Issue 02: Introducing Komerican Pie, Part II

Meet Aram! Living the unhyphenated life...

Hi KP!

Sarah and I met in 2018 at Kweli’s Color of Children’s Literature Conference in New York, and we started collaborating on various projects in 2021. After regularly discussing and tirelessly trying different ways to bring together our creativity and desire to build a community, Komerican Pie was born. KP helped me come out of the creative rut I was in during 2023, and I hope this will inspire you as well. We welcome you to join our Komerican Pie community.

Flavor of the Week: KP Q&A with Aram Kim

Photo by Amie Kim. Art by Aram. Kim.

Aram Kim is a writer, illustrator, and art director of children’s picture books. She is excited to share her heART with everyone who connects to Komerican Pie. When Aram’s not working as an art director at an international publishing house, she writes and illustrates stories about universal themes with a distinctive Korean flair. She has published five books including Cat on the Bus, Yoomi, Friends and Family series with No Kimchi for Me!, and most recently, Tomorrow Is New Year's Day, about Seollal, the Korean celebration of Lunar New Year. Aram’s next book is about a really fun Korean milestone! Find out more about Aram’s work at AramKim.com.

Introduce yourself in 2-3 sentences.

I am an all-time story lover of all formats, a storyteller through writing and illustrating, a bookmaker, a (fully-grown) little one in my family, a loyal friend to my friends, and a happy Queens resident.

Where are you from?

Queens, New York.

No, where are you REALLY from? (Haha!)

I grew up in South Korea! I was born in Ohio while my family lived there for seven years. I was two years old when we moved back to South Korea, so I have no memory of that time. I spent my childhood in a small city called Anyang, about an hour away from Seoul. My maternal grandma lived close by, so I went to school closer to my grandma’s and spent a lot of time with her while my parents worked. Then my family moved to the neighboring city Gunpo, where I lived from the 6th grade through adulthood before I moved to NY to pursue my dream as an illustrator. Even though I've been living in NY for close to twenty years now and I call Queens home, Gunpo is where my roots are. I may add that it's the city where Kim Yuna, a forever Queen for people in South Korea, as well as Jisoo, from Blackpink, is from. Hometown pride!

What’s your sign?

Pisces.

How would you describe yourself in five words?

Resilient, quiet, kind, strong, creative

What do you love about being Komerican?

It’s great to have two very rich, and also very different cultures to build and nourish me. It feels like having abundant water to derive life from. I feel especially lucky to have two amazing pools of food that I’m familiar with.

And of course, what are your favorite Korean foods?

Tteokbokki and kimchi jjigae. Just saying that aloud makes me hungry.

What was your childhood like and what has it taught you?

My parents were always fully supportive of whatever I wanted to do, which I took as a norm, but then only later in life realized that it’s not to take for granted. Thanks to that upbringing and support, I think I was always confident in my decision making even when it was different from societal expectations. 

Can you share something exciting that you’re working on now?

Komerican Pie!! This feels like what an idealistic young adult version of me would’ve wanted to build: amazing collaborations and connections with real people and their stories, art, sharing good, and all sides of life. Working on buidilng Komerican Pie with Sarah helped me get out of the burnout and creative rut I was in during 2023, and I really appreciate Sarah’s drive, energy, support, and inspiration. We’ve been working on various projects together since 2021, and Komerican Pie feels like the fruit of all the practices we’ve had! I hope this excites the readers and inspires them as much as it did for me.

What do people underestimate about you? 

That I can be funny! I am generally quiet around people, but when I start opening up, I like bringing laughter for people.

Share your proudest moment in the past year.

The time I was interviewed by CNN, about my new book Tomorrow Is New Year’s Day, for an article on the celebration of the Lunar New Year by different cultures. I was so excited when I saw the email with the interview request, I actually screamed out. I am normally a silent screamer.

What was your hardest moment in the past year?

There wasn’t a specific moment that felt particularly hard in the past year, which I am grateful for, but I started noticing that I felt much less joy in creating. In retrospect, it was a burnout, and I was also in a creative rut. It took me almost the entire year to get out of it.

We’ve all been hurt in some form or fashion. What are you healing from?

Different degrees of longing for biological kids caused serious friction in my last relationship and was the main reason for a breakup. Though it was an “amicable” split-up, I suffered from dropped self-esteem and gained an unfairly skeptical view towards people who desire to have kids as well as towards lasting love. I am healing and recovering from all three consequences.

How do you love yourself?

I unapologetically opt-out from parties I’m not excited about (and I am generally not excited about parties that involve more than five people). It took me many years to realize that I can be honest about what I want and what I don’t want. Now I tell people without shame that my favorite kind of weekend is staying home and doing nothing.

How do you love others?

I try to believe people’s intentions are good.

What five things can you not live without?

Coffee, web comics, earbuds for music, comfy couch, a teddy bear from my sister (All of these can be enjoyed on a couch.)

What’s your favorite dance song?

I rarely dance, but if I ever do, that’s with now-bygone Korean girl group 2NE1’s I Am the Best.

What’s your favorite kind of pie?

Pumpkin pie, always.

H Mart Happiness: What’s your favorite product and why?

“붕어싸만코 is my favorite ice cream. Seeing this in all the different flavors in Hmart’s freezer makes me happy. My favorite flavor is just classic vanilla with red beans. So yummy!” - Aram K.

What’s your favorite H Mart product? Leave a comment and share the love!

Crispy Crust: A Touch of Jeong - Uplifting illustrations that delight

May you have all the sweet naps you need.

Love, Aram

Korean School: 식사하셨어요?

Fun facts, idioms, translations and history

“식사하셨어요? [Sik-sa-ha-shut-seo-yo]” is a very common way of greeting (in a very polite term) in Korea. The phrase sometimes even replaces hello, or comes right after it. Directly translated, it means “Have you eaten?” Eating and sharing food have always been a very important part of Korean culture and it appears through countless idioms and phrases using food and eating. If you want to use this greeting to your peers in a more casual way, you can say “밥 먹었어? [Bop-mu-gut-seo]” But note that this can’t be used for people who are older than you are.

Sweet & Salty: A list of the tastiest treats satisfying all the senses

• Homemade Gochujang from Lani’s Farm, bought from a Sunday Farmer’s Market in Jackson Heights, Queens, NY. I was a lost soul for a few years since my now-95-year-old halmoni stopped making gochujang at home. Store-bought gochujang was just never the same. One day, I decided to buy a jar of homemade gochujang from Lani’s Farm stall where I regularly bought eggs and veggies. When I tried it at home, I knew that I found it. I can’t wait to try their homemade kimchi as well.

• This week’s New York Times Modern Love article Sharing an Airbnb with My Parents for Seven Weeks by Susan Yoon. This heartfelt story of accepting one’s roots and family history is deeply loving, and compassionately humorous, bringing tears and smile all at once. It reminded me of how I felt when I watched the movie The Farewell.