tastemaker series
JUHEA KIM
AUTHOR
Your books span across countries and cultures. How have your life experiences inspired your novels and shaped you as a writer?
It’s true that my books are very peripatetic! My first novel was about my Korean heritage, while my second novel is about art (against the backdrop of St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Paris). My third book (forthcoming in November) is about nature, traversing from the Côte d’Azur, the American West, and South Africa, to the Bering Sea north of Norway.
Every writer has something that they really enjoy writing—dialogue or character, for example—and for me, it’s always been place. Wherever I have traveled or lived in the world changes me in some small or major way as a human being, and that directly influences my writing.
"Beautifully crafted clothes, shoes, and bedding are not only luxurious, they are also sustainable because they don’t end up being discarded after only a few seasons."
– JUHEA KIM
Your novel, City of Night Birds, centers around a ballerina as the main character. How did your background as a dancer influence this character?
It was very natural to create the character of Natasha because she was completely based on me! I make my living as an author, but my temperament is closer to that of a dancer. Ballet requires absolute sincerity, commitment, and passion; it’s not possible to be nihilistic or cynical as a dancer. This is something unique to dance even among various artistic disciplines. Understanding this complete devotion to art, and even how it feels to do certain movements, informed the creation of this character.
City of Night Birds was chosen as a Reese’s Book Club pick, a huge milestone. How did it feel to have your work recognized in this way?
It was entirely unexpected! To be honest, my publisher had told me early on that ‘ballet novels don’t sell well’ and that they weren’t expecting this to be a blockbuster. I told them, ‘okay sure’ and wrote the book I wanted to write without any thoughts of commercial viability, haha. So, I was surprised and thrilled and deeply grateful to have Reese’s Book Club’s support. It introduced my book to a huge audience I wouldn’t have reached otherwise.
Your novels often explore themes of resilience and beauty in everyday life. How do you incorporate these into your daily life?
Music is such an integral part of my writing and especially City of Night Birds. Naturally, I listen to music throughout the day. I also love to take walks around my neighborhood—Notting Hill in London—or even just our garden, smelling all the roses and lilacs and listening to the birds. Also, like Natasha in my novel, I am a huge bath aficionado. A hot bath with some candles, natural bubble bath (or even just some essential oils) and Epsom salt is my idea of daily pleasure.
Writing and practicing ballet both demand rest and renewal. How do you ensure your bedroom is a relaxing sanctuary for optimal sleep?
Soft, airy, beautiful bedding is an absolute must for my reset. To be honest, my bed is also where I write (how Proustian of me!), read books, prepare my pointe shoes, and cuddle with my cats; it’s where almost all my important activities take place. So my bed is very important to me, and SFERRA collections make it feel simply luxurious, not just quotidian. I also always wear tailored pajama sets (Desmond & Dempsey is a favorite brand), because it’s uplifting to be both comfortable and polished at home. Finally, I keep candles and fresh flowers on my nightstand.
At SFERRA, we design pieces to last a lifetime. How does sustainability, whether in literature, fashion, or daily life, shape your values?
For my home or my wardrobe, I invest in items that will last many years. Beautifully crafted clothes, shoes, and bedding are not only luxurious, they are also sustainable because they don’t end up being discarded after only a few seasons. And I enjoy cherishing and caring for them, which is how our parents’ and grandparents’ generation used to treat their belongings. I also think a lot about literature in terms of longevity. My goal as a writer is to write books that continue to be read thirty years after publication, because after that threshold I think there’s a good chance it will stand the test of time forever.
