Jin Soo Chun

I am looking to acquire fiction across all genres for young adult, middle grade, picture books (ages 4–8), and graphic novels. I also accept nonfiction submissions only if they are in graphic novel or picture book format. Please note that I do not accept unagented submissions.

I’m drawn to vividly imagined stories propelled by an unforgettable, diverse cast of characters—ranging from the spunky and spirited to the devious and terrible—and to books that balance dynamic, cinematic storytelling with lively dialogue and emotionally stirring prose.

In my free time, you can find me watching Korean variety programs, reading manga/manhwa, or nerding out over Succession, Beef, Bob’s Burgers, Schitt’s Creek, Ponyo, the Spider-Verse movies, Hunter x Hunter, Blue Eye Samurai, Akane-banashi, and the works of Hirokazu Kore-eda.

What I’m Looking For

• High-concept, character-driven stories with beautiful writing—books that balance commercial appeal with literary depth. I acquire across all genres; please see my “Do Not Send” list for exceptions.
• Stories that humanize characters through their flaws and mistakes and allow for growth without compromising the essence of who the characters are.
• Protagonists who are spunky, scrappy, or have a bratty streak.

• • Spunky: Junie B. Jones, Ella from Ella Enchanted, Alexandria from Goose Chase, Yotsuba from Yotsuba&!, Ponyo, Mei from My Neighbor Totoro.
  • Scrappy: Claudia and Jamie from From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Arya from A Song of Ice and Fire, Martin from Hidden Talents, Deku from My Hero Academia.
  • Bratty: Artemis Fowl, Nathaniel from the Bartimaeus Sequence, Chihiro from Spirited Away, Ramona, Sansa from A Song of Ice and Fire, Killua from Hunter x Hunter, Helga from Hey, Arnold!
• I love pompous child geniuses, but they have to be balanced out by peers/friends who call out their flaws (usually social ineptness and/or a lack of street smarts) in a manner that is humorous and delightful (e.g., Artemis and Holly/Mulch from Artemis Fowl, Nathaniel and Bartimaeus from the Bartimaeus Sequence, and Kageyama and essentially everyone from Haikyu!!).
• Characters of different age groups thrown into unique situations together
• Strong sibling dynamics (e.g., Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi, A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Full Metal Alchemist, Mexikid, The Two Princesses of Bamarre)
• Monsters/supernatural creatures from all over the world. However, I am currently not interested in stories centered around fae, nine-tailed foxes, or selkies.
• Fresh, well-researched twists on folklore, fairy tales, and mythology, especially those from non-Western or Indigenous cultures.
• Survival stories (e.g., Hatchet, Brian’s Winter, Yellowjackets)
• Stories featuring characters from a wide range of backgrounds, including culture, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, differently abled bodies, neurodivergence, and socioeconomic diversity. Please note that I am not looking for stories where a marginalized character’s primary conflict centers on identity.
• Books tackling difficult topics that are balanced with moments of levity

Picture books

• Quiet, contemplative, emotionally resonant stories like Sydney Smith’s Small in the City, Peter Van den Ende’s The Wanderer, and Shaun Tan’s The Arrival
• Stories about feisty, rambunctious kids, troublemakers, and oddballs
• Children expressing themselves through fashion, art, dance, music, or other creative outlets. Fashion/dressing up is a particular favorite!
• Accessible explorations of the natural world or sciences with striking art that fills readers with awe
• Celebrations of the complex, rich interior lives of children, their curiosity, and their imagination (e.g., Milo Imagines the World, Where the Wilds Things Are, Julián Is a Mermaid)
• Wry, offbeat humor reminiscent of Jon Klassen, Aaron Reynolds, or Mo Willems.

Graphic novel/nonfiction 

• MG and up; no early readers
• Please refer to the preferences in my “What I’m Looking For,” “Middle Grade,” and “Young Adult” sections. I am also looking for:
  • Slice-of-life stories (e.g., Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey, Himawari House, Nodame Cantabile, Yotsuba&!, Tamen de Gushi, Sakamachi no Apollon)
  • Memoirs
  • Historical fiction and nonfiction

Middle Grade

• Contained worlds/settings (e.g., The Doll People, Arrietty, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Children of the Red King) as well as epic adventures 
• Hair-raising, atmospheric stories steeped in a creeping sense of horror or unease
• Ghost and witchy tales
• Kid detectives 
• Stories featuring wacky, offbeat adults (both villainous and kindhearted)
• Speculative fiction/magical realism grounded in contemporary life (e.g., Flip and Hidden Talents by David Lubar, Louis Sachar’s Holes and Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me) 

Young Adult

• Romance is very welcomed but should be a subplot. I am, however, open to books that have romance as a primary focus when they are about star-crossed lovers—meaning high stakes, big emotions, and ambiguous or tragic endings (e.g., Tuck Everlasting, The Song of Achilles, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind).
• Horror/thriller, ranging from anything that gives me light goosebumps to making me lie wide awake at night
• Murder mysteries (contemporary or fantastical). I’m not the right fit for cozy mysteries.

Do Not Send

• Contemporary stories unless they are high-concept or have a speculative hook
• Romantasy
• Nonfiction, historical fiction, or memoirs/autobiographies/biographies, except in picture book or graphic novel format
• Board books
• Picture books oriented around food unless it’s nonfiction
• Sweet, saccharine stories
• Books where complex relationships are resolved neatly with a single conversation
• Stories about kids of color wanting to fit into a white community
• Robot- or AI-centered stories
• Novels in verse
• Stories about marginalized characters where the main conflict revolves around issues with identity
• Message-driven books focused on imparting lessons

Submission Guidelines

I acquire agented submissions only. Agents, please email my Simon & Schuster email address with the full pitch and manuscript!