[2026-1 New Faculty Interview] 

“Understanding the Capital Providers Behind the Market”

Professor Ji Yeol Jimmy Oh’s Research and Perspective on Financial Markets

In the first semester of 2026, Professor Ji Yeol Jimmy Oh joined Korea University Business School as a faculty member in Finance. Having experienced financial crises firsthand, he has shaped the direction of his research with a focus on “capital providers” who drive the market, exploring the structure of financial markets and investor behavior.

In today’s rapidly changing capital markets, he continues to confront unanswered questions and seeks to share these insights with his students. We spoke with Professor Oh, who hopes to cultivate students with a deep understanding through both research and teaching. 

Q. How does it feel to join Korea University Business School?

Hello everyone at Korea University Business School. I am Ji Yeol Jimmy Oh, a new faculty member in Finance this semester. It is a pleasure to meet you all. I am honored to be working alongside so many distinguished colleagues who are producing outstanding research across various fields. I am also deeply grateful for the support and consideration that allow me to focus on the two most essential pillars of being a professor—research and teaching—as I continue to settle in. 

Q. What goals would you like to achieve here in terms of research and teaching?

At many pivotal moments in my life, the shadow of financial crises has loomed large. I experienced the IMF crisis as an elementary school student, and just weeks after beginning my doctoral studies in the fall of 2008, I witnessed the global financial crisis unfold, with major institutions like Lehman Brothers and AIG collapsing almost overnight. These experiences led me to pursue a deeper understanding of financial markets.

I’ve been doing research for over a decade, but there are still many unanswered questions. Moving forward, I would like to further explore the role of capital providers—such as insurance companies, funds, and pension funds—and how the characteristics of these institutional investors influence the market. Ultimately, I hope this research will contribute to helping Korea’s capital markets function more effectively.

At the same time, I hope to share these insights with my students. It would be very rewarding if, after graduation, my students are recognized as individuals who have a deep understanding of financial markets and who think critically about what is happening within them.

Q. Your research focuses on institutional investors, funds, bond markets, and investor behavior within financial market structures. What recent trends or developments in financial markets have you found particularly interesting?

Over the past 20 years, one of the most significant changes in the U.S. capital markets has been the transformation of the retirement pension system alongside the explosive growth of mutual funds and ETFs. As of 2025, this market exceeds KRW 7 quadrillion at current exchange rates. The quantitative and qualitative expansion of capital supply has been evident across the entire corporate lifecycle, acting as a catalyst for innovation—from early-stage startups brainstorming ideas in garages to large-scale companies like NVIDIA and Tesla. 

Korea has also recently seen various efforts to drive similar changes in its capital markets. The KOSPI has more than doubled compared to early last year, and as a result, it often feels like nearly half the people on the subway during the morning commute have their brokerage apps open. However, for this kind of rally to translate into sustainable, high-quality growth rather than a temporary surge, many challenges still remain. Addressing these challenges will require collective reflection and effort from all of us. 

Q. What is your teaching style, and what do you hope students will gain from your courses? 

Before I answer, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the students who have attended my 9 a.m. classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays over the past few weeks. Their enthusiasm and focus so early in the morning make me reflect on whether I was ever that focused as an undergraduate. 

My classes emphasize interaction. In an era where AI tools like Gemini and Claude can handle many tasks, the ability to clearly articulate one’s thoughts through direct human communication has become more important than ever. I hope that by actively engaging—asking questions, making brief comments, and participating in discussions—students can develop these skills. My goal is to run my classes as closely as possible to a Western-style, discussion-based format. 

Q. Many business students aspire to careers in finance or investment. What skills or study methods would you recommend they develop during their undergraduate years? 

As I briefly mentioned earlier, the explosive growth of generative AI may be raising many concerns, and I can certainly relate to that, as I actively use AI in my research, teaching, and other activities. Of course, traditional core certifications, such as the CFA, should still be an important part of your preparation. However, beyond these, you need to be able to clearly articulate the depth of your thinking in interviews. You need to bring something that AI cannot yet replace. Communication skills are part of this, and it is especially important to stay up to date on financial issues through reliable sources. 

In that regard, consistently reading reputable English-language financial newspapers can be very helpful. I often get research ideas from articles in the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal. You might ask yourself this question: if you were to have a coffee chat with someone working in finance, could you sustain a conversation about current market issues for more than 20 minutes? If your answer is “yes,” then you can feel confident going into interviews. 

Q. Lastly, a personal question—what are your hobbies or recent interests outside of research and teaching? 

About two years ago, a personal turning point led me to become more focused on my health. I try to stay active with various forms of aerobic exercise—running, cycling along the Han River when the weather is nice, and hiking whenever I have time. I’ve climbed close to 40 of the peaks in the Black Yak “100 Famous Mountains” challenge. 

In fact, until high school, I had been preparing to pursue a degree in music, specializing in clarinet performance. Even now, when pieces I practiced for entrance exams unexpectedly come up on my classical playlist during my commute, I instinctively skip to the next track—maybe a bit of lingering stress from those days. With the demands of raising children, I haven’t had the chance to practice for quite some time, but if the opportunity arises, I would love to start playing again.