Hyein Yoon from Korea shares how brands can approach Korea and Japan with stronger local insight and cultural context.

In this episode of Insights from Elsewhere, Cynthia Portugal speaks with Hyein Yoon, founder of HY Marketing in Seoul.

Hyein works across Korean, Japanese and English speaking markets, helping global brands understand how to enter Korea and Japan with more relevant positioning, research and communication.

The conversation explores why Korea and Japan are often grouped together, but behave very differently in practice.

Hyein discusses Korean speed, trend sensitivity and value expectations, compared with Japan’s emphasis on trust, loyalty and service. She also explains how platforms such as Naver, KakaoTalk, LINE and X shape local research, social listening and brand strategy.

The episode also covers AI, local search behaviour, single person households and the importance of observing markets in person.

We also talk about Nunchi (눈치), pronounced noon-chee, the Korean "mind reading"superpower that literally translates to "eye-measure". It refers to the subtle art of listening, "reading the room," and gauging others' moods, emotions, and unspoken social cues to build harmony and adapt your behavior.

Episode Highlights:

• Why Korea and Japan require different research approaches despite being geographically close
• How Korean consumers respond to speed, trends, value for money and fast changing cultural signals
• Why Japanese market entry depends heavily on trust, loyalty, hospitality and long term relationship building
• The role of Naver, KakaoTalk, LINE, Yahoo Japan, Google and X in local insight gathering
• Why AI tools can help with market exploration, but should not replace local validation
• How Hyein uses observation, local meetups, search data and social listening to understand consumer behaviour

About the Guest

Hyein Yoon is the founder of HY Marketing, a boutique consultancy and market agency based in Seoul. She specialises in Korea and Japan market entry for global brands, working across Korean, Japanese and English speaking markets.

Her work focuses on local positioning, consumer behaviour, keyword strategy, content marketing and helping international companies understand the cultural context behind market decisions.

Glaut is the only AI-native software designed specifically for Market Research Agencies. They pioneered “AIMI” (AI-moderated interviews), a new research method. With Glaut, you can design the study, collect data, and analyze everything using the Analysis Suite.

The Insights from Elsewhere podcast is supported by:
Glaut is the only AI-native software designed specifically for Market Research Agencies. We pioneered “AIMI” (AI-moderated interviews), a new research method. With Glaut, you can design the study, collect data, and analyze everything using the Analysis Suite.

Find out more about Glaut.

Rafael Cespedes from Chile discusses research culture, AI, data quality and the future of insights in Latin America.

In this episode of Insights from Elsewhere, Cynthia Portugal speaks with Rafael Cespedes, CEO for Provokers in Santiago, Chile.

They talk about the realities of market research across Latin America. and Rafa reflects on how culture, contradictions and local context shape consumer behavior and research practices in the region.

The conversation explores common misunderstandings from global headquarters, the challenges of data quality and panel fraud, and the growing pressure on insights teams to deliver more with fewer resources.

Rafael also shares his perspective on AI, the changing relationship between agencies and clients, the future of research talent, and why understanding the right business question matters more than ever.

Episode Highlights:

• Why Latin America cannot be treated as a single market and how cultural nuances affect research interpretation
• Common mistakes global teams make when applying global frameworks to local markets
• How AI is changing the role of researchers, agencies and client side insights teams
• The growing importance of integrating research, business context and operational data
• Challenges around fraud, professional respondents and maintaining data quality in online research
• Why ethnography and conversational research remain essential for understanding real human behavior

About the Guest

Rafael Cespedes is a psychologist and market research leader with more than 30 years of experience in the insights industry across Latin America.

He is the CEO of Provokers in Chile and an active representative within ESOMAR. He is known for his work connecting cultural understanding, qualitative research and innovation in insights, with a strong focus on how local context shapes consumer behavior and business decisions.

Glaut is the only AI-native software designed specifically for Market Research Agencies. They pioneered “AIMI” (AI-moderated interviews), a new research method. With Glaut, you can design the study, collect data, and analyze everything using the Analysis Suite.

The Insights from Elsewhere podcast is supported by:
Glaut is the only AI-native software designed specifically for Market Research Agencies. We pioneered “AIMI” (AI-moderated interviews), a new research method. With Glaut, you can design the study, collect data, and analyze everything using the Analysis Suite.

Find out more about Glaut.

This episode features Jessica Dua, Senior Qualitative Manager at Cultural Traits in New Delhi, India.

She shares her journey into market research and her experience leadingInsights for Impact Award – Qualitative Research 2025 award winning project focused on children in underserved communities in New Delhi.

The conversation explores how qualitative methods such as co-creation and ethnography can uncover real behavioral insights, even in complex environments. Jessica also shares the realities of conducting research across India, including regional diversity, digital access gaps, and cultural nuance.

The episode highlights how researchers adapt methodologies, balance technology with traditional approaches, and ensure meaningful outcomes for both participants and clients.

Episode Highlights:

• Designing a co-creation study with children to develop practical solutions for learning environments
• Managing research challenges in low literacy and low trust contexts
• Adapting methodologies to digital constraints such as device access and connectivity
• Understanding India as a set of diverse markets with linguistic, cultural, and climate differences
• Evaluating the role of AI in research, including its strengths in efficiency and limits in cultural interpretation
• Balancing technology adoption with traditional qualitative methods across urban and rural contexts

About the Guest

Jessica Dua is a Senior Qualitative Manager at Cultural Traits based in New Delhi, India. She specializes in qualitative research methods including in-depth interviews, ethnography, and online communities. Her work focuses on understanding human behavior and cultural context in the Indian market. She was recognized with the Insights for Impact Award 2026 for a project using research to support social outcomes through co-creation with children.

*The Insights for Impact Award is a initiative sponsored by Insight Platforms and Recollective where winner pitches receive resources to conduct an online qualitative research project for a charity, good cause or non-profit organisation.

**More details about the project execution are available in the on-demand webinar From Insight to Impact: Co-Creation with Young Minds from New Delhi.

Glaut is the only AI-native software designed specifically for Market Research Agencies. They pioneered “AIMI” (AI-moderated interviews), a new research method. With Glaut, you can design the study, collect data, and analyze everything using the Analysis Suite.

The Insights from Elsewhere podcast is supported by:
Glaut is the only AI-native software designed specifically for Market Research Agencies. We pioneered “AIMI” (AI-moderated interviews), a new research method. With Glaut, you can design the study, collect data, and analyze everything using the Analysis Suite.

Find out more about Glaut.