Erin Dealey

I’m honored to share this interview with Jungyoon Huh in celebration of the English publication of

Late Today,

translated by Aerin Park, illustrations by Myungae Lee

(Eerdmans Books for Young Readers).

“A quiet yet masterfully rendered reminder that decency is always worth the hassle.”

― Kirkus Reviews STARRED

“A marvelous English-language debut in an emotionally urgent story…a moving work about a small, essential act of kindness.”

― Publishers Weekly STARRED

About the Author

Jungyoon Huh [pronounced JUHNG-YOON HUH *UH from the bus.] works as a picture book author, animation director, and university professor in South Korea. Her books have been selected for the White Ravens catalog and for the BRAW Amazing Bookshelf. Late Today is her English-language debut. She lives in Seoul, close to Seogang Bridge, where this story takes place.

I can’t say enough about this beautiful book, my friends.

Read it. Share it.

* And oh my, what a wonderful prompt for discussions about the choices we make.*

But first, let’s ask Jungyoon Huh some questions.

Q 1. Where did the concept of LATE TODAY come from? I read that you were inspired by a similar incident. Were you stuck in traffic on Seogang Bridge? Did you find a stray cat?

Jungyoon Huh: A few years ago, I was crossing Seogang Bridge during the morning rush hour. The traffic was heavy, and the sky was thick and grey, ready to rain at any moment. Between the cars, I saw a tiny kitten curled up under a wheel, trembling in fear and trying desperately to survive.

One tiny kitten…

It was about 8:15 a.m., when everyone was hurrying to work. Many people must have seen the kitten, but no one stepped out of the car. I wanted to, but the impatient honking behind me stopped me from getting out of the vehicle.

Since that morning, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that kitten. Did it survive? Did someone help? Those questions stayed with me for a long time. No one wanted to see the little creature get hurt so early in the morning, yet no one was brave enough to act. That dilemma became a thorn in my heart, and the feeling of regret slowly grew into a seed inside me.

That seed—the memory of the kitten on Seogang Bridge—became the beginning of Late Today. This time, through writing, I wanted to be brave enough to act differently from that day. I wished to hold the little kitten tightly within my sentences and not let that chance slip away again.

Q 2. Once you had the idea, what came next? Since this is your first English-language picture book, what was your next step into this unknown territory?

Jungyoon Huh: My stories rarely begin with a plot or structure—they start from a single image or moment that lingers in my mind. Late Today was born from one such scene: the little kitten I saw on the bridge.

+ Ten words

I couldn’t get the image of the kitten curled up and shivering under the wheels out of my head. It stayed silent inside me for a long time. Then one day, it resurfaced, and I began to write down ten words that came to mind: A little kitten, morning traffic, a bridge, wheels, death, life, solidarity, radio, being late, and a cry.

Those ten words became the skeleton of the story, and I breathed life into it and added flesh until it became Late Today.

On Process

Although I’ve been creating picture books for the last 19 years, when I wrote Late Today, I approached it as if it were my debut. When I develop a story, I always think about the first and last images. Once those two meet, the story naturally flows between them and finds its rhythm.

While writing this book, I decided to leave two key spreads without text—only images:

• The first shows the moment of crossing the bridge, when a flock of migratory birds flies against the flow of traffic. In that quiet moment, they seemed to be shouting, “Stop!”
• The second image depicts when everyone hesitates, and the rain pours down as if the raindrops were the kitten’s cry.

Those images were so powerful that I chose to let the Illustrations carry the emotion. I believed the image of the weeping rain could speak far more deeply than a simple sentence like, “I was sad and cried.”

So, in the manuscript, I simply wrote notes such as (image of the migratory birds flying opposite direction of the cars) and (image of heavy rain) instead of texts.

Q 3. Was your English-language/global publishing experience what you envisioned as someone new to this international #kidlit path?

Jungyoon Huh: Knowing that Late Today is now being read by readers in the U.S. still feels surreal to me. When I first wrote this story, I never imagined it would be translated into different languages. But through this journey, I’ve realized that the emotions of choice and courage are universal—no matter what language we speak, we all understand them.

The publishing process in Korea felt like a journey of exploring my inner self; while the process in the U.S. has been more like watching the book step out into the wider world.

I am deeply grateful to my Korean publisher, Wisdom House, and to Eerdmans Books for Young Readers in the U.S. for bringing this story to a global audience.

And I want to thank the translator, Aerin Park, who beautifully carried the book’s literary sensitivity and emotion into English—she is also translating this interview! I hope to continue meeting readers around the world, across borders, through future works.

Surprises

Q 4. What surprises or discoveries did you make as the book progressed from idea seed to publication? 

Jungyoon Huh: Creating a new story is always a challenge, because our daily lives often feel repetitive—yesterday’s me and today’s me are not so different. That’s why I try to observe the small cracks in everyday life from different perspectives.

Sometimes, a new story begins with a tiny change, or a faint, unfamiliar thread of emotion found in those cracks. Whenever a seed of an idea comes to my mind, I write it down without hesitation. That’s when the story begins to breathe and take on a life of its own.

Breathing together.

