August 2011 Archives

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My mom has the habit of coming to my apartment and dropping off stuff from my childhood.  From old blankets, to greeting cards from when I was christened...this was yet another beauty.

This should be titled:  Lifecycle of a Scrawny Brown Korean girl.  I don't look ANYTHING like I looked when I was a kid.  For some reason I got a bit paler and my eyes got bigger.  (And no, I didn't get any surgery, though in my culture plastic surgery is hereditary.)

I like how I started with flat bangs and then somehow my hair grows aerodynamic and poufy.

Anyway, here are multiple awkward and fashion backward pictures for you to laugh at and possibly make you feel better about yourself.

^ _ ^


xo,

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By tonight, y'all!  I promise!  After I get all my hurricane proofing makeup on.

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Photo by:  Seth Kushner

First and foremost I must thank Dean Haspiel for inviting me to sit at the Baltimore Comicon with him.  If you don't know Dean, he is one of the most prolific and dynamic figures in comics right now.    He is also won an Emmy for his work on the titles for the show Bored To Death.  Not only did Dean bring me to Baltimore but he also gave me a whole slew of wonderful friends (or community) of comix creators.  He has a big heart not just for me but every single person he encounters. 

Arrival in Baltimore
When I first got to Baltimore it felt a little strange.  I grew up in Millersville, a tiny town about 20 minutes from Baltimore and it wasn't exactly a terrific town for a theatre geek who loved to draw. 

I shook the past off and headed to the Sheraton, picked up postcards and crashed in my room.

Dean, Chris, George, Kat, Michel and Reilly were also attending but we all came our separate ways.

After freaking about whether to wear my costume to the convention center, I didn't want to waste any time and headed over to the Baltimore Convention Center.

At The Con
At the table I encountered Reilly Brown from Hypothetical Island.  He was busy drawing commissions for his fans and was generally pretty quiet.

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I had a quiet panic attack as I realized I would need to start talking about SuperTwins!  I took my costume and walked to the bathroom and changed into Karin's outfit.

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Natalie Kim & Trevor Zhou in SuperTwins!

After some time, the crew finally arrived and I felt a lot better about being there.

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Geroge O'Connor's latest release HERA.  Published by First Second.

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Michel Fiffe's cover to his latest work.

Thank you to Frank and Linda Ruiz, Robert and Kristal Posada (Chimera Magazine)!

Here is awesome art of Karin by Bruce Dwayne!

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Kat Roberts gave me the most awesome necklace in the world AND had her comic:
I LOST MY VIRGINITY TO JIM MORRISON on the table.  She is also an amazing accessories designer who is going to make me BROKE.  See her shop, WHITEHAUS.
The crowd turned out to be friendly and very curious about SuperTwins!  It turned out it was less about promoting my show than it was connecting with people and learning about what brought them to the show in the first place.

**UPDATE - I'm trying to add more photos to this entry and there's an error...It shall be updated.  Please stay tuned.






Michelle Glick helped produce SuperTwins! and really made the project happen.  I met Michelle when we did a pretty successful showcase a few years ago.  She is a talented actress and writer and she is now producing and starring in her own project called Chance of Rain.  I've always been a fan of whatever Michelle does and this project is no exception.  Here I ask Michelle a few questions about her project.

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Michelle Glick - Executive Producer - The FilmGym - Actress/Writer/Producer/Follower of the Fear! 
www.filmgym.com  www.michelleglick.com

Chance of Rain: 
Your life may never be the same.

A young man dodges the pouring rain by ducking into a fortune teller's shop.....and hears some things he may not be ready to hear.....

NK:  What was your inspiration for this film?
MG:  we saw this originally as a one act play 3 years ago and the story always stayed with us. I guess you could say the inspiration is Chisa Hutchinson's writing. And the fact that its about destiny, choices....and love. 

