Featured Interview With Huey Choi
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born in Seoul, Korea, and immigrated to Los Angeles with my family when I was
four years old. I grew up in Hancock Park, and Southern California has been home to
me for as long as I can remember. Although my story began in Seoul, Los Angeles is
where I grew up and formed many of my childhood memories.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
As a lawyer, writing has been part of my daily life for more than 25 years. It comes with
the profession—briefs, motions, correspondence, arguments, and countless other ways
lawyers use words to persuade and advocate. So, in one sense, I suppose I’ve been a
writer for at least as long as I’ve been practicing law.
Legal writing is its own kind of writing. It teaches you to be precise and deliberate with
your words. Over the years, however, I’ve come to appreciate the possibilities that open
up when you write for reasons other than the practice of law.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I draw inspiration from authors who explore the search for purpose in life and the
deeper question: What makes a life meaningful, particularly in the face of suffering,
failure, mortality, or uncertainty?
I was inspired by “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl, “When Breath Becomes
Air” by Paul Kalanithi, “Remains of the Day” by Kazuo Ishiguro, and “The Old Man and
the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway.
These common themes—the search for purpose, the meaning we find in struggle, and
the question of what ultimately makes a life worth living—have profoundly influenced
both my life and my writing. They are also at the heart of my memoir.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
On the surface, Who Stole My Pork Belly? traces my journey from being born into a
prominent South Korean chaebol family to immigrating to Los Angeles at four years old,
growing up amid family and financial upheaval, and eventually building an accomplished
career as a corporate bankruptcy lawyer. But my professional journey is not at the
heart of this book.
At its heart, Who Stole My Pork Belly? is a memoir about deciding what to do with the
life and identity we inherit. The book is about the search for meaning after discovering
that the things we inherit, endure, and achieve do not necessarily tell us who we are.
There is a distinction between “finding” meaning and “creating” it. We may not control
what we inherit or what happens to us, but we do have a say in what those things
ultimately mean. It is about finding the courage to decide for ourselves what we will
carry forward, what we will leave behind, and what makes a life worth living.
If you enjoyed this writer’s interview, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors to learn about. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring! If you are an author and want to get exposure to new readers submit your book to our book promotion service.