American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 43 (2022) Winner
Michelle Zauner
ミシェル・ザウナー
Michelle Zauner
Pen Names:
Japanese Breakfast（Used as the band/stage name）
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1989-03-29 （Seoul, South Korea）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Seoul (frequent childhood visits) → Eugene, Oregon (raised) → Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (college) / Philadelphia → New York (residence/work) → Seoul (residing/studying for periods)
Career
- Occupations
- musician, singer, songwriter, author, video director (music videos)
- Active Years
- 2005-
- Influenced By
- Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), Björk, Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, Joe Hisaishi, Frank Ocean, The 1975
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryn Mawr College | Independent major in creative production | Creative production (independent major) | B.A. | 2007–2011 | United States |
Bryn Mawr College
Independent major in creative production
/ Creative production (independent major)
Degree:
B.A.
Period:
2007–2011
Year of Graduation:
2011
Country:
United States
Active in several bands while attending; created an independent major and graduated.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Glamour magazine essay contest (11th edition) | "Real Life: Love, Loss, and Kimchi" (essay) | — | Glamour | winner |
| 2022 | Time 100 | — | Innovators | Time | named |
| 2021 | The New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction bestseller (list inclusion) | Crying in H Mart | — | The New York Times | bestseller (spent 60 weeks on the list) |
| 2022 | Grammy Award (nomination) | Jubilee | Best Alternative Music Album | The Recording Academy | nominated |
Glamour magazine essay contest (11th edition)
2016
Work:
"Real Life: Love, Loss, and Kimchi" (essay)
Organization:
Glamour
Result:
winner
Time 100
2022
Category:
Innovators
Organization:
Time
Result:
named
The New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction bestseller (list inclusion)
2021
Work:
Crying in H Mart
Organization:
The New York Times
Result:
bestseller (spent 60 weeks on the list)
Grammy Award (nomination)
2022
Work:
Jubilee
Category:
Best Alternative Music Album
Organization:
The Recording Academy
Result:
nominated
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir
2021 memoir / non-fictionA memoir about her relationship with her mother, grieving, and reclaiming Korean heritage through food; expands upon her New Yorker essay.
loss and griefmother-daughter bondmixed-race identityfood and memory
Adaptations
- [film (planned adaptation; screenplay and soundtrack supervision)] Crying in H Mart (film adaptation) / Will Sharpe (initially attached; project later paused)
Psychopomp
2016 indie / dream pop (music album)Japanese Breakfast's debut studio album centering on grief and the death of her mother.
lossrecoverypersonal reflection
Soft Sounds from Another Planet
2017 indie pop / experimental pop (music album)Critically acclaimed second album blending experimental production with pop songwriting.
creativityself-expressioncosmic/metaphoric imagery
Jubilee
2021 indie pop / alternative (music album)Third album with a more celebratory, pop-forward sound; nominated for a Grammy Award.
joy and recoverybalancing pop accessibility with depth
For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)
2025 indie / alternative (music album)Fourth album released in 2025, featuring more guitar-forward arrangements and gloomier topics.
melancholyguitar-forward sound
Bibliography
- Crying in H Mart: A Memoir (2021)
Adaptations
- Crying in H Mart (film adaptation project; Zauner to write screenplay and supervise soundtrack; project paused)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- intimate, candid essayistic voiceemotionally direct descriptionin music, a blend of pop accessibility and experimental elements
- Recurring Motifs
- food (notably Korean cuisine)memories of motherloss and healingmixed-race identity
Health
-
depression (during high school)高校の最終学年頃Affected school life and daily functioning during senior year; linked to difficulties in creative activities and relationships at the time.
Legacy
As both musician and author, she is widely recognized for work addressing mixed-race identity and grief. Crying in H Mart achieved commercial and critical success and contributed to representation of Asian Americans and inspired younger musicians.
In Popular Culture
- Named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People (2022)
- Widespread media coverage following Crying in H Mart
Quotes
-
"Growing up in America with a Caucasian father and Korean mother, I relied on my mom for access to our Korean heritage."
Source: Crying in H Mart (memoir) (2021)
Trivia
- She chose the band name "Japanese Breakfast" after seeing a gif online.
- Married shortly before her mother's death in 2014.
- Has publicly stated she is bisexual.
- Has directed many of Japanese Breakfast's music videos.