed employees who care about their company’s brand and teamwork in an era where company loyalty is waning. A team manager of the group’s Brand Strategy Department since 2023, she was a part of the recent collaborative effort in hiring G-Dragon, a long-celebrated K-pop star, as the new face of the country’s third-largest financial holding company. Shin Woo-jung, team manager of Hana Financial Group's Brand Strategy Department, poses in front of a green wall that represents the corporate color.

Courtesy of Hana Financial Group In a recent interview with The Korea Times, Shin humbly attributed the achievement to rank-and-file members and executives at the department by saying “I showed up for this interview on behalf of the entire department, not myself.” “With a carefully orchestrated division of labor, we worked toward the common goal of building a more innovative brand identity,” she added. Shin explained that a range of up-to-date marketing strategies were employed, before reaching a decision that G-Dragon “is an all-rounded celebrity who best represents Hana Financial Group’s vision of finance that connects everyone as one.



” Shin implicitly showed that she has been emotionally attached to the company for decades and therefore it is not coincidental for her to serve as the group’s mid-level manager. A media communications major in college, she worked briefly at the group’s flagship affiliate Hana Bank right after graduation in the 2000s. In those days, people were learning that even large businesses are no longer reliable for lifetime job security in the aftermath of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.

She left the company later to study in the United States for her master’s degree. With reference to her work experience at Hana Bank, she paid special attention to the brand marketing of global financial companies, including corporate colors. K-pop star G-Dragon as Hana Financial Group's new brand ambassador / Courtesy of Galaxy Corp.

“I was perhaps interested in those financial companies because their brands were clear, distinct and vivid, whereas brands of our Korean peers were indistinguishable from one another,” she said. Asked why she returned to Hana, Shin referred to the “open, horizontal corporate culture of Hana Bank.” “For instance, it was not rare back then for an entry-level employee like me to report to the CEO, and such a unique experience captivated me even while I was away.

” She said brand marketing is getting more important as more banking groups are increasingly relying on digital technology and closing down their retail operations. Hana Bank has fewer retail branches than competitors, which is all the more reason to enhance such marketing, according to Shin. She expressed hope to capitalize on the group’s sports sponsorship, which is managed by her team from this year.

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