From 31 Years as a CEO to a Startup “Intern”

A 59-Year-Old First-Generation Entrepreneur Begins the Second Act of His Life

“On my very first day as an intern, I arrived at the office at 7 a.m. Everyone was whispering after searching my name online. Since it was difficult for them to assign tasks to someone old enough to be their father, I think I just started by cleaning the office and sorting recyclables on my own.”

Jang Young-seung, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of EPIKAR, who left his position as president of the Seoul Business Agency (SBA, now the Seoul Business Foundation) and reentered the workforce as a startup intern, recalled his first day on the job with these words.

Jang (59) is a first generation Korean venture entrepreneur who founded Nanum Technology in 1990. He later served as CEO of Doremi Records and Candle Media, and from 2018 led the SBA as its president. During his tenure, he oversaw numerous projects, including “Seoul Made,” a brand promoting the global expansion of Korean SMEs.

After stepping down from SBA in 2021, Jang spent several months traveling by bicycle before drawing public attention by rejoining the workforce as a startup intern.

From Intern to CSO at EPIKAR

In June of this year, Jang received an offer from EPIKAR, the startup where he had been working as an intern, and officially joined the company as CSO.

EPIKAR is a mobility startup that digitally automates key processes in automotive sales—including test drives and after-sales service thereby improving distribution efficiency and increasing sales conversion rates. Major companies using EPIKAR’s solutions include BMW Korea and seven authorized BMW dealer groups.

Between 2021 and 2023, Jang worked as an intern at three different startups. After leaving SBA, he received offers to become a university professor or corporate advisor but declined them. Rather than holding honorary advisory titles, he wanted to start from the ground up and integrate his experience and know-how naturally into organizations.

He explained:

“After stepping down from SBA, I posted on Facebook that I wanted to work as a startup intern like Robert De Niro in the movie The Intern. I received calls from many companies. I applied to startups where I felt I could genuinely support younger founders, went through two to three rounds of interviews, and was hired as an intern.”

Working Like a Real Intern

Jang’s workday began at 7 a.m. During his internship, he often stayed up all night preparing government funded project proposals. He confidently described himself as proficient in document tools such as Hangul Word Processor and PowerPoint.

“Even EPIKAR’s recent business trip to Vietnam came from a government overseas expansion program that I applied for and passed as an intern,” he said.
“When I posted photos of working overnight on Facebook, people were surprised but that was simply part of an intern’s job.”

At the startup, where most employees were young enough to be his children, Jang became the oldest team member and was affectionately called “Young-nim.” Although it took two to three months to grow close with colleagues, he later became a social favorite hosting all-night rooftop barbecue parties at the office.

Learning From the Younger Generation

Jang said he learned even more from younger colleagues.

“Unlike my generation, which founded companies before the word ‘startup’ even existed, today’s young entrepreneurs think globally from the start,” he said.
“In the past, management often followed an ‘if it fails, it fails’ mindset. Today’s founders work with clear goals and a strong sense of responsibility ‘this must succeed.’ That makes outcomes far more predictable.”

Joining Mobility Startup EPIKAR: “IPO Within Three Years”

At EPIKAR, Jang is now responsible for shaping the company’s future mobility strategy and global expansion roadmap. Recently, he has been discussing with local partners plans to deploy EPIKAR’s Dealer Management Solution (DMS) in Vietnam.

To strengthen its DMS business, EPIKAR is also relocating its headquarters from Magok-dong in western Seoul to Nonhyeon-dong in Gangnam. The first floor of the new building will serve as a test-drive vehicle pickup hub. The company also plans to operate cafés, brand showrooms, and even vegan restaurants where customers can spend time while waiting.

Jang said:

“We plan to expand EPIKAR’s software business model beyond its current B2B focus into B2C and B2BC models.
I aim to contribute to the company’s growth so that EPIKAR can achieve overseas expansion into the U.S. and Asia and reach its goal of going public within three years.”