Young adult literature is rapidly becoming one of the most popular genres in publishing today. Also increasingly visible are YA novels featuring Asian American and Pacific Islander characters at the forefront, providing insight into the expectations and identity issues many members of the AAPI community experience and offering a unique perspective on these universal themes.
Catherine Hong will moderate a discussion between YA authors Claire Ahn and Kat Cho about their latest books, the growing popularity of YA novels with Korean and Korean-American characters, and the shifting views surrounding Asian-American YA novels among both readers and the publishing industry.
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Writing YA Novels with Claire Ahn and Kat Cho
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 | 6:30 PM (EDT)
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
About the Speakers:
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Claire Ahn is the author of I Guess I Live Here Now and Bad Influence. She grew up in Seoul, Korea, and still considers it home. She moved to New York to attend university and now lives in Long Island City with her husband, daughter, and their dog, Dante. She writes about transcultural experiences and the traditions, values, and legacies that shape who we are. |
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Kat Cho is a New York Times and international bestselling author of Young Adult fiction. She received her BA in Biology from Wesleyan University and MPH in Community Education from CUNY Hunter in her past life as a clinical researcher. She advocates for equity and representation in publishing and media through her work with non-profits such as Diverse Voices Inc. Kat and her books have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, NBC.com, Refinery 29, and Seventeen. Her books include the Penguin One World One Book 2019 Selection, Wicked Fox, its international bestselling sequel, Vicious Spirits, and the NYT Bestselling Once Upon a K-Prom. Her latest book is Wish Upon a K-Star. |
About the Moderator:
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Catherine Hong is a journalist and children’s book critic who contributes to The New York Times, Architectural Digest and Oprah Daily, among other publications. Previously, she was an editor at W magazine and co-host of K-Pod, a podcast about Korean Americans in arts and culture produced by KoreanAmericanStory.org. |
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