But creating a picture book is never something I can do alone. Through Late Today, I learned deeply that I cannot take full credit for the book’s publication and its journey to readers in another country. I felt as if everyone—the author, illustrator, publishers, editors, translator, and designers—were breathing together, beautifully orchestrating one piece of music.

This process taught me that a picture book is like a tree. Many caring hearts come together to nurture the small seed of a story until it grows, blossoms, and bears fruit.

Q 5. What surprises did the illustrator Myungae Lee bring to the book?

Jungyoon Huh: Myungae Lee’s Late Today is a painterly work of storytelling that beautifully conveys both the architecture of space and the depth of emotion. In picture books, the sequence of images isn’t simply about the passage of time—it’s structured by the rhythm of the narrative.

If the rhythm of the illustrations is too flat, readers may feel detached or find them too simple; if it’s inconsistent, the readers can grow visually tired. Myungae masterfully balanced these two elements, expressing both the psychological and visual rhythm of the story through her art.

In particular, within the confined setting of the bridge, she expanded the narrative across multiple dimensions by skillfully shifting perspectives between foreground and background and layering emotional highs and lows. Her compositions function not only as changes in viewpoint but also as shifts in emotional depth. 

For example, in one spread, a bird’s-eye view of the bus heightens the scene’s emotional impact. At that moment, the reader is no longer a distant observer but becomes the protagonist, reaching out to save the kitten. Late Today was written with the hope that readers would feel a subtle nudge of empathy—and, through Myungae’s illustrations, that rhythm would carry them gently toward a place of hope.

Favorites

Q 6. Which spread is your favorite?

Jungyoon Huh: My favorite spread in Late Today is the moment when the little kitten is mewing under the car. When I first saw that spread, I felt a deep sense of relief and joy. Seeing that small creature still sitting there, in such a simple scene, feels like a moment that can warm the world.

Another spread I cherish shows a child looking down at the kitten as it safely crosses the bridge—this gentle, sweet pause adds a moment of pause to the story.

The final spread of Late Today is not just an ending; it is a promise between two lives. That promise is the message I most hoped to share with readers.

Q 7. After 19+ years as a children’s book author, can you share any other tips or words of wisdom? What do you wish you’d known when you started?

Jungyoon Huh: When we try to write the “perfect” story, it’s easy to get lost in a maze. To avoid that, it’s important to have a big-picture view of your narrative rather than focusing on perfection from the start. Even if your plot feels rough or incomplete, quickly setting up the scaffolding of your story allows you to go with the flow and gradually fill in the details. 

I always think about how the story ends while I work. A well-established ending guides the story in the right direction and serves as its anchor, ensuring it doesn’t lose its core. A writer who knows the destination doesn’t need to feel anxious along the way.

For those creating a picture book, I encourage you to complete a dummy book. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Picture books are more about flow, rhythm, and resonance than flawless prose. A strong picture book makes the reader want to return to the beginning and experience the story again. In that lingering moment, new stories often emerge. The completion of one book is not the end; it quietly becomes the seed for the next story.

Seeds for discussion. Going beneath the simple story…

Q 8. Although Late Today seems like a simple story, it carries a message about ethical choices and inner reflection. Could you share your personal experience or the ethical reflection embedded in your work?

Jungyoon Huh: Late Today may appear simple, but it raises questions about our ethical decisions and the innner conflicts we face as human beings. That day, I wasn’t able to rescue the little kitten I saw on the bridge.

Since then, questions like “Why didn’t I stop?” and “What made me hesitate?” have stayed with me for a long time. I regretted that moment when I didn’t choose what was right and kept asking those questions again and again. What kind of choices should we make when faced with an ethical dilemma? That question became the starting point of Late Today.

I hope to hear from someone someday who says, “I was late today because I rescued a stray cat.” In that one sentence, we can find the courage and the kindness that make life meaningful.

Leaving space…

Late Today is not written in an ornate style or with flowery language. It leaves space between the lines for readers who connect with the story fill in their own feelings. Do you remember the weather forecast from the radio on endpapers? Just like the clear sky after the rain stops, I hope that every cat in the world finds peace beneath a clear sky.

Q 9. What do you hope readers will take away from this heartfelt book? 

Jungyoon Huh: We make countless choices every day—from the moment we wake up until the moment we fall asleep. Late Today, gently asks each of us, “What would you choose?”

There is no right or wrong answer; we each make our own decisions and live with their results. Yet, I believe that the way to become a better person and build a better world is often hidden within the small, unseen choices we make. It doesn’t have to be a grand act. Sometimes, a quiet, compassionate decision when no one is watching can change everything.

We all hesitate, even when we know what is right, because it may be uncomfortable or inconvenient. But if we choose courage in those moments, I believe the world becomes just a little bit kinder. If any readers have ever been late because they were brave enough to rescue an animal, I would love to hear from you and perhaps share a meal to celebrate that moment.

Endless thanks to Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

for connecting me to Jungyoon Huh for this special Book Birthday interview.

To learn more about Jungyoon Huh

follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huhjungyoon/

And go here to get a copy of this incredible book!

Next up on the blog:

We chat with Lindsey Hobson about her stellar new book, Dark Skies,

Illustrated by Makenzie McCarthy (The Little Press).

Happy BOOKtober!