Picture a Korean American storyteller who turned a fish eye superstition into a feminist horror masterpiece—meet Monika Kim! A second-generation immigrant living in Los Angeles’s vibrant Koreatown, Kim burst onto the literary scene with her debut novel, The Eyes Are the Best Part, a chilling psychological horror that weaves cultural identity, feminine rage, and family trauma into a gripping narrative. With a day job in environmental justice, Kim’s unique lens as a writer blends gritty authenticity with visceral storytelling, making her a bold new voice in American literature.
The Making of Monika Kim
Born to a mother who immigrated from Seoul in 1985, Monika Kim grew up steeped in Korean traditions—like the belief that eating fish eyes brings good luck. Raised in Los Angeles’s Koreatown, she navigated the complexities of a bicultural identity, a theme that pulses through her work. Kim graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a B.A. in Communication, but her passion for storytelling led her to pen horror that challenges boundaries. Since 2016, she’s worked at a Southern California environmental agency, championing climate justice and underserved communities, which adds depth to her socially conscious narratives.
Monika Kim’s Unforgettable Stories
Kim’s debut, The Eyes Are the Best Part, published in June 2024, is a feminist psychological horror that follows Ji-won, a Korean American college student whose life unravels after her father’s affair. Haunted by dreams of bloody rooms filled with blue eyes, Ji-won’s obsession with her mother’s creepy new boyfriend, George, spirals into gruesome vengeance. Critics praise its unflinching body horror and sharp critique of misogyny and Asian fetishization, comparing it to Crying in H-Mart meets My Sister, the Serial Killer.
Kim is already cooking up her next project, Molka, a feminist horror novel exploring the Korean term for hidden spy cameras used to victimize women. Told from dual perspectives—perpetrator and victim—it promises to push boundaries further while tackling women’s issues with intensity. Her writing style is raw, subversive, and layered with social commentary, blending vivid gore with poignant reflections on the Korean American experience. Kim’s ability to make readers cringe and think simultaneously sets her apart in the horror genre.
Why Monika Kim Matters
Monika Kim’s work resonates because it gives voice to the Korean American experience with unflinching honesty. Her stories tackle the microaggressions faced by Asian American women, the weight of intergenerational trauma, and the rage of being marginalized, all wrapped in a genre that lets her push boundaries. By weaving environmental justice and feminist themes into horror, Kim not only entertains but also sparks conversations about identity and power. Her debut’s inclusion on the New York Times’ Best Horror Fiction of 2024 list signals her growing influence.
- Born: Second-generation Korean American, raised in Los Angeles
- Key Work: The Eyes Are the Best Part (2024)
- Upcoming: Molka, a feminist horror novel
- Fun Fact: Lives with her tuxedo cat, Velvet
Ready to dive into a world of feminist horror and cultural depth? Grab The Eyes Are the Best Part and let Monika Kim’s haunting prose sink its teeth into you!