We build great companies with you
About Us
Forest Partners is a leading, independent venture capital firm in South Korea focused on investing in Korean founder-led, early-stage to growth companies. The firm has three major businesses: Venture Capital, Growth/Private Equity, and Public Equity.
Our unique platform with full-stack capabilities allows us to outperform across cycles. It also enables cross-over collaboration between our Venture Capital, Growth/Private Equity, and Public Equity teams to make strategic investment decisions as our private companies crossover into the public market.
Our vision is to grow together with great companies so that we can become the go-to alternative investment firm in Asia.
Our Values
Based on trust-based partnerships, our team is committed to enabling growth and creative outcomes for all our partners. Our team is driven by the following values:
Passion for Excellence
Passion for excellence permeates every investment decision and the long-term supporting role we play for the founders we back in order to secure maximized, solid returns for our investors.
Independent Thinking
Our investment decisions are driven by independent thinking and we aim to make a lasting impact for companies at their pivotal moments of growth.
Professional Integrity
We hold ourselves to the highest standards of professional integrity in everything we do and are committed to transparency.
Our Team
Alex Seung Han
Founding Partner & CEO
Alex Seung Han built his career and extensive investment network through various roles across the IT and finance industry over the span of 15 years. Alex holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Michigan and received his J.D. from Washington University. Prior to founding Forest Partners, he worked at BRV Capital Management in both San Francisco and Seoul. As head of the value creation division, Alex participated in every portfolio companies’ business operations as a chief officer. His direct involvement in management and operations of companies has shaped the way he thinks about investing and equipped him with the operational skills needed to help portfolio companies scale up. He sees himself as an entrepreneur even in his current leadership role at Forest Partners. Alex genuinely enjoys having conversations with people and its his passion to discover the uniqueness of each individual he meets. He believes that it is through this process of truly getting to know someone that innovations are born. Alex aspires to empower and grow together with bold entrepreneurs in order to create a better future for the next generation.
Contact
ashan@forestgp.comClose
Alex Seung Han
Founding Partner & CEO
Sukkyun Kim
Growth/PE Partner
Sukkyun Kim is a partner in the Growth/Private Equity division at Forest Partners. His responsibilities include leading strategy for the Growth/Private Equity division, deal sourcing, and due diligence of potential investments. He has 30 years of experience working at Korea Development Bank (KDB) as an industry analyst and the head of M&A, Corporate Banking, and Corporate Restructuring. Kim gained extensive experience leading and actively participating in major M&A deals and acquisition financing while working at KDB. These experiences has led him to become more passionate about equity related businesses rather than mere debt financing. Sukkyun enjoys making deals and figuring out practical solutions for complicated situations. Before joining Forest Partners, he also served as the CEO of Seoul Air Bus. Currently, he is an independent director of Oricom (advertising company listed on the Korea Stock Exchange), as well as a member of Creditors’ Coordination Committee where he provides input on evaluating companies. Based on his overall track record, Sukkyun has developed deep insights to source deals and advise portfolio companies on growth strategies. Sukkyun received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Economics from Pusan National University and studied at the Business School at Seoul National University. As for hobbies, he enjoys taking long walks in the forest and finding new books to read. He also loves to talk with people over a bottle of wine.
Contact
skim@forestgp.comClose
Sukkyun Kim
Growth/PE Partner
Hoyon Hwang
General Partner & CSO
Hoyon Hwang is the CSO overseeing Forest Partners and also the VC Partner managing Forest Ventures. His responsibilities include developing the strategy for the firm and overseeing the entire portfolio, as well as leading the investment process from deal sourcing, company analysis, investment decision to portfolio management for the Venture Capital division.
