Minah Lee has been appointed managing director of TBWA\Media Arts Lab (MAL) in Seoul, and Youji Noh has been promoted to executive creative director at the South Korea office.
Lee will report to Katrien De Bauw, global CEO, and partner with Noh to lead the agency and client relationship.
“Minah brings a wealth of experience in the tech world, having worked both agency- and client-side for Korean and American global brands. She brings an entrepreneurial, start-up spirit that we believe will drive MAL Seoul into its next chapter,” said De Bauw.
Lee joins MAL from her previous role as head of account management at Amazon Korea and has honed her expertise in marketing strategy and management through roles at Cheil Worldwide, Samsung Mobile, Coupang, and Vestiaire Collective.
“It’s every marketer’s dream to work for an iconic brand like Apple,” said Lee. “I’m excited to lead the team in Korea to drive strategic initiatives that strengthen the brand while leveraging the momentum of global K-culture trends. I look forward to working with Katrien and Youji to elevate the Korea team and maximize our potential.”
Noh’s promotion to ECD marks a significant milestone for both the agency and her career. She has been instrumental in MAL Seoul’s creative evolution, leading celebrated work including AirPods’ Cases, Behind the Mac, the Shot on iPhone film directed by Park Chan-wook, and the Made on iPad music video for Jay Park, animated by webtoon artist Namon. She will continue to report to Brent Anderson, global chief creative officer, while overseeing the creative and production departments.
“Youji is a tastemaker, pure and simple. She has repeatedly helmed work that resonates deeply with Korea and that organically creates impact, all while maintaining Apple’s distinctive voice and hallmark simplicity,” said Anderson. “Youji’s understanding of the intersection of media, art and audience makes her the ideal creative lead for this important market.”
“I’m thrilled to be working with Minah to lead and grow MAL Seoul,” said Noh. “Korea is having a moment in culture across various disciplines, especially with youth at the core. To continue creating iconic, culture-shaping work for Apple is a dream job for me and the team.”
