Isabel J. Kim

Isabel J. Kim
BornFebruary 1996 (age 30)
Morristown, New Jersey, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Pennsylvania (BA)
University of Pennsylvania Law School (JD)
Occupations
  • Writer
  • lawyer
Writing career
GenreSpeculative fiction
Notable awardsShirley Jackson Award (2021)
Nebula Award (2024)
Locus Award (2025)
Websitewww.isabel.kim

Isabel J. Kim is a Korean-American speculative fiction writer.[1][2] Her short stories have won the Nebula Award, Locus Award, BSFA Award, and Shirley Jackson Award.[3][4][5][6] Her work has been featured in Clarkesworld Magazine, Lightspeed, Apex Magazine, Strange Horizons, Fantasy Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Cast of Wonders, Reactor, and khōréō.

In April 2024, Universal International Studios acquired the rights to her planned debut novel, Sublimation.[7] The novel is part of a three-book deal with Tor Books.[8]

Early life and education

Isabel J. Kim was born in Morristown, New Jersey.[9] Her family moved to South Korea, following her father's job as a physics professor, and later California.[10] The family continued to split their time between Santa Barbara, California and Daejeon, South Korea before returning to New Jersey when Kim was eleven.[9]

Kim is a two-time graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her bachelor's degree in Creative Writing and Fine Arts before pursuing her JD at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.[11][12]

Career

Kim worked as a lawyer in New York City until late 2025 when she became a full-time writer.[13][9]

Kim started publishing speculative fiction in 2021 and won the Shirley Jackson Award for "You'll Understand When You're a Mom Someday," her second published story.[6] She won the Clarkesworld reader poll in the Best Short Story category for "Calf Cleaving in the Benthic Black" in 2022.[14] Her work has appeared on the Locus Recommended Reading List for 2021, 2022, and 2023.[15][16][17]

She was nominated for the Astounding Award for Best New Writer in 2023 in her second year of eligibility for the award.[18] Her story "Why Don't We Just Kill the Kid In the Omelas Hole" won the 2024 Nebula Award for Best Short Story, the 2024 BSFA Award for Short Fiction, and the 2025 Locus Award for Best Short Story.[3][5][4] It was a finalist for the 2025 Hugo Award for Best Short Story and the 2025 Theodore Sturgeon Award.[19][20][21]

In 2024, Kim co-authored an interactive fiction game A Death in Hyperspace (Infomancy.net) with nine other writers: Stewart C. Baker, Phoebe Barton, James Beamon, Kate Heartfield, Sara S. Messenger, JingJing Xiao, Natalia Theodoridou, M. Darusha Wehm, and Merc Fenn Wolfmoor. It won the 2024 Nebula Award for Best Game Writing.[22]

She co-hosts the internet culture podcast Wow If True with journalist Amanda Silberling.[23]

Kim's short story "Wire Mother" was a finalist for the 2026 Locus Award.[24]

Her story "Human Voices" is nominated for the 2026 Ignyte Award for Outstanding Novelette.[25]

Kim's debut novel, Sublimation, was published on June 2, 2026 from Tor Books. It was one of USA Today's "Most anticipated books of 2026," and became an instant USA Today Bestseller.[26][27] It received a starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist.[28][29]

"A strikingly original work of speculative fiction that brilliantly uses an audacious conceit—that immigration literally splits a person into two separate “instances” of themselves, one who moves to their new home and one who stays behind... A sharp, deeply felt first outing from a writer already at the top of her game." —Publishers Weekly, starred review of Sublimation[28]

Awards

Year[30] Title Award Category Result Ref
2021 "You'll Understand When You're a Mom Someday" Shirley Jackson Award Short Fiction Won [6]
2023 — Astounding Award for Best New Writer — Finalist [18]
2024 A Death in Hyperspace (co-author) Nebula Award Game Writing Won [22]
"Why Don't We Just Kill the Kid In the Omelas Hole" BSFA Award Short Story Won [5]
Nebula Award Short Story Won [3]
2025 Hugo Award Short Story Finalist [19]
Locus Award Short Story Won [4]
Theodore Sturgeon Award — Finalist [20]
2026 "Wire Mother" Hugo Award Short Story Pending [31]
Locus Award Short Story Finalist [24]
"Human Voices" Ignyte Award Novelette Pending [25]

Bibliography

Novel

  • Sublimation. Tor Books. 2026. ISBN 9781250376794.

Short fiction

  • "Homecoming is Just Another Word for the Sublimation of the Self", Clarkesworld Magazine (March 2021)[32]
  • "You'll Understand When You're a Mom Someday" khōréō (October 2021)[33]
  • "AP Practical Literary Theory Suggests This Is a Quest", Cast of Wonders (November 2021)[34]
  • "Clay", Beneath Ceaseless Skies (January 2022)[35]
  • "The Massage Lady at Munjeong Road Bathhouse", Clarkesworld Magazine (February 2022)[36]
  • "Plausible Realities, Improbable Dreams", Lightspeed Magazine (February 2022)[37]
  • "Christopher Mills, Return to Sender", Fantasy Magazine (February 2022)[38]
  • "You, Me, Her, You, Her, I", Strange Horizons (June 2022)[39]
  • "Termination Stories for the Cyberpunk Dystopia Protagonist", Clarkesworld Magazine (July 2022)[40]
  • "Calf Cleaving in the Benthic Black", Clarkesworld Magazine (November 2022)[41]
  • "The Big Glass Box and the Boys Inside", Apex Magazine (January 2023)[42]
  • "The Narrative Implications of Your Untimely Death", Lightspeed Magazine (January 2023)[43]
  • "Zeta-Epsilon", Clarkesworld Magazine (March 2023)[44]
  • "Day Ten Thousand", Clarkesworld Magazine (June 2023)[45]
  • "The Labyrinth Loop", Assemble Artifacts (June 2023)
  • "You Will Not Live to See M/M Horrors Beyond Your Comprehension", Lightspeed Magazine (August 2023)[46]
  • "Why Don't We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole", Clarkesworld Magazine (February 2024)[21]
  • "Freediver," Reactor (September 2025)[47]
  • "Human Voices", Lightspeed Magazine (September 2025)[48]
  • "Wire Mother", Clarkesworld Magazine (October 2025)[49]
  • "The Perpetual Post", Reactor (May 2026)[50]
  • "Nomenclature", Strange Pilgrims (May 2026)

