About | robinha

Robin Ha (she/her) is the award-winning author/illustrator of the graphic novel memoir Almost American Girl. Raised in Seoul, South Korea, she spent her childhood reading and drawing comics. At fourteen, she moved to the United States, where she later studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her comics and illustrations have appeared in various publications, including the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, as well as in anthologies highlighting Asian American culture, including Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now, New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei, and Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology (Secret Identities). She is also the author of the New York Times best-selling comic recipe book Cook Korean!: A Comic Book With Recipes. Her third graphic novel, The Fox Maidens is published by Balzer and Bray in February 2024. Robin is currently working on a graphic novel cookbook, Instant Noodles and Beyond, scheduled to be published in 2026 by Harvest.

For her upcoming events and news, please follow her on Instagram.

For any inquiries, please contact Robin here.

Robin is part of the VCA Teaching Artist Roster, which helps schools and community groups in Virginia to

invite her to do workshops through the Arts In Practice Grant. Please visit vca.virginia.gov for more information.

TALKS + WORKSHOPS

Robin speaks on a host of exciting topics and has given talks and workshop presentations to groups across North America, including the National Museum of Asian Art, the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, the Center for Fiction, the University of Georgia, the New York Public Library, and many more.

Speaking topics

Comics Career Talk

I have always wanted to be a cartoonist and went to an art school to learn how to draw. But newsflash: most colleges don't teach you how to become a professional artist. In this talk, I will share with you my journey from a comics-obsessed girl in South Korea to a best-selling graphic novelist in America.

Tasty Colors

When I was young, I thought cooking and drawing were not related to each other at all. It wasn't until I became an adult and started cooking for myself that I discovered that making food and making visual art are similar in many ways. Creativity lives in all of us and different people express it in different ways. In this visual presentation, we will explore how our creativity can help us connect and find joy within ourselves in hopes that everyone can open themselves up to becoming more creative.

Food as Language: Korean Cuisine and Asian American Identity

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing demographic in the United States, yet they are often still viewed as outsiders. As a 1.5-generation Korean American author, I have experienced life between two cultures—observing both from the inside and the outside. This talk explores the challenges and joys of Asian American identity, examining how society shapes our understanding of race, belonging, and cultural expression. Through the lens of Korean food culture, we will also explore how food serves as a powerful language of identity and connection. Drawing from my work as the creator of Cook Korean!, I will share the richness of Korean cuisine, its bold flavors, and its adaptability to everyday cooking, highlighting how Korean ingredients and techniques can bring creativity, pride, and cultural meaning to the table.

Workshops

Memoir graphic novel workshop (All ages, no experience needed)

Is your diary brimming with exciting stories? And do you love to read comics? Walter-Award-Honoree graphic novelist, Robin Ha will walk you through how you can transform your life into a graphic novel. You'll learn a step-by-step process of selecting and refining your personal stories, planning out your graphic novel, and drawing the comic pages. This workshop can be presented in a single seminar or in multiple sessions with more in-depth lessons, in-class assignments, and critiques.

Intro to making comics (All ages, no experience needed)

Do you love to read comics and want to be a comic artist someday? This workshop is for you! You only need paper and pencil and a story idea to start. NYT bestselling graphic novelist, Robin Ha will help you jump-start your comic book idea and bring it out onto paper. The workshop will examine comics as a powerful storytelling medium and teach you to use all the elements in comics in the most effective way to tell your story. From brainstorming your story, and developing your characters to page layouts, you'll get a comprehensive lesson on the creative process of making comics. This workshop can be presented in a single seminar or in multiple sessions with more in-depth lessons, in-class assignments, and critiques.

Recipe comics workshop (All ages, no experience needed)

This workshop will teach you a step-by-step process of selecting, and refining personal recipes, drawing them, and creating sequential art that you can share with your friends and family.

Mini-comics zine workshop (All ages, no experience needed)

Did you know that many established cartoonists started their careers by making mini-comics zines and selling them at art festivals and local bookstores? Zines are self-published, small booklets that are printed at home or by using a self-service printer and distributed by the maker. It is a low-cost way to explore your creativity and engage with your communities. This workshop will teach you the basic process of making mini-comics zines from idea to print. You will learn how to refine your ideas for the zine, make the book layout, and explore various visual mediums including pen and ink and collages.

Selected Press

The Comics Beat

INTERVIEW: In ALMOST AMERICAN GIRL, the universal language of comics connected Robin Ha to her new culture
https://www.comicsbeat.com/interview-robin-ha-almost-american-girl/

The Nerds of Color

A Conversation with ‘Almost American Girl’ Robin Ha

https://thenerdsofcolor.org/2020/02/23/a-conversation-with-almost-american-girl-robin-ha/

NPR: All Things Considered

Robin Ha's New Cookbook Mixes Korean Cuisine With Comics

https://www.npr.org/2016/09/01/492288849/robin-has-new-cookbook-mixes-korean-cuisine-with-comics

The Witch Wave #125

https://witchwavepodcast.com/episodes/2024/3/5/125-robin-ha-the-fox-maidens-graphic-novelist

Shift Drink

Robin Ha: Korean Hand, American Girl

https://open.spotify.com/episode/644lGolAmEiGEXY2sRPYon

Video