NK:  What excites you about this project?
MG:  well, its the first time I'll be in a full on production with my husband, Philipp Wolter. He's also acting in this and directing. We've done little things here and there but this is the first full on project that we are really getting behind and both acting in. And I love love love collaboration. This is what I love about filmmaking - everything from wardrobe, to the cinematography to set design, to the writer's words, etc.... - its very exciting bringing talented people together and having a hand in all areas. Very satisfying.....and nerve wracking and scary and wonderful! I'm so excited about the people we have on board for this project. And of course being on set is always fun, being a part of telling what I believe is a great story. It just doesnt get any better than this.....

NK:  What inspires you?
MG:  Strong women. Laughter. A random act of kindness. Collaboration. Explorations of the heart - those scary scary places in all of us - whether it be through the voice, the body, taking a risk. Yeah, you could say that I am constantly meditating on what scares me the most and then going after it. Sometimes I can stay stagnant for months, riddled by fear. And then I get so annoyed or over myself - that I have no choice but to just  go for it. Doing this film scares me. I have a whole list of scary things I want to do - mostly in my creative life. Or maybe not so much scary - but a list of things I know I NEED to do - to grow as a person and an artist - and to help me be the best person I can be for those around me that I care about. I know I need to make a film one day. Directing is definitely in my future. 

NK:  Who inspires you?
MG:  People who are out there doing good in the world, for those less fortunate. My mother. My mother in law. My girlfriends. My fellow NYC artists (cause I feel like we're all in it together. I have such a respect for the creative souls of NYC. There's a brother/sisterhood that I feel is so prevelant in the indie film world here - I'm just so happy to be part of it. I think its a great time to be in NYC creating your own work. Cate Blanchett certainly inspires me. Annette Benning. My yoga teacher Ruth. Pema Chodron. When someone sings with a soulful beautiful voice. And traveling was probably my first inspiration as a young adult. Seeing the world - I think its important to experience different cultures. To be aware that there is so much more out there than you and your micro environment. 

NK:  How do you stay inspired as an arist?
MG:  Sometimes by being alone. I like to be in nature. Take walks on Brighton Beach at sunset. Or in Battery Park along the water. You know, by "getting quiet." Also being around other like minded artists. Seeing a new work - and then I love a good Q and A - getting inside the head and heart of the person and how they went about creating whatever it is they've just shown. I love hearing about their fears, their struggles. Its very easy to think that you are the only one that is fearful out there and its just not true! And I appreciate when someone can be real and show that side of themselves. That's pretty friggin brave. That's my kind of people. 

NK:  Why is creating important to you?
MG:  Gosh, I dont know. I just know i need to do it. I'm cranky when I don't. I feel very fortunate that i know this about myself. So I tend not to ask too many questions and to try to just follow my impulses. To listen to my fears. How does the saying go? "fear is good. it tells you where you need to go......" 

This week's theme seems to be: young people dressing to look like adults.  And they look great doing it.
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I spotted this girl around Penn Station.  I'm NUTS for polka dots.  And even though she is very young she chose to dress in this retro style, big earrings and oversize bag to boot.

And yes, she works in fashion.



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I spotted Jimmy and once again was struck at how he was very young yet he sported an outfit that was mature beyond his years.  Everything about him says tailored, fitted and cultured.  Even his umbrella is vintage.

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo,
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I'll write more on this con.  It was an AMAZING event. 
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The photos that I put up for "Beautiful People" are not sequential.  Just whoever I feel like posting.

This picture was the first time I asked a stranger if I could take their picture.  I felt goofy and shy and he seemed a little reluctant but relented.

He  wore a beautiful crisp shirt and a sharp looking fedora hat on a day that was so hot.

I was too shy to ask his name so he is dubbed:  "Sharp Looking John Doe".

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Last week I dyed my hair a brown/blonde kind of look.

I had wanted to do it for a LONG time.  My little cousins Silvia and Clara from Georgia have had beautiful brown/blonde hair for years and I really wanted to try it.  What stopped me was that I spent dough on headshots as well as hairdressers who would turn me down.

I wanted to a funky little, Japanese-chic style.  I LOVE Japanese fashion magazines and wanted a change.

