Sokai Yoon
Visual Designer
Art Director, Photographer, Visual Artist
Email:
Location:
Metro Atlanta Area, GA
A Bit About Me
Sokai Yoon, primarily known as Kaiyoon, is a Cambodian-American designer, artist, and consultant whose work blends street, culture, and storytelling through a Cambodian lens. His creative practice spans photography and digital forms: motion design, illustration, and video; with a focus on exploring the Cambodian identity and the intersection of technology and culture.
Kaiyoon holds a BFA in Graphic Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design (2008) and a MFA in Design from the School of Visual Arts (2013). His work has been featured in numerous publications, including Graphic Style Lab and Information Designer's Sketchbooks, both authored by Steven Heller. His work has also been showcased on Behance, The Verge, Tech Crunch, and Wired, and was presented as one of the Best of Google Design 2020. He was recently guests on the podcast "An Immigrant's Life" as well as "An Open Mind Podcast" in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Born as a Cambodian refugee war baby at Camp Site II in Thailand, Kaiyoon was raised in Clayton County (Riverdale), Georgia, in the southeastern United States. His come-ups and comeuppances inform his artistic vision, which often reflects his multicultural experiences, visual colloquialisms, and perspectives.
Through the unique blend of visual storytelling, Kaiyoon invites folks to explore the complexities of Khmer culture, identity, and memory in an increasingly interconnected world.
Work Experience
Jan 2022 - Apr 2023
Slalom Consulting • Consultant
As a consultant at Slalom, I embarked on a journey of consulting design to a few Fortune 500 companies such as Cox Automotive, The Home Depot, Amazon, and Delta Airlines; offering my expertise and guidance to particular problems and developing solutions with their client teams. Unfortunately, I had to depart to take a pilgrimage to Cambodia with my mother, who recently retired and wanted to move back home to the Kingdom, hence my departure.
Aug 2014 - Jul 2020
Google • Visual Designer
As a visual designer at Google, I was tasked with a multitude of design projects that ranged from user interface, design systems, web design, illustration, visual design, motion design, production design, branding and logo design, and user experience design. My work has impacted millions of users and have been published on numerous of websites and publications. The design projects are broken down into two groups, as I worked in Google Cloud as a web designer and Android Software as a visual designer (mainly UI).
May 2023 - Ongoing
Chainfuse • Lead Designer
Chainfuse is startup co-founded by my colleagues who were formerly at Google. An AI-powered ROI tracker for community based platforms. Developed and co-founded by my colleagues who use to work at Google, I was on-boarded to build their brand (logo, styleguide, etc;), concepts, design systems, user experience, and design branded experiences for our potential customers. In working beta.
Jun 2012-Dec 2012
Conde Nast • Digital Designer
Specialization in optimising traditional publication formats for digital devices such as tablets and mobile devices using Adobe’s legacy toolset, Digital Publishing Suite. Worked on content creation for special edition issues (Vogue, AmEx special project). Design QA and testing (Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest). Other tasks include concept development, asset production and optimization, and creating presentations.
Google Enterprise
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Google Maps Platform
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Google Maps for Work (Legacy)
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Google Cloud (designed/managed cloud.google.com pages)
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Google Apps For Work (Legacy)
Android
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Personal Safety App
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Android Setup Wizard
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Nearby Share
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Pixel Tips App
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Power Menu & Google Wallet Integration
Aug 2011-Dec 2012
Mishka NYC • Apparel Designer
Developed CADs, tech packs, and graphics for apparel (t-shirt, cut-n-sew, jackets, hats, etc;). Other design responsibilities include pattern design, colorway concepts, promotional graphics, and fabric and threading selections. Special projects included toy design (Dunny’s Apocalpyse 2013 series) and designing watches.
Aug 2008-Aug 2012
Cobra Corps LLC • Freelance Art Director
Freelance art director for one of Atlanta’s premier event promoters. Responsibilities include generating press kits for their musicians, flyer design, mixtape and compilation cover design, and photography. Created a diverse and unique look for their brand that allowed them to stand apart from their competitors, making them one of the best night life events of East Atlanta.
Aug 2008-Aug 2012
Shepard Exposition Services • Production Design
Specializing in tradeshow graphic (booth design and large-format printing services), responsibilities include fulfilling and overseeing hundreds of sign requests per month (typesetting, layout design, digitizing graphics from raster to vector), Design QA, and optimizing print jobs to optimizing for efficiency.
Short-term Work
2023
2020
2019
2017
2014
2013
2012
2009
Slaphouse Records • Photography/Art Direction
Phnom Penh,Cambodia
La Cima Cartel Records • Photography/Art Direction
Phnom Penh,Cambodia
Baramey Records • Photography/Art Direction
Phnom Penh,Cambodia
Angkor Dance Troupe • Photography/Documentary
Phnom Penh,Cambodia
Modern Apsara Company • Photography/Art Direction
Long Beach,California
Angkor Dance Troupe x Selepak Khmer (Paris, FR)
Lowell,Massachusetts
Everywhere.io • UI/UX Design
Remote,US
Cobra Corps LLC • Graphic Design
Atlanta,Georgia
Dakota Films • Content Design for Snapchat
Remote,US
Prime.ai • Logo/Branding
Bay Area,California
Atlantic Records • Packaging/Press Kit
Remote,US
Mad Decent Records • Apparel
Bay Area,US
Mishka NYC • Apparel
New York,NY
NGHTBRND • Apparel
Los Angeles,CA
Steven Heller • Production Design
New York, NY
School of Visual Arts • Campaign Branding
New York, NY
Open Studio • Lecturer/Workshop
New York, NY
Sagmeister Inc • Production Design for Happy Exhibition
New York, NY
Whitman Publishing • Illustration/Colorist for Books
Atlanta, GA
Published Work, Features
& Awards
2023
2022
2020
2018
2017
2015
2013
2012
An Open Mind Podcast • Guest/Interview
Phnom Penh,Cambodia
Arts & Career: Sokai Yoon • Interview/Article
Cambodge Mag, Paris, France
Best of Google Design 2020 • Work Featured in Article
Early Earthquake Detection
Google is making a fast specialized TPU chip for edge...
techcrunch.com
How Steven Heller Redefined the Design Industry
Magenta.as via Medium
Slanted Magazine Volume 26
Work featured, Page 70
Graphic Style Lab
Steven Heller, Rick Landers Publishing, Page 69
Graphic Design Discourse: Evolving Theories, Ideologies, and Processes of Visual Communication
Henry Hongmin Kim, Princeton Architectural Press
Information Designers' Sketchbooks
Steven Heller, Rick Landers Publishing, Page 320
Toy Design Served • Product Design Feature
Behance.net
Celebrate the Apocalypse! • The Daily Heller
Print Magazine, Printmag.com
Kamay Arts & Music Festival • Participating Artist
Atlanta, GA
An Immigrant's Life #114: Sokai Yoon • Guest/Interview
Remote Interview/Podcast
"True Friends Carry No Debts"
Grafik Magazine, Issue 193
Adobe Design Achievement Awards • Illustration
Semi-finalist
Adobe Design Achievement Awards • Motion Graphics
Semi-finalist