"I had the distinct pleasure of working closely with Yinja on a number of startup ventures over the course of two years. His exceptional work and commitment were foundational to the successes of the initiatives. Throughout our time working together, Yinja consistently demonstrated exceptional core design capabilities. He has a real knack for balancing aesthetic appeal with functional efficacy, and as a result, consistently turns out designs that are not only pleasing to the eye but also align well with business objectives. Yinja's contributions to the team showcased his talent, creativity, and detail-oriented approach -- all of which make him a highly valued contributor and a key ingredient to the success of our products."

–– James H, Product Director at NAX Group (ex-PwC)

"Yinja has a talent for keeping projects on track, meeting deadlines without sacrificing quality. His clear communication about his work and timelines helped us deliver top-notch results consistently. Beyond his technical skills, Yinja understood our product space deeply, which shows in the quality of his work. He's also been a joy to work with—his positive attitude and willingness to help teammates like myself connect with others have made a real difference."

–– Leland C, Group Product Manage at Coupang (ex, NAX, ex-Meta, ex-Walmart)

"Yinja is a wonderful thinker, communicator, and considerate designer. He works quickly to turn around designs with limited guidance and high ambiguity. He has the unique ability to think through the CX and execute UI. I'm impressed with his attention to detail, focus on producing inclusive/accessible features. It's such a treat to work with someone who is creative but can work within the confines of business restrictions."

–– Sarah C, Product Lead, Associate at Booz Allen (ex-NAX, ex-Deloitte)

“Yinja was a great student when he was a freshman—energetic, curious, and hard-working. He took it up a notch in his sophomore year and began to fine-tune his print design skills as my intern at Visual Arts Press. By junior year, Yinja was on to designing apps, and by senior year, he was speaking to my sophomore class as a special guest. Yinja continues to do lectures, and I can't wait until he's ready to come back to SVA to teach his own class. I am both a friend and a fan of my dear Yinja! He's a talented design thinker and an all-around good guy.”

–– Gail Anderson, Chair at SVA BFA Design, Creative Director at Visual Arts Press

“From the moment I met Yinja during a portfolio review session for his Senior thesis class in UX design, I was inspired by his thoughtfulness, drive, and passion for holistic problem. His aptitude to be a thought leader and fantastic collaborator was high and over the past few years, it has been incredible not only see his growth but see him realize his potential. He is grounded, learns quickly, and doesn't shy away from challenges, but rather embraces them. I believe Yinja would be a great asset to any team and look forward to seeing how he shapes his career as a thought leader in this ever evolving industry.”

–– Vlad Almonnord, Design Director at Moon Creative Lab

“Yinja’s experience really inspired me to ask more questions and express myself more. Especially as an international student, it has always been a challenge to present my ideas to instructors and classmates. I’m concerned about how people will see me, but Yinja didn’t let that hold him back. He attended English classes to improve his communication with others, and that spirit and effort are what I want to follow.”

–– Maki Huang, SVA BFA Design Student Class of 2024

“Yinja is not afraid of failure and believe that positive thinking is essential. To me, having a positive mindset is vital for creating positive outcomes. I also think that a positive mind draws me to more opportunities. I want to be a designer who trusts my abilities and maintains my positive attitude.”

–– Siwoo, SVA BFA Design Student Class of 2024