From Disney “Imagineer” to creative force and Art Director at BBT, YJ has brought some of the best brands on earth to life. He continues to break through the digital clutter with new and exciting work, and in this issue’s Tomato Catch-Up, YJ tells us a bit about himself.Tomato Catch-Up (TC): A Little Back-story
YJ Kim has a wide-range of experience in visual arts from background design, games, animation, motion graphics to Senior Designer in ad sales. YJ has designed projects such as Hollywoodland at Disney’s California Adventure, an award-winning Kodak web campaign for Pirates of the Caribbean, and the very popular Disney Family Fun site, among many others.
TC: How did you get started?
YJ: After graduating with a MFA in New Media from the Art Center College of Design, I had an opportunity to work for Disney Imagineering. As an environmental graphic designer at the California Adventure theme park, I designed and implemented large murals, signage, and maps for over 2 years. After the project phased out I moved over to Disney Online as a senior designer.
TC: What has been one of your favorite projects to work on at Big Bad Tomato?
YJ: The project I'm currently on, Dr. Seuss’s “Seussville” is my all time favorite. I loved the books growing up, and it’s fun because coming up with new site ideas allows me to think like Dr. Seuss while I'm designing the site.
TC: What do you do for fun when you're not working?
YJ: This might be kind of boring, but I love running. I run 2 miles every morning. It gives me energy throughout the day. I used to play volleyball and basketball but lately I’ve been getting more into golf.
TC: What do you see for the future of BBT?
YJ: I believe BBT will soon become one of the most successful creative companies in the world. The creative talent and energy we have here is just amazing. All of the exciting new projects from the biggest entertainment companies, even during this down economy, shows that we’ve already established ourselves as a leader in the online entertainment industry. However, I believe this is only the tip of the iceberg. Watch us closely over the next couple of years, you'll see what I mean.
