Go Away With … Kim Suhyun

By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Tribune (.pdf) and other outlets
November 12, 2024

Kim Suhyun’s bestselling book “I Decided to Live as Me” (Penguin Life) reminds readers about the importance of self-care and self-love. The Seoul-based writer said that reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations piqued reader interest. And she also credits BTS member, Jungkook, for spiking interest in her book after the pop star was spotted reading it.

“Because he is a star who receives a lot of attention, I think he may need the reminder of finding balance in the expectations of those around him,” Kim said. “I hope there was a message in the book that helped him. I don’t know if the book [helped], but he seems to be doing very well.” For more information on “I Decided to Live as Me,” which will be released in the United States on Nov. 19, check out Kim’s Instagram and her publisher’s website.

This interview was conducted in Korean and translated into English. It has been edited for clarity and length.

Q: Did you write any of “I Decided to Live as Me” while you were traveling?
A: Not really. Usually, when I start writing a book, I don’t leave my house. But travel inspires a lot of the book, because when you go on a trip, you realize things that you couldn’t when stuck in your daily life.

Q: What have you learned about yourself from the places you’ve visited?
A: Even if the scenery changes and the space changes, how I look at it remains the same.

Q: Do you have any upcoming trips planned?
A: I am heading to Florence, Italy.

Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?
A: When I go on vacation abroad, I like to visit Italy and Japan. The weather is nice in the spring and fall, beautiful scenery and friendly people.

Q: How do you separate work from vacation trips?
A: There doesn’t seem to be a clear distinction. I don’t write a lot, so I don’t need to be at my desk all day. Rather, I spend a lot of time in a state where I can write what I want to write. For me, vacation is a time to get into that state.

Q: What untapped destination should people know about?
A: If it’s a place I know about, it’s probably not an unexplored destination. However, if you go just five minutes away from the tourist spots in a city, you can find a peaceful place to enjoy on your own.

Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?
A: What I know, what I believe and what I want is not everything.

Q: If you could only pick one place to eat, would you prefer a food truck or fine dining?
A: I love food trucks, but if I had to choose just one, I would choose a high-end restaurant. There is no reason not to. And sometimes I just want to sit in a comfortable chair and eat leisurely.

Q: Where are your favorite weekend getaways?
A: On nice days, I like to relax in a place like the Han River park [in Seoul] not far from my house.

Q: Do you go away for the holidays?
A: I stay home on holidays like Christmas and New Year’s Day. On big days, you want to celebrate at home.

Q: Are you good at languages?
A: I’m not. I think I’m surrounded by too much Korean in my language world. It’s a pity that other languages are not readily available to me.

Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?
A: There are many places I haven’t visited yet, but I want to go to Hawaii next.

Q: When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?
A: Cellphone, passport, wallet. And anything you can write with. As long as you have these with you, you can go anywhere.

Q: What kind of research do you do before you go away on a trip?
A: When I travel alone, I just decide on a route. I use travel as a time to organize my thoughts. Walking, thinking and writing don’t require much research about your destination.

Q: What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?
A: My first backpacking trip. I went on a three-week trip, but my phone broke, a crazy woman hit me and I missed my flight. As it was my first trip, I was depressed, because I made many mistakes and had difficulties. However, on the last morning of the trip, I had a dream where the scenes of my last three weeks passed by like lanterns. It was so beautiful. It was difficult in parts, but fulfilling as a whole. The worst and the best. I was immature and easily unhappy, yet my experience was the most beautiful. I think it was suitable for a first trip.

© 2024 JAE-HA KIM
DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.