Introduction and Self-Introduction
This video is an interview where Seunghun Choi candidly shares his career journey, experiences at world-class companies, and the insights he gained along the way. Seunghun graduated from Minsago (Korean International School), studied electrical engineering at Caltech, started his career as a semiconductor design verification engineer at Apple, and most recently has been working on AI chip design at NVIDIA.
"Hello, I'm Seunghun Choi, currently working on the semiconductor design team at NVIDIA. Nice to meet you."
Lessons from Minsago
Reflecting on his time at Minsago, Seunghun emphasizes that the biggest things he learned were mental toughness and self-reliance. The school's strict lifestyle management and autonomous course creation culture had a huge impact.
- Every morning at 6 AM, all students had to practice kendo (or taekwondo), and room cleaning and other daily routines were strictly managed.
- If students wanted a class that didn't exist, they could submit a proposal to create a new one.
"Minsago is famous for academics, of course, but it also placed a huge emphasis on physical endurance, mental toughness, and self-reliance."
Motivation for Studying Abroad and the Caltech Experience
He honestly shares that his parents' influence played a big role in his decision to study abroad. The most impressive class at Caltech was the "Einstein Paper Project", a unique experience of digitizing Einstein's unpublished notes while studying his life.
"There were many notes Einstein left behind before he passed away, and the class was about digitizing them while also studying his life. It was truly meaningful."
He highlights two characteristics of Caltech:
- Small school: About 200 students per class, with close communication between professors and students.
- Pure science focus: Though it's an engineering school, it focuses more on pure sciences like physics; physics courses are required regardless of major.
"You could take classes at almost a tutoring level from Nobel laureates and people from NASA."
The biggest lesson from Caltech was the ability to persistently work through difficult problems and humility.
"When I was in Korea, I thought I was pretty good, but at Caltech, there were so many people smarter than me. I realized I couldn't do everything alone."
Adjusting to America and Self-Understanding
He speaks honestly about the intimidation he felt when first arriving in America and the process of accepting the reality that "you can't be number one in every field."
"Sure, I might fall short in one area, but I found there are other areas where I can excel. Thinking about that helped me understand myself better."
Experience at Apple
The Hiring Process
Getting hired at Apple started with a chance opportunity and proactive effort.
- While doing an internship, a housemate's advice led him to apply to Apple.
- He directly contacted a recruiter on LinkedIn and received a response the very next day, earning an interview opportunity.
"Even though applying to a new company is tough, I thought I'd give it a shot and applied to Apple. I got a reply the very next day."
What He Learned at Apple
- Learned industry-best workflows and know-how from a world-class semiconductor design team.
- Experienced firsthand systematic and digitized organizational operations.
"Every single small thing had a process and was systematized. That's when I realized how world-class companies really operate."
Apple's Culture
- Security is strict, but cross-team collaboration and exchange is active.
- Information access is strictly managed on a project-by-project basis.
"It's not that there's little collaboration. In fact, collaboration is extremely important. It's just that there's one more authorization step because of security."
Why Apple Became the World's Greatest Company
"People genuinely love Apple products. Because of that, everyone works even harder. They take ownership and refuse to miss any detail."
Experience at NVIDIA
Work and Lessons Learned
At NVIDIA, he works on AI chip design and is impressed by the fast-moving, flexible organizational culture despite it being a large company.
"I learned that even a company this big can move really fast and stay flexible when the situation changes."
Why NVIDIA Became the World's Greatest Company
- Fast execution on feedback and change
- Continuous investment in research and innovation
"Even on massive projects, if something needs to be fixed, they don't hesitate to start making changes right away. They also invest heavily in research."
Career and Growth Advice
Memorable Career Advice
"The advice that was really important to me was: don't just sit around expecting the company to give you everything. Ask questions proactively and speak up about what you need."
- Express your thoughts proactively and ask for what you need.
- View colleagues not as competitors but as partners growing together.
"I wish people would see their colleagues not as competitors but as people they grow with."
The Drive for Growth Even at Top Companies
"I work at one of the world's best companies, but that doesn't mean I'm the world's best. There's always more to learn, and I always feel like there's an infinite amount ahead of me."
Daily Life and Work-Life Balance
- Commute in the morning, exercise like swimming or gym after work.
- Focus on career growth on weekdays, take a broader view of life on weekends.
"I'm still in my early career, so I think this is the time to learn and grow fast. On weekdays I focus on work and study, and on weekends I take a step back and look at life from a distance."
Semiconductor Design Engineers and Traits of High Performers
How to Become a Good Semiconductor Design Engineer
- Deep understanding of computer architecture
- Hardware/software programming skills (e.g., Verilog, VHDL)
- Consistent interest in the latest chip trends
"Semiconductor design is hardware, but most of the actual work is software programming. You need to study programming diligently."
Traits of High Performers
- Communication skills: Quickly sharing updates with the right people
- Deep understanding: Digging into the fundamentals of any given task
"When assigned to add a feature, the people who deeply understand the why and the principles behind it end up performing better."
Silicon Valley and American Culture
- Silicon Valley attracts talent because of its many companies and opportunities.
- America has social infrastructure that allows second chances after failure, and a culture that values ability over age or rank.
"In America, the systems and infrastructure for bouncing back after failure are well-established. And if you're skilled, you can get promoted to senior positions regardless of age."
Life, Regrets, and the Importance of Luck
Advice He'd Give His Younger Self
- Don't quit piano: Diverse talents enrich your life.
- Break free from stereotypes and enjoy the world broadly.
"I wish I'd broken free from the rigid mindset that studying is the only answer and lived life enjoying the world more broadly."
Biggest Regret
- Neglecting health: The experience of damaging his health through overwork in high school.
"Working hard is important, but I wish I'd taken better care of my health, slept well, and eaten well."
The Importance of Luck
"I think people need both effort and luck. What we can do is try as many times as possible to increase the odds of hitting the jackpot. You need to throw as many darts as you can."
Happiness, the Future, and Flexibility
Thoughts on Happiness
"I couldn't define what happiness is. So I can only say that I'm enjoying the process of living."
Where He Sees Himself in 10 Years
- Engineering leader, speaker, or even restaurant owner -- various possibilities
- Quoting Bruce Lee's "Be water", he keeps his future flexible and open.
"Don't fix yourself in one form. Adapt and change according to the situation. I keep my future open too."
Keeping Up with Rapidly Changing Technology
- Online: Consistently following industry news on LinkedIn and similar platforms.
- Offline: Meeting diverse people in Silicon Valley for direct information exchange.
Love of Science and Engineering
"The process of thinking itself is enjoyable. The process of trying to explain and understand natural phenomena through equations is really fascinating and fun."
Closing Remarks
Seunghun wraps up the interview with a warm message, hoping his story can be even a small help to someone's concerns or thoughts.
"If the story I shared today can help even a little with the concerns or thoughts of anyone listening, I'd be really happy."
Key Terms
- Mental toughness, self-reliance, open culture
- Proactive effort and communication
- Apple/NVIDIA organizational culture and innovation
- Humility, deep understanding, collaboration
- Balance of luck and effort
- Flexibility, growth, work-life balance
- Pure joy of science and engineering
This video is both an honest growth story of an engineer working at the world's top companies and a story filled with warm advice about career and life. The message that everyone should do their best where they are, challenge themselves with an open mind, and sometimes trust in luck leaves a strong impression.