Real estate group JLL has appointed Jason EungSeok Lee as its executive director for hotels and living capital markets for Korea. Based in Seoul, this strategic hire, the firm notes, marks an important milestone for JLL Korea, expanding its capabilities to now include the living sector, alongside its established hotels practice.
In his new role, Lee will lead JLL’s hotels and living business in Korea, overseeing both capital markets and advisory services for the two sectors. He brings significant industry expertise and an extensive network of relationships that will build upon the strong foundations established by the Korea team in recent years.
Lee is a highly accomplished real estate and hospitality leader with approximately 30 years of experience spanning major conglomerates and global consulting firms. His career includes over 20 years at Deloitte and EY, where he served as partner and industry leader for EY’s real estate advisory team. Most recently, Lee took time to focus on personal and creative pursuits before joining JLL.
Throughout his career, Lee has demonstrated expertise across multiple dimensions of the real estate and hospitality sectors. His experience includes driving strategic initiatives and new business development during his tenure at Shinsegae Group’s Joseon Hotel, and delivering comprehensive financial advisory and strategic development services for landmark hospitality and urban real estate projects as a senior partner at leading global consulting firms.
He has built an extensive global network and established a proven track record in high-value real estate transactions, with a particular specialization in the tourism, leisure and luxury hotel sectors.
South Korea’s hotel transaction market, according to JLL, maintained strong momentum into 2026. In the first half of 2026 alone, transaction volume reached approximately US$750 million ( 1.1 trillion Korean won ). Concurrently, Seoul’s luxury and upper-upscale segments have continued their upward trajectory, driven primarily by higher average daily rates, which have surged by 14.4% year on year, while mid-scale segments routinely surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
“Interest in Korea’s broader hospitality and living space is a consistent theme in our interactions in 2026,” says Xander Nijnens, JLL’s head of advisory and asset management for its hotels and hospitality group in Asia-Pacific. “Lee’s appointment represents a significant step forward for our hotels and living platform in Korea. His deep industry knowledge, strategic vision and established relationships position us exceptionally well to serve our clients across both the hospitality and living sectors.”
