Welcome to Iris Writes!
I’m Iris (Yi Youn) Kim, a Korean American writer and reporter based in L.A. I’ve written essays about double eyelid surgery, my mom’s son-mat, substance use disorder as a survivor, and Korea’s division for outlets like NBC Asian America, Harper’s Bazaar, Electric Literature, and The Rumpus.
Iris Writes is an extension of those reflections, in a more diaristic, less polished form. You can expect to see musings on everything from what I’m currently reading/consuming to an identity-related question I’m exploring.
You can find some of my writing and Instagram here.
Thank you for joining me on this Substack journey!

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People
Iris (Yi Youn) Kim is a solutions reporter for NBC News. She has also written for TIME, Harper’s Bazaar, and The Rumpus covering politics, identity and culture. She is working on a memoir about her search for justice against her abuser & alma mater.