I was born in Seoul, Republic of Korea. I spent my early childhood in Worthing, UK, but returned to Seoul in 2000. For secondary education, I went to a boarding school in the remote mountains of Gangwon-do. In 2011, I came back to the UK for university. I studied Philosophy Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford. Afterwards, I progressed to do an M.Phil. and D.Phil. in Politics, also at the University of Oxford.

A year into my doctoral studies, I put my research on hold to fulfil my mandatory military service in Korea. For three years, I served as an Army lieutenant and lecturer at Korea Military Academy. Two of these years overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic. Working as an agent of the state during these turbulent times – and particularly as a member of the Armed Forces – opened my eyes to both the constructive and destructive potentials of a functioning state. Thus, my service in the Army pivoted my research towards a new direction, focusing on the intersections between state capacity and political violence.