Eunji Lim is a Korean New York City-based actor, writer, director, and teacher. Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Lim graduated from Seoul’s Kookmin University in 2015 and went on to receive an MFA from the Actors Studio Drama School.

She recently played Bora in Dimes Square, an exploration of the micro-Manhattan neighborhood of the same name by playwright Matthew Gasda. Lim is currently working on her own play, Elect Angels, which explores the immigrant experience.

Tell me a bit about your character in Dimes Square. Did you relate to her? Did you find her likable?

My character, Bora, was coming from a different country and doing what she wanted. Thankfully, Matthew (the Playwright/Director of Dimes Square) wrote the character so that she was similar to me. Her mother tongue is Korean and she was separated from her family but following her dreams passionately. An outsider by her will but an insider at the same time. I love Bora’s characteristics. Maybe I became easily fond of her because we have similar qualities, but just as who she was, she was already cool and likable. I loved every moment of being her and exploring her journey with friendship, career, and relationships.

Dimes Square was held in unconventional venues. What was it like performing in a loft rather than on a stage?

It was definitely a different experience, refreshing and unique. It felt very intimate and private because some venues were real apartments that someone was living in. It felt like our scenes were happening in real life, but the audience member’s eyes were also very closed and I was surrounded by them, so they were experiencing the moment as I was experiencing it. It made me feel like I was naked in front of them but also supported by them at the same time. Fun dynamic.

What kind of roles are you most drawn to? Do you prefer playing a character you can relate to or someone who is totally different from you?

I honestly think it depends on the story and the character but I think, speaking for myself, I feel more close and can sympathize with them more easily when they are relatable to me. But when they are totally different from me, I find them so attractive. Because, if I were them, I would never speak or act the way they do. It’s satisfying. It’s challenging and intriguing to explore something I’m not really familiar with. If they are in a circumstance I can relate to, I would say it’s like I’m receiving a gift for free because I will grasp why they are the way they are.

What is your acting process like in terms of getting into character?

I read the script and grasp who they are from the basics, then build a relationship with them. I focus on finding intersections between me and them and then get curious about the reasons they are different from me. Then, I’ll move to explore, refine, and craft their emotion with delicacy.

You’re currently working on a play of your own, Elect Angels, about your experience as an immigrant. What aspect of the immigrant experience did you feel most compelled to write about and share?

For Elect Angels, I wanted to share the experience of stepping into the unknown, immersing yourself, and finding your inner center. When I first came to New York City, even though the city I grew up in — Seoul, South Korea — has similar aspects of culture, it was still very different. Everything was new, and I had to learn from the beginning and endure new depths of emotion. But I was always surrounded by good people, like angels of God. In the journey into the unknown, I’ve grown up so much and learned humanity is the same wherever you are. I wanted to share this aspect of my experience — sometimes it could be conflict and struggle, but it eventually ended with me peacefully accepting the barrier of language, culture, religion, and perspective.

What lesson do you hope people who were born in America will take away from your play?

I hope the audience will witness, listen, and taste our story as the experience of opening a new perspective. At the same time, I hope they’ll be curious about the reasons they are the way they are because I believe there is always a reason behind your way of being. Further, we could reflect on ourselves being indifferent or ignorant about things we get used to, or even living without noticing.

What is your writing process like? Do you write every day?

For plays, I usually plan and make a map in my head for the relationships and story, and then I start writing. I’ve found that I need to know what I’m going to write, so, before I begin, I am taking time for ‘What.’ But for essays, I begin to write at the very second the thoughts come to my mind. I hope to write every day, but writing takes lots of energy! When my brain and heart help me, I can write more frequently than usual.

How would you describe your “voice” as a writer?

Every voice has its own unique sound that no one can replace or alter, I think. My voice has been built with a foundation of different experiences and histories, as a woman, Korean, daughter, sister, friend, foreigner, immigrant, lover, and artist. These identities allow me to have my own voice, and I hope to make harmonies with different voices in order to empathize and embody another person’s life.

Who are your biggest artistic inspirations?

There are so many, but for today, I would choose Greta Gerwig. She is an actor, writer, and director. As an actor, in every film she’s in, she is so genuine, and true to herself as a character, which made me love her work. As a director and writer, her films are so well made, and the stories are relatable, sentimental, and sophisticated, but funny at the same time, as witty as she is. I find her very inspiring that she’s been making her path by achieving good work while wearing many different hats.

You’re an actor, writer, and director. Which of those titles are you feeling most excited/inspired about right now?

Actor. Actor is the word that always makes my heart pump.

You studied acting at the Actors Studio Drama School. Now that you’re out of school and working as an actor, what’s one lesson you learned at school that you often use in your life?

Self-awareness. I learned how important it is as an actor to have awareness of myself. It’s key whether I’m on stage or on set. “Am I really here?” “Bring myself into this room.” I repeat these things to myself sometimes. And it’s been very fruitful in my real life as well.

What’s a piece of theatre you’ve seen recently that inspired you?

Recently I saw the show SOFT by Donja R. Love at MCC Theater. The story was so special, every moment was captivating, and the chemistry of the cast was compelling. The show kept making me ask myself, “Have I thought about this? How much have I known and cared about this type of experience?”It was so unique, because I haven’t experienced this type of story before, and it made me open my perspective and learn about understanding different colors of love, mercy, and how beautiful it is to keep trying to have hope by celebrating each other.

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