Sydney to Seoul: An Aussie lass has a wild ride in K-Cyber, soju, and survival

Picture this: I'm just wrapping up two years working for Coupang — yes, that Coupang. Never heard of them? Don't worry, most people outside Korea haven't. But here's the kicker: they're Korea's 2nd largest company. A Fortune 120 e-commerce behemoth (US-listed, no less) often dubbed the "Amazon of South Korea." Think Rocket delivery that makes Prime look slow, plus eats, streaming, finance, and travel all rolled into one. We're talking 14 million unique customers logging in every single day.

And where was I stationed? Seoul, South Korea — not exactly your typical expat posting, especially for a single Aussie cyber executive navigating a tech-obsessed megacity.

The Cyber Playground: Not Your Average Office View

So, what makes working in cyber security in South Korea... different? Let me paint you a picture:

• North Korea: a literal adversarial nation-state sitting 40 km from your head office. No big deal, right?
• China: just across the ditch, with all the geopolitical cyber intrigue that entails.
• Innovation Obsession: a society so fixated on technology and innovation that "cutting-edge" is the baseline, not the goal. The threat landscape here isn't theoretical — it's visceral, immediate, and frankly, a bit terrifying. Add to that:
• Strict Korean government cyber and privacy legislation that doesn't mess around
• Very limited Korean language skills on my part (let's just say Google Translate became my best friend)

How hard could the job be? Spoiler: very. 

The Takeaway: Lessons, Growth & Stories Worth Sharing

I gained tremendous experience and a mountain of hard-won lessons. From navigating regulatory minefields to threat hunting with geopolitical stakes, it was equal parts exhilarating and exhausting.

Want to hear more? Come join me as I unpack:

• What it's really like defending a Fortune 120 company in one of the world's most unique cyber environments
• The cultural, technical, and linguistic curveballs that come with the territory
• And yes, the stories that sound too wild to be true (but absolutely are)

Let's dive into the journey.