Kevin Kwan’s latest books reflect how ‘wealth culture has exponentialized’

When Kevin Kwan made his literary debut with Crazy Rich Asians in 2013, he introduced readers to the world of—as the title implies—crazy rich Asians.

While it may not have been the first book to tell a story about the Asian diaspora that wasn’t about trauma, it was certainly the first one to have mainstream success—so popular that even non-Asian readers were picking it up to see if Nick and Rachel’s relationship could survive the former’s lies (of omission, but still!) about his family’s background, as well as his formidable mother, Eleanor. Crazy Rich Asians was also made into a movie in 2018, and it was just announced earlier this year that HBO Max is adapting a series based on Kwan’s trilogy (2015’s China Rich Girlfriend and 2017’s Rich People Problems are the remaining two books in the series).

In Kwan’s newest series, which includes Sex and Vanity (2020) and Lies and Weddings (2024), he brings us back into the world of uber-rich Asians, but this time it’s Asians outside of Asia. “We have become such a global culture, and Asians have integrated, have moved, have intermarried. There are Asians who are biracial, or Anglo English, American Asian,” he says. “It's all a big, beautiful fusion now, and I wanted to look at the specific issues that really affect Asians in the West.”

And what better way to do this than through a Downton Abbey-esque lens, with a little bit of The White Lotus thrown in? In Lies and Weddings, we meet Rufus Leung Gresham, future Earl of Greshambury and son of a former Hong Kong supermodel. Despite the fancy title, Rufus’ family no longer has any money, thanks to generations of reckless spending. His mom’s solution? Go to his sister’s wedding in Hawaii; meet a rich woman; seduce her so he can eventually marry her and solve all of the family’s money problems. The only issue is that Rufus is in love with Eden, the girl next door—the lowly daughter of a doctor, and a doctor herself.

Kwan describes the book, which just came out in paperback on May 20, as a Cinderella story, except the prince’s family is broke and he has to fight to save their fortune by marrying well. “I'm taking these classic tropes and turning them on their head,” he says.

I recently spoke to Kwan ahead of his appearance at Town Hall Seattle last month—his first time back to the Emerald City in three years. We discussed his favorite places to visit for research (and where he’d like to visit), his books’ commentary on wealth inequality, and having his stories be part of a larger movement for more Asian representation on screen.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Samantha Pak: In Lies and Weddings, Eden and Rufus grew up together, and they were best friends. But there's always that line that she doesn't cross because she knows the mom is not a fan. It was brought up a few times that the mom is almost a self-hating, self-loathing Asian. And I thought that was an interesting dynamic that she's full Asian, and same with Eden, but instead of connecting, there's this animosity on the mom's part.
Kevin Kwan: Yeah, and I think that's a very interesting phenomenon. Of course it all happens so subconsciously. It's the nuances of these worlds that collide. That's always what interests me. In the U.S., you see something also kind of familiar—the clash between, “established” Asian Americans, and the people that are sometimes called F.O.Bs—fresh off the boat.

People think that being Asian is this one thing, right? That it's a monolith. But as you know, it's not. So many different cultures make up Asia, so many different types of people. Of course, when they're all together, especially in a different place, in a new country, where they're all immigrants, there are intricacies to patterns of behavior. There are social hierarchies that start forming. It's ultimately down to survival.

Lady Arabella had to move to England and become part of the British aristocracy in the early 90s, late 80s, at a time when it was a very hostile world to her. So she had to find ways to survive within that world. And then along comes Eden when she's 5 years old. And in this very interesting reverse way, she grows up in a village where she's very comfortable, where she's always been very embraced—because Arabella set the tone.

SP: I felt like in Lies and Weddings, the characters comment more on how frivolous the rich are. I feel like this book comments more on that than your previous books.
KK: I'm not sure that's true. One of the central themes of all my books is really looking at just the vast, bizarre wealth inequality that exists. That's why I began writing the Crazy Rich Asian series. It’s my exploration of these worlds where these people have just way too much money. It's such a world out of balance, and what happens when human beings really reckon with that world? Whether you're in it or not in it, you're also affected.