Prior to joining Forest Partners, Hoyon was Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Tiger Pacific Capital, a long/short equity fundamental driven Asia focused hedge fund based in New York. He founded the fund in October 2012 backed by Julien Robertson and Tiger Management. As Managing Partner, he focused on investments in internet, media and auto sectors in North East Asia. Hoyon was an integral part of institutionalizing the firm and led external relationships with brokers and other counter parties. Previously Hoyon was Managing Director at Tiger Asia Management in New York. He helped the fund grow to over $10bn at peak, becoming the largest Asia dedicated hedge fund in history at the time. Prior to that, Hoyon worked at Bain & Company as a management consultant in both their Seoul and Chicago office. Hoyon holds a B.A. from Seoul National University and MBA degree from Stanford Graduate School of Business. In his spare time, Hoyon enjoys travelling and is an avid wine lover.Contact
hhwang@forestgp.comClose
Hoyon Hwang
VC Partner & CSO
Dong Yeol Yoo
VC Managing Director
Dong Yeol Yoo is a Managing Director in the Venture Capital division at Forest Partners. His responsibilities include investment prospect generation, due diligence of potential investments, investment structuring and execution. Previously he worked at BRV Capital Management where he led portfolio companies’ growth and exit strategies as a value creation team leader. Today he applies the operational skills he developed at BRV Capital Management to help current portfolio companies grow in value. Prior to BRV Capital Management, Dong Yeol worked in marketing at Johnson & Johnson, managing global brands such as Neutrogena and Johnson’s Baby.
Dong Yeol received his B.A. from Korea University. In his free time, he enjoys listening to house music and watching movies.Contact
dyoo@forestgp.comClose
DongYeol Yoo
VC Managing Director
Hyunjin Kim
Head of Private Equity Division
Hyunjin Kim is a Head of Private Equity Division at Forest Partners. His responsibilities include deal sourcing, due diligence of potential investments, and investment structuring and execution. Before joining Forest Partners, Hyunjin was a Director at Anchor Equity Partners where he was involved in numerous M&A deals and portfolio management. Prior to that he worked at NBT Inc., a mobile app service provider behind Cashslide, as the Head of Business Development & Global Operations. Previously Hyunjin did investment banking at Morgan Stanley for three years.
Hyunjin received his B.B.A. from Seoul National University. In his free time he enjoys various sports activities including baseball and golf.Contact
hjkim@forestgp.comClose
Hyunjin Kim
Head of Private Equity Division
Youngjong Chi, CFA, CAIA
VC Executive Director
Young Jong Chi is an Executive Director at Forest Partners, where he leads deal sourcing, investment analysis, and portfolio management, playing a key role in shaping the firm’s investment strategy. Before joining Forest Partners, he gained extensive experience in private equity and venture capital, including at iM Investment Partners. Prior to that, he was responsible for strategic planning and corporate support at Samsung Asset Management. He also deepened his expertise in the semiconductor industry through his work in R&D strategy at SK Hynix. With a strong commitment to an entrepreneurial & transformative mindset, he applies his cross-industry expertise to identify high-potential investment opportunities and drive long-term value creation in portfolio companies, with a particular focus on Deep Tech and innovation-driven sectors. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering and Industrial Management from Purdue University, a Master’s degree in Industrial & Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan, and an MBA from London Business School. Beyond his professional endeavors, he enjoys playing a variety of sports, including golf, and values meaningful interactions and intellectual exchanges with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Contact
ychi@forestgp.comClose
Youngjong Chi
VC Executive Director
Junsu Park
Growth/PE Director
Junsu Park is a Director in the Growth/Private Equity division at Forest Partners. His responsibilities include investment prospect generation, due diligence of potential investments, and investment structuring and execution. He also manages Forest Partners’ finance functions. Before joining Forest Partners, Junsu worked at Ernst & Young as part of its Strategy and Transactions team. Previously he also worked at AIP Asset Management.
Junsu received his B.B.A. from George Washington University and MBA degree from Columbia University. Outside of work, he is a big fan of Formula One racing.Contact
jpark@forestgp.comClose
Junsu Park
Growth/PE Director
Armelle Kim
VC Senior Associate
Armelle Kim is a Senior Associate in the Venture Capital division at Forest Partners. Her responsibilities include managing foreign investor relations and investment analysis. Prior to joining she held director position at Arctic Basecamp Foundation (NGO) raising awareness of risks and impact of climate change at global forums such as World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos. She worked at J O Hambro Capital Management Group in the London office as Sustainable Investments Analyst, conducting sustainability related research on requested public equity across diverse industries, as well as being solely charged with restructuring shareholder engagement guidance protocol for the firm. Previously, she worked at Mutual Art Group as Fine Art Advisor in Paris, analyzing art market data and trends, as well as advising on acquisition of investment value art up to USD 110m+ for private/institutional clients.
