Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
My name is Soyeon Yoo. I’m a Character Designer and Visual Development Artist. I grew up in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, and I moved to the U.S. to go to college. I have dreamed of being an artist working in the animation industry ever since I was a kid, and I am very grateful that my parents have always been supportive.
Back in 2010, Pixar held an exhibit of its artwork in Korea which blew my mind, and I decided to pursue my dream in the States. I studied character animation at the California Institute of the Arts. For the past few years after I graduated, I worked with various studios such as DreamWorks Animation Television, Six Point Harness, Wild Canary, Crunchyroll, Studio Mir, and others in various roles such as Character Designer, Prop Designer, Visual Development Artist, Storyboard Revisionist, and Storybook Artist. I am currently working as a Character Designer at Disney Television Animation on Hailey’s On It!
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Landing my first job in animation after graduation was full of pressure because I needed employment in order to transfer from a student visa to a work visa. Luckily, I was able to get a job almost right after I graduated. Searching for a job and dealing with visas at the same time for years as an international worker is still challenging. Also, a lack of confidence always makes me feel like I am not good enough, so I work extra hours to make up for it. I feel pressured to make my artwork presentable enough for public viewing, but I am trying to change that mindset and motivate myself to be productive.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
With social media platforms like Instagram, where anyone can post their work, I’d say it’s all the talented co-workers I’ve met during my career. I’ve learned a lot from working with my colleagues and friends. Because I have hopped onto lots of different projects, I get inspired by the shows that I’ve been on. While I was working as a Prop Designer at DreamWorks Television Animation, I learned a lot from Chris Mitchell who was the Art Director for Rocky and Bullwinkle. I was able to develop different art styles during that time. Cory Loftis is one of my biggest inspirations. Also, I look up to so many artists around the world such as Jamie Hewlett, Fabien Mense, Chase Conley, and Sylvain Marc. I grew up watching lots of cartoons and anime and reading manga. Masashi Kishimoto, Takeshi Obata, and Yusuke Murata have been my inspiration for a long time.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
As a short-term goal, I want to be a strong Character Designer having in-depth knowledge of character design techniques. I want to improve my overall skill set while continuing to work in the animation industry in roles like character, background, and color design so that I can work as an Art Director someday. Also, I would like to work in feature films as a Production Designer. I would love to be part of the movies that audiences can relate to. Furthermore, I would love to create a show that has a very original and personal story that audiences can connect with.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
I would say the Union is giving people a better life while allowing them to pursue what they love to do. The Union provides great health insurance, benefits, and fair wages for animation workers, and I’m so glad I can be part of it. I have seen lots of cases overseas where unions do not exist and artists are overworked and underpaid. I think more companies across the States and around the world should unionize so that these artists who create amazing work are treated humanely and fairly.
See more of Soyeon’s work on her website, and follow her on Instagram.
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