It's always been in my books, but I think maybe it's more obvious because this book is set at different destination weddings around the world, which has become a thing. No one wants to get married at home. Everyone is fighting to outdo each other with the more fancy wedding—if it's on a desert island, a palace in Europe, the middle of the desert in Saudi Arabia—

It’s my exploration of these worlds where these people have just way too much money. It's such a world out of balance, and what happens when human beings really reckon with that world?

SP: Or a hot air balloon?
KK: Exactly! I don't make up these worlds. I just observe them. Crazy Rich Asians, I wrote that in 2009, 2010. Fifteen years later, wealth culture has exponentialized. There's a new population of people that have gotten so wealthy so quickly, really in the past decade. And it's mainly because of these ginormous tech fortunes. So it's not generational wealth. It's spanking-new money. And they're behaving in a whole different way. So you do see that now in (Lies and Weddings), because this book is much more current.

SP: You talked about these destination weddings—Hawaii, Marrakesh. As part of your research for these books, do you actually get to travel to these places? Because not everybody knows about these things. I never would have thought to have a hot air balloon wedding.
KK: I do very intense, exhaustive research, where I do go to all these places I write about. It's impossible for me to just write via Google and imagine places. I have to experience them myself. Albeit, I do it the way writers do. I'm not staying in these palaces, for the most part. It's like any journalistic research, but I do go very deep. Because I feel that's the only way I can really portray them accurately.

Of course, there is some imagination there too, right? I've never been to a wedding in a hot air balloon, but I did actually talk to hot air balloon experts to figure out what is actually possible. Just in the same way that I exhaustively talked to doctors and paramedics and people like that when I need to really research the medical aspects. I try to make it as factual or probable as I possibly can.

SP: What have been some of your favorite places to visit?
KK: Most recently, I loved spending time in Hawaii. I was doing research for the first section of Lies and Weddings. It was just really an amazing experience to be on the Big Island, but also go deep into the culture. Most people go to Hawaii as a tourist and they just spend a week there, go to the beach and enjoy the amazing tourist stuff. I did all of that, but I also really made it my point to get to know more about the culture, the religion that exists, the deep respect people have for nature, the folklore, and all of that. And also what's happening locally, what are the local problems that are beyond just the tourist resorts?

Loved being in Italy of course, where I wrote Sex and Vanity. Loved going to Morocco. And then also discovering Los Angeles. Because I lived in New York for over two decades. So L.A. is a new adventure for me as well. So getting to know the very specific cultures that exist here. Beverly Hills is so much its own world.

SP: The Crazy Rich Asians series was hugely successful. The movie turned into a whole nother thing. It wasn't the first majority Asian cast film, but it was one that kind of started a movement since then. How does it feel to be part of that movement, and have one of your stories be part of that?
KK: I feel so fortunate. And it's been such a privilege. It's beyond my wildest dreams. I wrote something, never even intended for it to be published. Never thought in a million years it would get published and be in a real bookshop. So to see that happen, and to see actual people wanting to read my books and then have a movie made out of that, it's so pie in the sky. So I have nothing but deep, deep gratitude. I'm just eternally grateful.

Never thought in a million years it would get published and be in a real bookshop. So to see that happen, and to see actual people wanting to read my books and then have a movie made out of that, it's so pie in the sky.

SP: Now there's talk of a series. Is there anything you can tell me about that?
KK: It's super exciting. We're doing this series that's really going to be based on all three books. It's early days yet. We're still a development, but it's been amazing to witness the process, and to meet all the amazing, talented teams of people that are now involved in it. Hopefully coming to a screen near you, very soon. That's all I can say.

SP: Are there going to be any more books coming in this Sex and Vanity, Lies and Weddings universe?
KK: At least one more. And that’s something I'm working on right now.

SP: Any exciting destinations for this one?
KK: I really can't say.

SP: [Laughs.]
KK: I'm in the midst of formulating, and so it's too early to say anything.

SP: Is there a dream location that you would want to have a book set, or that you would want to go visit to research?
KK: So many. I've never been to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It's definitely one big destination I'd love to go to. And then Mexico City. It's always been a cool city, but I think now more than ever, everyone that goes keeps telling me, “Oh my god, Kevin, you have to go. The food is amazing, and the museums.” I'm really desperate to go visit there.