Seo Kim
Seo Kim received her MFA in illustration practice from Maryland Institute College of Art. A South Korean native, she divides her time between Busan and Baltimore. Seo lives with her family in Baltimore, Maryland, where she teaches illustration at Towson University.
Interview
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold
What’s your favorite line from a book?
“One can beg, buy, be presented with, and find love in the streets, but it can never be stolen.”—Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
Isabelle Arsenault, Júlia Sardà, Mac Barnett
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
I want to contribute work to create a world where kids can grow up surrounded by books that reflect their interests, who they are, where they come from, and what they dream about.
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
Draw what you love! That’s the best motivation there is.
For creatives, there will always be moments of doubt or comparison. But when you’re genuinely excited about what you’re drawing or writing—it carries you through those hard moments. Your passion shows in the work, and that’s what makes it resonate with others.
Don’t worry too much about trends or what you think others want to see. Start with what you care about. The more personal and meaningful (and fun!) your work is to you, the more powerful it will be to someone else.
