MtG artists: Yongjae Choi
Yongjae Choi has illustrated over 50 Magic cards, beginning with a single card in Aether Revolt. He seems a popular choice with Wizards when it comes to illustrating planeswalkers. Here’s 5 of my favourite art pieces from him:
Channeler Initiate
This card shows one of the magic users of Amonkhet, with the spellfires forming an ominous symbol.
Kaalia, Zenith Seeker
This is the second version of Kaalia that we’ve seen. It’s not yet as popular as the first, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened one day.
Mu Yanling, Celestial Wind
This is an intro deck version of Mu Yanling, which is why you may not immediately recognise the art. A shame, since it’s really good.
Oko, Thief of Crowns
Does this card need any introduction? It’s well known, and not really for the art. Oko warped the Standard format in a way not seen before and was eventually banned, surprising few people. The art is a good depiction of the character. Oko cares little for what is going on around him. Oko cares only for Oko.
Sarkhan, Dragonsoul
Another intro deck planeswalker art, and another one that captures the essence of the character. Sarkhan is powerful now, but has had a difficult life, so there’s often a tinge of sadness in his bearing.
See all cards illustrated by Yongjae Choi or visit the artist’s website.
And with this entry, I’m bringing the MtG artists series to a close. Don’t worry, I’ll still be looking at Magic art, and profiling artists, but I want to take a different approach next year and a new series is the best way of doing that. Stay tuned!
Scent of a Gamer 
There was much rejoicing on the forums I frequent when Oko got the boot…
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Yes, Matt Sperling was particularly scathing about the card’s design at the release of the set, calling Oko:
“The crowning achievement in learning no lessons and also getting the numbers wrong. This is a 3-mana planeswalker that somehow punishes small creatures (steals them), large creatures (transforms them), and no creatures (beats down with 3/3s), oh and burn spells (gains life, has a ton of loyalty). You don’t have to invest other resources, but you can (in the form of other things to transform), and all you have to invest is 1UG. It’s mythic, it’ll sell packs, it will make gameplay into a series of similar-feeling planeswalker subgames, and then they’ll do the same thing 2 sets from now, if not next set.”
He wasn’t wrong about the gameplay, but I hope he’s wrong about seeing the same again in the next two sets.
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They really need to stop with the 3cmc planeswalkers. However, I am not hopeful about the overall direction MTG is going.
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There’s been some heavily powered planeswalkers this year. IMO 3-mana walkers like Davriel are fine, but cards like Teferi, Narset, and Oko are just silly.
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Not being a MTG player, was the artwork banned or the card banned. I think the art is amazing.
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No, just the card, which was stupidly broken. Like if they suddenly released a set of Space Wolf terminators better than usual and half the points cost.
The art is great though!
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That makes sense.
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Same here. I don’t really know too much about Magic as a game, other than I like it because it keeps the game stores I like in business, but I’m with Maeno, the artwork/talent is amazing.
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Sadly up here, apart from Harry’s which is the best toy shop ever, we have to order gaming materials online. We don’t have a game shop up here, a few of us did consider opening one, but the business rates were just too silly. Myself and two other people all came up with the same idea at the same time, with the same shop in mind. Weirdly neither knew the others had the same idea.
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I’m sorry to read that the game store situation is non-existent where you are. There is a good one not far from where I live and a couple more good ones about an hour or so away. There used to be more but over the last four years or so that I’ve lived here a couple have folded.
I try to support the local stores by buying my gaming stuff through them, even in cases where I could get something more quickly online. Seems the sensible thing if one wants to encourage a vibrant local scene.
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It’s my favourite part of the game by far
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More superb art. Loving the journey you’re taking me through with these
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Thanks for that! I will change the series a bit next year, but mainly to be a deeper exploration of each artist I cover.
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Hi! Just want to say this blog is amazing! keep the work please there many researcher out there who more than happy to see this kind of post
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