Armelle completed her BA in Art History via Advanced Standing track, graduating in three years instead of four. Armelle received her MBA from University of Cambridge with concentration in Finance. She is a certified vinyasa yoga teacher, and enjoys fencing, skiing and travelling in her free time.
Contact
akim@forestgp.comClose
Armelle Kim
VC Senior Associate
Youngchan Cho
Growth/PE Senior Associate
Young Chan Cho is a Senior Associate in the Growth/Private Equity division at Forest Partners. His responsibilities include investment prospect generation, due diligence of potential investments, and investment structuring and execution. Prior to joining Forest Partners, Young Chan co-founded a startup called Grida, a design-to-code toolkit that converts UI/UX design into developer-friendly code for web and mobile apps. Previously he worked at International Finance Corporation (IFC) as an investment analyst covering global infrastructure and natural resources. Before IFC, Young Chan worked at Barclays Capital as an investment banking analyst covering communications and media. Previously, he was also a summer analyst at Boston Consulting Group and Suprema Investment.
Young Chan received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania with a major in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). In his free time, he enjoys searching for value wines and playing golf and tennis.Contact
ycho@forestgp.comClose
YoungChan Cho
Growth/PE Senior Associate
Seok Hui Yoon
VC Associate
Seok Hui Yoon is an Associate in the VC division of Forest Partners. His role encompasses sourcing investment opportunities and conducting due diligence on potential investments. Prior to joining Forest Partners, he served as the Head of Corporate Growth & Strategy at Riiid, an AI-driven EdTech startup backed by SoftBank Vision Fund. In this role, he was responsible for leading various inorganic growth opportunities as well as spearheading strategic initiatives. Prior to Riiid, he worked at Morgan Stanley as an investment banking analyst assisting various M&As as well as equity/debt capital market transactions. Before Morgan Stanley, he was an intern in J.P. Morgan and IMM Private Equity. He holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Seoul National University. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf, basketball and watching musicals.
Contact
shyoon@forestgp.comClose
SEOK HUI Yoon
VC Associate
SangYoon Lee
Growth/PE Senior Analyst
Sang Yoon Lee is a Associate in the Growth/Private Equity division at Forest Partners. He supports research and due diligence of potential investments and live deals. Prior to joining Forest Partners, Sang Yoon was a strategy consultant at Kearney where he worked on M&A advisory primarily focused on Commercial Due Diligence and Post-Merger Integration. Prior to that, he interned at HSBC Bank USA and Oliver Wyman. Sang Yoon received his B.S. and M.S. in Accounting from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and soccer.
Contact
slee@forestgp.comClose
SangYoon Lee
Growth/PE Associate
SeungHyup Baik
Senior Analyst
SeungHyup Baik is a Senior Analyst in the VC division of Forest Partners. His role encompasses sourcing investment opportunities and conducting due diligence on potential investments. Prior to joining Forest Partners, SeungHyup was a strategy consultant at A.T.Kearney where he conducted various business assessment, enterprise-wide strategy development, and organizational restructuring projects across a variety of industries. Before A.T.Kearney, SeungHyup was an intern in Boston Consulting Group, Ernst & Young, and National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. SeungHyup received a B.A. in Politics and International Studies (PAIS) from the University of Warwick and an M.S. in Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management (IEM) from Imperial College London. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, dynamic driving, and watching musicals.
Contact
shbaik@forestgp.comClose
SeungHyup Baik
VC Senior Analyst
Sokjun Hong
Junior Analyst
Sokjun Hong is a Junior Analyst in the VC division of Forest Partners. He supports deal sourcing, market research, and portfolio management across early-stage investments. Prior to joining Forest Partners, Sokjun served as the president of his university’s Social Venture Club, where he led initiatives to support student-led startups and promote social entrepreneurship. After completing a six-month internship at Forest Ventures, he decided to begin his career as a venture capitalist at the firm. He holds a B.A. in English Literature and Agricultural Economics from Seoul National University. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling and is an avid snowboarder during the winter season.