Anthology appearances

References

  1. ↑ "Isabel J. Kim". Strange Horizons. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  2. ↑ "Isabel J. Kim, author". Lightspeed. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  3. 1 2 3 "Nebula Awards Winners 2024". Locus Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
  4. 1 2 3 "2025 Locus Awards Winners". Locus Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
  5. 1 2 3 "2024 BSFA Awards Winners". Locus Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
  6. 1 2 3 "2021 Shirley Jackson Award Winners – The Shirley Jackson Awards". Archived from the original on 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  7. ↑ White, Peter (2024-04-11). "Sci-Fi Novel 'Sublimation' Lands At Universal International Studios For TV Adaptation". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  8. ↑ "Revealing Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim". Reactor.com. Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  9. 1 2 3 Sorg, Arley. "To Know, and to Have a Choice: A Conversation with Isabel J. Kim". Clarkesworld. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
  10. ↑ Gómez, Luis A. "Isabel J. Kim Makes Her Own World". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
  11. ↑ Uncharted (2022-08-16). "The Spare Moments: An Interview with Isabel J. Kim". Uncharted. Archived from the original on 2024-02-24. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  12. ↑ "Interview with Author Isabel J. Kim". Apex Book Company. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  13. ↑ Rubino, Kathryn. "Biglaw Associate Determined To Keep At Law Job After 7-Figure Book Deal And TV Adaptation". abovethelaw.com. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  14. ↑ "Clarkesworld Magazine - Science Fiction & Fantasy". Clarkesworld Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-02-29. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  15. ↑ locusmag (2022-02-01). "2021 Locus Recommended Reading List". Locus Online. Archived from the original on 2023-04-01. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  16. ↑ locusmag (2023-02-01). "2022 Recommended Reading List". Locus Online. Archived from the original on 2024-02-09. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  17. ↑ locusmag (2024-02-01). "2023 Recommended Reading List". Locus Online. Archived from the original on 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  18. 1 2 "2023 Hugo Awards". The Hugo Awards. 2023-07-06. Archived from the original on 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  19. 1 2 "2025 Hugo Awards". World Science Fiction Society. 2025-04-10. Archived from the original on 2025-04-25. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
  20. 1 2 "Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award 2025". Science Fiction Awards Database. Locus. Archived from the original on 2025-07-09. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
  21. 1 2 Kim, Isabel J. (February 2024). "Why Don't We Just Kill the Kid In the Omelas Hole". Clarkesworld Magazine. Archived from the original on 2024-02-07. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  22. 1 2 "Here Are the Winners of the 2024 Nebula Awards". Reactor. Retrieved 2026-06-26.
  23. ↑ "Wow If True". Wow If True. Archived from the original on 2024-03-03. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
  24. 1 2 "2026 Locus Award Winners". Locus Magazine. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  25. 1 2 "2026 Ignyte Awards Finalists". Locus Online. June 8, 2026. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Most anticipated books of 2026". USA Today. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
  27. ↑ "USA TODAY's Best-selling Booklist". USA Today. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
  28. 1 2 "Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
  29. ↑ "Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim". booklistonline.com. Retrieved 2026-06-10.
  30. ↑ year based on official award year
  31. ↑ "Here Are the Finalists for the 2026 Hugo Awards". Reactor. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  32. ↑ "Homecoming is Just Another Word for the Sublimation of the Self". Clarkesworld Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  33. ↑ "You'll Understand When You're a Mom Someday". khōréō. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  34. ↑ "AP Practical Literary Theory Suggests This Is A Quest (Or: What Danny Did Over Spring Break)". Cast of Wonders. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
  35. ↑ "Clay". Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  36. ↑ "The Massage Lady at Munjeong Road Bathhouse". Clarkesworld Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  37. ↑ "Plausible Realities, Improbable Dreams". Lightspeed Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  38. ↑ "Christopher Mills, Return to Sender by Isabel J. Kim". Psychompomp.com. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
  39. ↑ "You, Me, Her, You, Her, I". Strange Horizons. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  40. ↑ "Termination Stories for the Cyberpunk Dystopia Protagonist". Clarkesworld Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  41. ↑ "Calf Cleaving in the Benthic Black". Clarkesworld Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  42. ↑ "The Big Glass Box and the Boys inside". Apex Book Company. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  43. ↑ "The Narrative Implications of Your Untimely Death". Lightspeed Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  44. ↑ "Zeta-Epsilon". Clarkesworld Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  45. ↑ "Day Ten Thousand". Clarkesworld Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  46. ↑ "You Will Not Live to See M/M Horrors Beyond Your Comprehension". Lightspeed Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  47. ↑ "Freediver". Reactor. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  48. ↑ Kim, Isabel J. (September 2025). "Human Voices". Lightspeed Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
  49. ↑ Kim, Isabel J. (October 2025). "Wire Mother". Clarkesworld Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  50. ↑ "The Perpetual Post". Reactor. Retrieved 2026-05-22.
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