Joowon Lee is a Research Fellow at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, with support from the Korea Foundation (KF), a public diplomacy organization affiliated with South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). Her research interests include cultural diplomacy and the role of Korean popular culture in fostering international exchange and mutual understanding.

Her current research explores how Korean cultural content and practices, particularly webtoons (web cartoons) and taekwondo (a traditional Korean martial art), bring people from different cultural backgrounds together and shape perceptions of Korea in Los Angeles. Drawing on fieldwork and interviews, she examines the roles of cultural institutions, local communities, and audiences in facilitating cultural exchange and public diplomacy.

She has participated in numerous public diplomacy programs organized by KF and MOFA, both as a participant and as a Program Management Assistant. Her responsibilities have included assisting with program planning, international participant communication and support, event coordination, and post-program reporting. These experiences have provided her with practical insights into the planning and implementation of public diplomacy initiatives.

She holds a master's degree in International Relations from the Graduate School of International and Area Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in South Korea.