Contact
sjhong@forestgp.comClose
Sokjun Hong
VC Junior Analyst
Mijeong Kim
General Manager
Mijung Kim joined Forest Partners in 2018 and is a General Manager responsible for administration and operations. Mijung oversees accounting and human resources. Previously Mijung worked at NICE Pricing & Information. She received her B.A. from Joongang University. Lately, she enjoys house decorating and hanging out with her daughter in her spare time.
Contact
mjkim@forestgp.comClose
Mijeong Kim
General Manager
WonHyeob Han
Senior Manager
Wonhyeob Han is a Senior Manager responsible for business planning and CEO Staff at Forest Partners.
Before joining Forest Partners, he founded the lifestyle company Doable and was a founding member of the design studio Area Plus, where he led the early growth of the company. Prior to that, he worked at SK Networks and Neowiz Mobile, handling business operations across various industries and roles. He received his B.A. from Hanyang University. In his leisure time, he enjoys traveling and appreciating coffee and wine.Contact
whhan@forestgp.comClose
WonHyeob Han
Senior Manager
Kyeong Seo Park
Manager
Kyeong Seo Park joined Forest Partners in 2022 and supports administration and operations. She is responsible for tasks including accounting and human resources. Kyeong Seo joined as a full-time employee after a three month internship at Forest Partners. Kyeong Seo holds a B.A. in Business Administratio from Seijoh University in Japan. In her spare time she enjoys baking and yoga.
Contact
kspark@forestgp.comClose
KyeongSeo Park
Manager
YonSun Ryoo
Manager
Yon Sun Ryoo is a Manager at Forest Ventures and supports fund operations and administration. Prior to joining Forest Ventures, she worked in the middle office for global investment banking at Shinhan Securities. Prior to that, she has experience in supporting the operation of overseas funds at the overseas fund operation team in Mirae Asset Management. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from City University London. Outside of work, she enjoys hobbies such as running, jump roping and classical dance.
Contact
ysryoo@forestgp.comClose
YonSun Ryoo
Manager
Our Advisory Partners
Ryan Youngmyung Lee
Advisory Partner
Ryan Youngmyung Lee is a Partner at Forest Asset Management. Previously he was a Managing Director at Tiger Asia Management where he looked at Asia long short equity. Prior to that, he worked at Goldman Sachs and Lone Star Funds. Ryan received his MBA from Columbia University.
Close
Ryan Youngmyung Lee
Forest Asset Management Partner
Hyungsoo Kim
Venture Advisory Partner
Hyungsoo Kim is a Partner in the Venture Capital division at Forest Partners. His responsibilities include leading strategy for the Venture Capital division, deal sourcing, due diligence of potential investments, investment structuring, and active management of portfolio companies in conjunction with existing startup teams. As a startup founder himself, Hyungsoo can relate to the challenges founders face. Hyungsoo founded Eone Timepieces, which created an innovative fashion timepiece, The Bradley, that everyone, including the blind, can touch to tell time. Besides its commercial success across North America, Europe and Asia, The Bradley won many renowned design awards, including iF Design Award and Red Dot Award, and also became a permanent collection at the British Museum in London in 2014.
Hyungsoo holds a B.A. and M.A. in Psychology from Wesleyan University and an MBA degree from MIT Sloan School of Management.Close
Hyungsoo Kim
Venture Advisory Partner
Seung-woo Luke Chung
Venture Advisory Partner
Seung-woo Luke Chung is a Venture Advisory Partner to Forest Partners. Currently he is the CEO of ADENA Software, a leading fintech solution company that provides advanced software systems for trading, payment, and financial services companies. Previously he worked at NHN Investment and NHN. He received his B.A. from Peking University.
Close
Seung-woo Luke Chung
Venture Advisory Partner