Hello, Hannah here! It’s so nice to meet you!
I am a Korean-American illustrator, designer, and storyteller from the Chicago suburbs who has been joyfully working in publishing since 2022. I have loved both drawing and reading for as long as I can remember- my earliest favorite books were Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Winnie the Pooh, and anything by Eric Carle. In high school, I fell in love with the work of Mary Blair and I began to dream of creating stories and characters specifically for kids. My love for telling stories with both images and words led me to the Savannah College of Art and Design, where I graduated in 2022 with a degree in Sequential Art (aka comics, books made of words and pictures).
By day, I am a designer who art directs and illustrates children’s books at Publications International, Ltd (PIL). I’ve also loved working with clients like Greater Good Science Center, Stocksy United, and Penguin Random House. My first illustrated book, Sticker by Shape: Bible Stories, was published in June 2026 by Publications International, Ltd. I am currently working on illustrations for a second title to be published by PIL in 2027. You can also see my work right now on display at Now Place in San Francisco in the group risograph show, “ACROSS 跨”.
If I could use one word to describe my work, it would be wonder. I believe wonder is all around us, if only we have eyes to see it. I am actually quite a pessimist by nature, but I believe that we can change how we view and remember our lives based on what we choose to focus on. I find that I remember the things that I draw, so I draw what I want to remember and celebrate: the goodness, beauty, and wonder of life.
When I’m not drawing and daydreaming, I’m usually drinking an iced earl gray matcha, jamming to BTS, perusing books at my library, or petting my dog Marbles (who’s named after Snoopy’s brother).
“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! ~Psalm 27:13”
As I illustrate, these are the experiences of my life that I am always drawing from:
Wearing a hanbok (Korean traditional dress) as a little girl for my younger sisters’ 1st year birthday parties
Riding “it’s a small world” with my friends and family at the ages of 6, 9, 19, and 26
Using a telescope that my dad gave me for my birthday to see the light and shadows of the surface of the moon
Sitting in the grass in my backyard with my dog Marbles, watching the clouds and praying
Staring at Georgia O’Keeffe’s sprawling painting Sky Above Clouds at the Art Institute of Chicago with my mom
Witnessing a world of color explode on screen when I saw La La Land in theaters in high school
Touching the new, unfurling pink and green leaves of my houseplants in my bedroom
Hearing BTS perform my favorite song “Mikrokosmos” in a stadium full of sparkling lights in Chicago
Clients
My Substack
My Instagram
