When a beloved TV dad dies, his on-screen wife — who was also his off-screen mistress — ends up under the same roof as their TV son and her real-life daughter. That's the deliciously messy premise of Mary H.K. Choi's Pool House. The adult debut follows Moon, an out-of-work actress and recovering addict, and her daughter, Stevie, who’s desperate to escape LA and her mom’s orbit.
To save money, the two are living in their glass-walled pool house — until Adam (who played Moon’s kid on television and is Stevie’s longtime crush) arrives for the funeral and they all move back into the main house. What follows is a sharp, funny, and immersive portrait of grief, fame, and complex mommy issues. We asked Choi a few questions. Here’s what she had to say…
Q: What’s a corner of the internet you recently discovered?
Choi: The YouTube show Interior Motives, where host Ben Mora and an astute, usually ruthless guest forensically examine the image of a room to guess the age, sexuality, gender, and location of the person who inhabits it. The photos are user-submitted and it’s astonishing how good they are. The Courtney Love and Ivy Wolk episode particularly ate.
Q: What’s one thing you can’t stop listening to?
Choi: Bandsplain podcast host Yasi Salek’s monthlong-plus coverage of Madonna. A Herculean feat powered by untrammeled love.
Q: What’s the one place everyone needs to visit?
Choi: Namdaemun Market in Seoul, Korea. It’s as if the entire shopping part of the internet were suddenly live-action. You can buy absolutely anything there. It’s paradise for someone like me, who can’t impulse-purchase without meeting the artifact beforehand. It’s glorious.
Q: What's your favorite unapologetic indulgence?
Choi: Candy. I eat it every day. Specifically, I love Sockerbit, and Kopiko cappuccinos. It’s just an instant little party you can throw yourself at any moment.
Q: What’s one thing everyone needs to watch?
Choi: Sliding Doors. I somehow vehemently believe this to be my one answer. Two endings. But also, the clothes and hair alone.
Q: What’s the one thing you can't leave the house without?
Choi: Earplugs. In every pocket and every bag.
Q: What’s the last thing you read that you can’t stop thinking about?
Choi: Author and economics commentator Kyla Scanlon’s newsletter about how the capabilities of AI have been grossly overestimated.
PS: To learn what Gwyneth Paltrow rom-com Choi believes everyone needs to watch (spoiler: not Shakespeare in Love), read our extended author interview here.
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