Interview with ​Kayleen Cho

Meet NUNUM's Contributor: Kayleen Cho

6/6/2025

NUNUM

Blending Flash Fiction & Art

Interview with Kayleen Cho

What was the first book you remember reading alone?

The first book I ever chose to read was The Little Prince, which I read when I was nine years old. I was drawn to the cover—the image of a golden-haired boy standing alone in the desert left a strong impression on me. Strangely enough, stars, roses, and foxes, which felt somewhat distant from reality, never seemed unfamiliar to me.

At the time, I didn’t fully understand the story, but the line “What is essential is invisible to the eye” stayed with me for a long time. Perhaps that was when it all began—the habit of collecting stuffed animals one by one. Though they didn’t have names and never spoke, they were always there, silently staying by my side no matter how I was feeling. Like the fox in The Little Prince, the stuffed animals made me question the meaning of relationships.

'Shadows beneath my feet' by Kalyeen Cho

What's the last book you read that made you think, damn that is a good book?

One of the most striking books I’ve read recently is The Stranger by Albert Camus. Meursault, the leading character, lacks emotional expression and the detached tone of the narrative, even when facing major events, felt strangely unfamiliar at first. Yet, I found the way he keeps a certain distance from the world oddly familiar.

This book captures the experience of emotions fading in an incomprehensible world through stark, simple, and cold sentences.

Are there any artists who have had a significant influence on you and your work?

Annette Messager has been the greatest influence on my artistic perspective. Her way of visualizing anxiety and emotions through personal materials such as textiles, dolls, and text has become an important reference for my work. I deeply resonate with how she explores themes of attachment, loss, and the blurring of identity—quietly, yet profoundly.

Do you have any advice for individuals who are just starting to submit their work to journals?

I believe that for someone submitting their work to a journal for the first time, it’s more important to gain the experience of doing it rather than focusing too much on the result. Even if it gets rejected, that doesn’t change the meaning of the work itself. I think the best approach is to submit the work in its most honest state.

Kayleen Cho is a student at Deerfield Academy and an emerging artist with a bright and curious personality. She enjoys exploring diverse ideas and approaches, often seeking perspectives beyond familiar boundaries. Her work spans photography, objects, and digital media, naturally pushing the limits of form and expression. She navigates her creative journey with care, embracing discovery through process, and continues to develop her own visual language with an open and flexible mindset.