How I made the characters for the Mochi Promise

When I started writing The Mochi Promise, the first character who came to me was Ted. I knew I wanted him to be from London because that’s home for me, and I wanted a character who felt real, not polished or perfect. Ted is a mix of little parts of myself and the people I grew up around on the council estate. Some of his personality comes from friends I knew back then, and some from people who lived nearby those everyday, real London characters who are funny, loyal, and sometimes a bit rough around the edges but always full of heart.

I didn’t want Ted to be some rich, flawless K-drama lead. I wanted him to be someone you might actually meet, someone who works hard, who carries his own struggles, and who doesn’t always see his own worth. Writing him felt natural because I understood where he came from, the kind of upbringing he had, and the environment that shaped him.

Soo-Ah, on the other hand, came from my love of K-dramas. I wanted her to have that soft, emotional depth you often see in Korean shows, but still feel grounded. She isn’t a perfect idol or rich heiress—she’s someone trying to find her place in the world, just like Ted. Their differences made them interesting, but their similarities made them fit.

A lot of the side characters came from memories too. People I grew up with, people I walked past every day, even bits of conversations I overheard on buses or in cafés. I think that’s why the book feels so personal to me. It’s made from real pieces of real people, mixed in with the imagination and K-drama energy I love so much.

Writing these characters taught me that stories don’t have to come from perfect places. They can come from who you were, who you knew, and the life you lived. That’s what made The Mochi Promise feel real to me and I hope it feels real to readers too.