Let's Talk Illustrators #381: Myungae Lee

I read Late Today––by Jungyoon Huh and Myungae Lee and translated by Aerin Park––back in June and instantly fell in love with the story and illustrations. It is such an honor to present my interview today with illustrator Myungae about the book, digging into what makes it so special. Enjoy!!

About the book:

One rainy morning, the Seogang Bridge hums with traffic--and in between the cars is a tiny kitten. People mutter to themselves, but no one wants to stop or slow down. The raindrops pelt the road; the cars screech and honk; the kitten mews. Finally one car pulls over...

Check out the endpapers:

Let's talk Myungae Lee!

LTPB: How did you become the illustrator of Late Today? What were the first images that popped into your mind when you saw Jungyoon Huh’s text?

ML: I both write and illustrate, but when I am asked by an author or the publisher to illustrate a book, I begin by carefully reviewing the manuscript. The very first image that came to mind for Late Today was a small, a few-weeks-old kitten, instinctively aware of danger, trying to find its way, but feeling lost. I also thought that setting the story on Seogang Bridge, right near where I live, would be fitting: the red-framed bridge on a cloudy day would be visually striking, and illustrating a scene I know well gave me confidence in my work.

Photo of the three creators taken by the same bridge in the book, the Seogang Bridge in South Korean (L to R: Jungyoon Huh, Myungae Lee, Aerin Park).

LTPB: What did you find most difficult in creating this book? What did you find most rewarding?

ML: Compared to other previous works, working within such a confined space was particularly challenging. When the story unfolds in only one location, it limits the illustrator’s choices and can risk making the images feel flat or monotonous. In most picture books, protagonists move through multiple settings like going in and out, but in this book, the kitten’s only route is a short, dangerous crossing from the left to the right lane. I had to carefully consider layouts from multiple perspectives to maintain visual interest and tension.

From a human perspective, crossing the bridge may seem simple, but from the kitten’s point of view, it is overwhelmingly wide. To heighten the reader’s emotional engagement, I took extra care in directing each scene, ensuring the struggle of the kitten was vividly felt from the perspective of someone watching.

This particular spread is my favorite and the most rewarding, after many attempts and much reflection throughout this long and challenging process.

LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Is this your preferred medium? How does your process change from book to book?

ML: I choose the medium based on the mood of the picture book and the emotional journey of the protagonist. Because of this, I have used a variety of mediums in different books.

For Late Today, I primarily used pastels and colored pencils to convey the warmth and tenderness of the story. My process begins with rough sketches, including details that may not be specified in the manuscript. 

Once the initial sketches are complete, I refine the illustrations with colored pencils, adding the details and subtleties I may have missed in the first drafts.

LTPB: What are you working on now? Anything you can show us?

ML: Plastic Island, previously published in Korea and recently republished, will be released in the U.S. next spring. The story explores environmental issues through the theme of “garbage island.” I’ve just completed that project and am now brainstorming my next book, inspired by a Korean folktale. This upcoming work will fall somewhere between a picture book and a graphic novel, blending elements of both styles. I hope to publish it next year, as long as I can finish it in time 🙂

LTPB: If you got the chance to write your own picture book autobiography, who (dead or alive!) would you want to illustrate it, and why?

ML: My own autobiography? Haha! I don’t think that I’d really want one, but if I had to, I’d choose Dick Bruna, the creator of Miffy. He’s my favorite illustrator and picture book author, and I still keep and treasure his series. I think he could draw me in a simple but adorable way and capture my life story without making it too realistic or serious. Honestly, even thinking about it already terrifies me!

Thank you so much to Myungae for answering questions for me about this sweet book! Late Today published in September from from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers!

Special thanks to Myungae and Eerdmans for use of these images!

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