Tales of Korean diaspora reflect a fascination with survivors

Krys Lee's literary debut, Drifting House, is a collection of short stories filled with Korean and Korean-American characters struggling with war, religion, and the secrets and complexities of damaged families. Lee speaks to Alison Singh Gee

Your characters are idiosyncratic and authentic. What do they say about the Korean diaspora?

My characters arise from a lifelong interest in people. Lorrie Moore has a story based in Ireland where her narrator observes that nature and its landscapes are not as complex as a single hello from a human being. That's a wise observation. My characters are people who happen to be Korean, rather than a type. The Korean diaspora is vast and idiosyncratic by nature, and the kinds of people I'm drawn to are different from those someone such as Lee Chang-rae may write about, because we come from different backgrounds.

You recently befriended a North Korean defector. Why? How did this relationship inform your writing?

I've been friends with defectors for many years and have done what work I can in the community when I'm needed. My relationships with defectors young and old have changed me as a person, which changes my fiction. I'm drawn to survivors, and North Korean defectors are some of the bravest people I've ever known. They're also often funny, quirky, and incredibly loyal to their friends.

How do you feel about reviewers comparing you to Jhumpa Lahiri and Lee Chang-rae?