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The Woman Who Stole the Show:
Interview with Huey Choi
By Carin Chea
To read Huey Choi’s debut memoir is to be completely immersed in the author’s universe.
A casual skim on page one of Who Stole My Pork Belly? will quickly lead you down a mesmerizing, page-turning rabbit hole into the life of a Korean-born heiress whose life changed irrevocably at the age of four.
Huey, an accomplished attorney with a background in BigLaw, has experienced more in her first few years of life than many have as adults.
Yet, despite the turbulence and sorrow, a song of resilience and grit carries the reader throughout the book. It is hard to believe this is Huey’s first book, as she blends sadness and joy so seamlessly.
But, rather than presenting readers with a grey, glum world, Huey effortlessly underscores her memoir with hope, a much-needed reminder that resilience is the most powerful of all attributes.
It was an honor (and a delight) to banter with the quirky author whose anecdotes are endless and life-giving.
Your chapters just fly by. You are such a great storyteller. Is this really your first book?
It is. I write for a living objectively, since I’m a lawyer. I read a lot of books as a child.
I really can’t believe this is your first book.
Thank you so much. That melts my heart. I’ve given away books to select friends and neighbors, and I don’t think they can tell me, “Your book sucks.”
I really wanted honest reviews. They all came back with positive comments. Some of them didn’t know the extent of my past. Some of them texted me saying, “Thank you for sharing your book and your story.”
It sounds like they were truthful! Did writing your memoir come easily?
I wrote it so quickly. I’m a full-time lawyer, a full-time caregiver for my elderly mother, and I have three rescue dogs. I wrote it late at night, when everyone was sound asleep—in my glasses and bun with a dim light and the laptop on my lap—I wrote it so fast.
It was cathartic. I cried so much. I wondered why I was doing it because the tears were dripping onto my laptop. But, when I finished it, it turned out to be the best, torturous, cathartic exercise ever.
How do you do it all? I mean, being a full-time lawyer and caregiver, and also writing this book.
Thanks to COVID, no one went into the office. Post-COVID, all my hearings are now via Zoom. Once in a while, I have to show up for court, but I’ve been lucky.
I have a post-it on my monitor that says, “Do Not Get Up,” as a reminder for my hearings. Once, we had a Zoom hearing with 20 lawyers, and this one particular lawyer got up while he was in his boxers.
Oh my God, that is my worst nightmare come true.
Can I tell you my dream?
Yes!
My biggest dream is to see this on the big screen. I’m working with my team and they’ve reached out to some folks in the industry.
I saw Who Stole My Pork Belly? has a page on IMDB already. That’s very exciting.
I’m hoping to have South Korean directors involved. In Seoul, South Korea, the 63 Building used to be the tallest skyscraper in the country. It’s gold-clad. You can’t miss it.
It was built by my family conglomerate in 1988 in commemoration of the Olympics. Now, it’s maybe the second or third tallest. When you’re flying into Seoul, you can’t miss it.
My family’s conglomerate built it; one of their business sectors was real estate and luxury construction. South Korean film producers would probably get a kick out of one of the Choi's writing a memoir.
Tell us about Who Stole My Pork Belly?
It’s my life’s journey, from being born into a powerful family in South Korea, leaving that privileged dynasty behind, immigrating to the US at the age of four, and immediately going into financial hardship.
It really speaks to the power of resilience. It was a necessity to rebuild my life from the ground up.
In the process, I found complete and utter joy in the small things in life. Small rituals like enjoying a hot cup of tea in silence in the mornings before I open up my laptop and let the chaos unfold.
The simple joys in life really helped me survive all the unfortunate things I endured, like the collapse of my family dynasty.
The book also takes you through my suffering in the world of BigLaw. I also talk about some deeply personal losses. I hesitated to go there, but I thought, “If I’m going to write this, I’m going to go all in.”
What do you want your readers to take away from your book?
Our greatest setbacks serve as a significant foundation to live an extraordinary life.
Family dynamics are difficult and complicated, but we don’t have to erase the past. As we’re choosing our own path, we can move forward and lead with compassion.
The book isn’t about blame. I’m not dwelling or pointing fingers. I’m grateful. The only thing I inherited from the Choi dynasty was my grit. Without that grit, I’m nothing.
It was such a desperately needed thing in my life. It’s not to say I didn’t fall apart. But I picked myself up after more losses than I could count. I was able to find my voice and my identity without succumbing to bitterness.
It really is about finding my peace, and the manner in which I found it, which was through sitting still.
I love my solitude. I need peace and comfort, and I actively seek it out. It could involve traveling alone or eating comfort food with my eyes closed. I actively seek out simple things that give me joy.
What made you decide to write your first memoir? Why now?
I knew, deep inside, that I had a special story to share. I endured several losses in my life. After I experienced yet another profound loss, I thought, “It’s time. It’s time to break my family’s silence and share my story publicly.”
But it was after one particularly huge loss (which I talk about in my last chapter), that forced me to write this book.
On a fun note, I have a pool man whose name is Fabio. We started sharing personal anecdotes about my childhood, and he said, “Write a book. If you write a book, I’ll read it.” So, I did!
By the way, your cover art is really great. It’s just right. It’s not cheesy, yet it’s quirky and playful. I think it really conveys a lot.
I studied graphic design in college. I love art. I used to paint a lot. I love the pop of color and design. The thing that I spent the most time on was the pig’s face—it needed to be fierce, not cute.
When do you think Who Stole My Pork Belly? will be made into a feature film?
Honestly, I hope it’s sooner rather than later so that my 83-year-old mother can enjoy it. I promised her that we would watch the movie together on the big screen while holding hands and eating popcorn.
Who would play you in the movie?
Thank you for asking me that! For the lead, I’d love Greta Lee to play the role. I want her to play Huey because she plays strong characters. On the flip side, I would also love a fresh new face, someone unknown. I’d be honored if it were Greta, but I’d also love to give someone else a break.
Are there any upcoming projects you’d like to talk about?
No. But, once in a blue moon, my mother will have me order a Filet-O-Fish from McDonald’s. The other night, it arrived, and the fish was missing. It was just the buns.
I took a picture of it and sent it to my friend, and we joked that my next book would be called Who Stole My Filet-O-Fish? But, right now, nothing is in the works.
Did you know that (God rest her soul) the Filet-O-Fish was my 102-year-old grandma’s favorite thing, too! I wonder why...
That’s so funny. I think it’s because it tastes good and it’s just the right size to fit into their small hands.
For more information, and to keep up with the fascinating Huey Choi, please visit www.WhoStoleMyPorkBelly.com
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