A conversation with Esther Charlie Kim
Esther Charlie Kim
There are many reasons to feel despair right now — all seems to be falling apart.
Yet tucked away in the folds of our world also lie many reasons to feel joy — and Namu is one of them.
I discovered this brand of premium tea lattes through a mutual connection, design studio Red Sparrow Design, which created its minimal yet luminous branding and website ahead of its launch just over a year ago.
Founded by Esther Charlie Kim, Namu is so much more than a brew. It emerged through cracks in the darkness, when a country and a heart were breaking. Meaning ‘tree’ in Korean, Namu is rooted in resilience, connecting one of Charlie’s personal daily rituals into something far deeper.
Each morning, as the sun would rise and before her children would awaken, Charlie would make herself a cup of tea, sit in front of the large tree that she could see from her porch, and promise herself three things:
Have faith in unwavering love.
Believe in becoming strong like that tree.
Devote my life to helping others.
At around this particular moment in Charlie’s life, a chance encounter with an old friend led her to begin supporting charity work in Afghanistan, as the country transitioned under Taliban rule and descended into chaos. This ultimately sparked the idea for launching her own business as a means of generating money to donate it towards supporting the most vulnerable in the country. Namu was born.
Offering two brews of saffron lattes — Golden Brew and a matcha variant — Charlie has created a powdered latte infused with tea and saffron threads that have been directly sourced from small farms led by women in Afghanistan. Not only is each brew bursting with powerful health benefits that derive from saffron’s unique qualities, but also, every cup directly empowers the families that cultivate this precious spice.
10% of all of Namu’s profits are donated to people and organisations that are working on the ground in Afghanistan to help educate young girls and support families that are most in need — in itself, incredibly inspiring. Yet what is most worthy about Namu is not the business and the funds that Charlie is cultivating, expanding, and donating. It is the way in which it shows us of the transformative power of our personal darkness. When we are able to harness it to help us push towards the light, this in itself will ripple light outwards towards others. All we need to remember is just how impactful our single actions can be, no matter how small they may appear to be.
As the year draws to a close and the uncertainty of what the coming months will bring looms on the horizon, I felt called to ask Charlie ten questions drawn from the Proust Questionnaire — a questionnaire that originated from a parlour game popularised by French essayist Marcel Proust back in the 1900s and which was designed to reveal the player’s true nature. I was certain that her answers and the Namu story would show us how, with the right intention, we can take any moment, even the darkest, and alchemise it into light that expands and elevates. I was right.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Fly back home from a productive and inspiring work trip, which was also filled with quality time with dear friends. Drop off bags at home, grab an Americano, and sit by the waters and trees for a moment to myself. Pick up the kids. Back at home, we eagerly share a comforting, delicious meal that's been picked up — all scattered reading or watching TV to wind down. Then at bedtime, all together with cozy cuddles, catching up and prayer. Unpack my bags, make some tea, and sink into bed early for a good night's rest next to someone I really love. Fall asleep, grateful and ready to get back to work and connecting with friends back at home.
What is your current state of mind?
Focused and determined.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, who or what would she/he/it be and why?
I'd come back as myself but way older! I'd love to devote my life to championing and mentoring others, helping them grow in their own endeavours.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I wish I were physically healthier.
What is your greatest regret?
1) Not trusting myself sooner.
2) Wasting time idling.
What is your most treasured possession?
Nothing inanimate. But, most treasured are my three children.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Dependability, trustworthiness, competence, intellect, humility, humour, generosity, honesty, openness, vulnerability, gentle strength, and affection.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Resilience, understanding, compassion, resourcefulness, community-building, vulnerability, reciprocity, keen sensibility, beauty.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
That I've chosen love, hope, goodness, and action again and again.
What is your motto?
There are two types of living. One is not really living, and it is also not a quick death. But prolonged, it turns twisted and dark. The other is really living.