I went to Leslie Hutchins, a hair stylist extraordinaire in Brooklyn and got it done.  (DM or email me if you'd like her info, she's FAB)

I feel different.  It's a BIG change, probably one of the most drastic things I've done with my hair.  I had an audition a few days ago and admit I felt a bit weird with my new hair. 

But I'm slowly coming around.  I feel more stylish and less amorphous.

Here's to changing it up!

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natalie-kim-supertwins-synopsis_.gifThis sums up the story of the SuperTwins!  Unfortunately this weekend its just myself (Karin) that is attending the con, but hopefully in New York Karin and Kai can unite!

Thanks so much to AAFL, AAWW, Dean Haspiel, George O'Connor, Josiah Madigan, Robbie Sublett, Aldous Davidson, ALL the folks at Dayside Productions & Michelle Glick Wolter!  This project would not have been in existence without their help!


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I saw Ali on the way over to Kinokinoya (where I bought FIVE notebooks and a Japanese fashion mag).  This is Ali from Brooklyn.

I love the feminine floral and the short skirt vibe.  Perfect combo of street and high fashion.  Love her fierce pose too!

When I first started taking pics of fashionable folks I was afraid of bothering people.  It turns out that people really enjoy having their photo taken.  It makes sense: if someone makes an effort to look cute of course they wouldn't mind a little recognition...even if it's from a nerdy Asian girl and her iPhone.


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Most Asian people are food crazy and food is a huge part of their culture.

I don't really share this view and I prefer to eat vegetarian so when Asian people learn that, they give me the look of extreme pity.  Growing up my mom worked and bowled a lot so many of our meals were for done out of convenience. 

I love the idea of slow food and learning to cook one day.  Sometimes I'll throw a meal together and it'll turn out okay.  But in terms of joy of cooking and the pleasure of cooking?  It's not there.  

I have a joy of eating.  ^ _ ^

***Additional news...

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After I drew this cartoon I learned through FB that a dear friend, Liz Wong, died suddenly two days ago. 

I felt funny not commenting on it.

Liz was a beautiful model/actress and beloved by everyone she met.  I feel so blessed that we became friends and I got to know her through the years. 

I even wrote about her in my solo show because we met and then a week later decided to do a Buddhist retreat together.  Sounds a little crazy but somehow it worked out.

I remember when she visited me at one of my shitty day jobs after she returned from Shanghai.  She was positively beaming and glowing inside and out.  She bought me a bracelet, a necklace and a beautiful Guan Yin statue.  Guan Yin is the Goddess of Compassion and in Chinese culture is thought to protect us.

We had overcome a lot in our lives and I felt really happy that, for both of us, many things had come to a happy conclusion.

My heart is heavy with the loss of such a beautiful friend.

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I love anything bowling related and Charlotte's shoes caught my eye.

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I asked Charlotte if she was an art student.  She said:  "Yes!"  She was on her way to a museum to do some sketches.

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How cool is her tshirt???


I see beauty EVERYWHERE.  This is why I suck at setting people up: because I think EVERYONE is BEAUTIFUL. 

(I stand by that sentiment.)

Ever since I've gotten my iPhone I've been taking picture of people I find on the street whose style I fancy.  I'm not a fashionista nor am I particularly stylish.  I just love and appreciate people who have their own unique "look" because it's another way of communicating with others:  how they feel about themselves, what they want to project and what they want to be.

Being unique with one's style shows that you care about yourself and some might say is an expression of self love.

Beauty is everywhere.  Keep your eyes peeled for it :-)


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This being in the moment theme often pops up for me.

One of the best way of being in the moment is doing improv.  I started improv when I first began acting and I was awful.  I had no idea what to do with my hands.  I went blank all of the time and my team members, understandably, hated me. 

I still blow at improv but not as bad.  I like taking classes at UCB because it help me as an actor and also because it forces me to be focused and in the moment.

I have a nerd's propensity for thrill seeking and most of the time I fail at improv.  But when I succeed and have a scene that is hilarious, engaged and effortless, there's like no other feeling in the world.  It's like standing up on a surf board and riding a wave.

Here's to being in the moment.  (Zen Habits Article)



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