▲Poster for the Spring Conference of the Korean Society for Affect Studies (Landscape)

A research team led by Professor Ju Da Young (Department of AI Design) at Kookmin University achieved its best-ever results at the “2026 Spring Conference of the Korean Society for Emotion and Sensory Science (KOSES),” winning a total of 20 awards, including five Best Paper Awards.

The conference was held over two days, from June 19 to 20, at the Annex of the College of Art and Design at Kookmin University. Hosted by the Korean Society for Emotion Science (KOSES) and organized by the Kookmin University Institute of Techno-Design, the event centered on the theme “Emotion & Agentic AI.” It served as a forum to explore the coexistence of human-centered emotions and AI capable of independent judgment and action amid the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and digital transformation. Professor Ju Da-young served as the chair of the organizing committee, and Professor Kwon Ju-young served as the vice chair, leading the planning and overall operation of the conference.

Two keynote speeches were also featured at the conference. Professor Ko Seong-chan from the Department of Design (Industrial Design Major) at Seoul National University of Science and Technology delivered a keynote titled “Emotional Directing in the Age of AI,” while Park Ki-young, Head of Meta Creative Shop Northeast Asia, presented on “Emotional Design in the Age of Agentic Commerce: Micro-Attention and Compound Branding,” adding depth to the event.

▲Keynote Speakers (from left: Professor Ko Seong-chan, Director Park Ki-young)

At this academic conference, the research team led by Professors Ju Da Young and Kwon Ju Yeong won a total of 20 awards across both the oral and poster presentation categories, including 5 Best Paper Awards, 3 Excellence Awards, and 12 Encouragement Awards. Notably, in the Young Researchers session, undergraduate students Han Seo-young and Kang Hye-jeong from the Department of AI Design both received Best Paper Awards, demonstrating that they are developing research capabilities even at the undergraduate level. Graduate students also won awards across a wide range of fields—including autonomous driving, healthcare, fintech, robotics, and messaging environments—thereby broadening the scope of interdisciplinary research.

These awards demonstrate that the research direction of the AI Design Lab—which has been exploring human-centered technology at the intersection of emotion and AI—is widely recognized within the academic community, and the lab plans to continue its research on human-centered technology convergence at this intersection.

List of AI Design Lab Awardees at the 2026 Spring Conference of the Korean Society for Emotion and Intelligence

[Best Paper Award (Oral Presentation Category)]

· Joo Wan-bin (AI Design Lab) — Effects of Vehicle HMI Using “Subtractive Warning” on Blocking Interior Ambient Noise and Inducing Driver Alertness

· Jeon Dan-bi (AI Design Lab) — Analysis of Factors Influencing User Perception of Agent-Based AI Services in Autonomous Vehicle Environments

· Kim So-yeon (AI Design Lab) — Visualization of Korean Society Using Generative AI and Active Coordination by Creators

· Han Seo-young (Department of AI Design) — Proposal for Interaction Design Based on an Analysis of AI Agent Interaction Failure Types

· Kang Hye-jeong (Department of AI Design) — Proposal of Design Elements for Emotion-Based Interaction of AI Speaker-Based Voice Agents

[Excellence Award, Oral Presentation Category]

· Wang Ro-ham, Yoo Il-beom (AI Design Lab) — Analysis of the Impact of Temu’s Low-Price and Free Shipping Strategy on the South Korean Cross-Border E-commerce Market

· Seong Ju-hyun (AI Design Lab) — The Impact of Job Role Redefinition in an Agent-Based AI Environment on the Designer-Developer Collaboration Structure

[Outstanding Award, Poster Presentation Category]

· Oh Seo-gi (AI Design Lab) — The Impact of Explanatory Interfaces on Users’ Inference Structures Regarding System Decisions in AEB (Automated Emergency Braking) Scenarios

[Encouragement Award, Oral Presentation Category]

· Park Hyo-bin (AI Design Lab) — Design and Evaluation of an Autonomous Navigation Support System for Over-the-Counter (OTC) Products in Large Pharmacies

· Choi Hee-sun (AI Design Lab) — Proposal of a Conceptual Framework for AI Agent-Based Process Operation Decision-Making Structures During the Smart Factory Transition of Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturing Companies

· Yoon Kyu-mi (AI Design Lab) — Comparison of User Experiences in Automotive Infotainment UIs by Content Type: Focusing on Usability, Immersion, and Satisfaction

· Lee So-yeon (AI Design Lab) — The Impact of Pop-up Ad Dismissal Methods on Perceived Intrusiveness: Focusing on Input Autonomy

· Kim Chang-soo (AI Design Lab) — The Impact of Message Length Asymmetry in Conversations with Social AI on Users’ Sense of Social Connection

· Joo Hong-hwi (AI Design Lab) — A Study on the Impact of the Timing of “Confirmshaming” Exposure on User Trust and Intention to Continue Using the Service

· Baek Ji-yu (AI Design Lab) — Interaction Design Strategies to Mitigate Perceptions of Commercial Bias in Fintech AI Recommendation Services

· Lim Mi-rae (AI Design Lab) — The Impact of AI Intervention Methods on Perceived Empathy and Expectations of Conflict Resolution in Messenger Conflicts Within Intimate Relationships

· Jang Dal (AI Design Lab) — Analysis of Design Considerations for User Acceptance of Proactive AI Agent Interventions in Messenger Environments

· Shin Ji-ho (AI Design Lab) — Derivation of Dialogue Design Elements Based on Literature Review to Ensure Safety and Standardization of Agent-Based AI Healthcare Coaching Systems

· Shin Yu-rim (AI Design Lab) — The Impact of Agent-Based AI Autonomy Levels on Strategy Adoption in High-Risk Asset Decision-Making Contexts: Focusing on Real Estate Auctions

[Encouragement Award, Poster Presentation Category]

· Kim Jeong-eun (AI Design Lab) — The Impact of Deviations from Design Intent on the Perception of a Robot Vacuum Cleaner’s Persona

List of Awardees from the Department of AI Design at the 2026 Spring Conference of the Korean Society for Affect and Emotion

Best Paper Award (Oral Presentation Category)

· Han Seo-young, Kwon Ju Yeong, Ju Da Young — Proposal for Interaction Design Based on an Analysis of AI Agent Interaction Failure Types

· Kang Hye-jeong, Kwon Ju Yeong, Ju Da Young — Proposal of Design Elements for Emotion-Based Interaction of AI Speaker-Based Voice Agents