Actor John Cho can add the title of author to his growing list of accolades. Cho just released a novel aimed at middle schoolers, set during the 1992 L.A. riots. The actor, known best for “Better Luck Tomorrow” and “Harold and Kumar,” said that while he originally wanted to write a mystery, he eventually realized that it was important to him to highlight the changing world and its complexities instead.
The pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, the protests that followed, and the anti-Asian hate are what inspired the 49-year-old to write a coming-of-age book about this time for preteens. That’s how Cho’s novel, Troublemaker, came to be. The book follows 12-year-old Jordan, a middle schooler in Los Angeles, struggling to define his identity.
Cho said writing this story for kids and teenagers (ages 9-13) made sense to him, and he is proud to highlight social injustice for kids coming into their own.
