Prior to joining TCU, he worked as an assistant professor at Texas State University and as a buyer and product developer for international retailers such as Kmart, Samsung, Tesco, and LG Home Shopping. Dr. Ryu earned his M.S. degree in merchandising at UNT (1996) and his doctoral degree from Oklahoma State University (2010). His research focuses on identifying impact of image on branding cities and nations, and the influence of retail technology and digital marketing on consumer behavior in the Omni-channel retail environment. His research has been funded by Cotton Incorporate Stockholm Program of Place Branding (STOPP), and university-sponsored grants.