Fan-favorite and Season 8 finalist Kim Chi has repeatedly declined invitations to return to the RuPaul’s Drag Race franchise, despite multiple direct offers, confirming that she is currently content with her career path outside of the competitive reality show spotlight.
In a recent exclusive interview with Gayety discussing her recent books, the drag superstar, who has since built a successful empire in the makeup and art industries, revealed the casual nature of the show’s recruitment process for alumni.
“You get a text message from the people, and they’re like, ‘Hey girl, are you interested?’ I’m like, lol no, not yet,” Kim Chi shared. When asked if the offers were frequent, she confirmed, “Oh yeah. Many times.”
Shifting Competitive Landscape
For now, the drag legend says she is “really happy with my life right now,” and is not currently seeking the challenge of a return to the Werk Room. When pressed on what might convince her, she offered a simple response: “Ask me again in a year.”
While she is happy to keep “Drag Race” in her rearview mirror for the moment, Kim Chi expressed enthusiasm for other forms of reality competition that don’t necessarily involve her drag persona.
“I want to go on one of just competitive reality shows, not necessarily The Traitors because I think that’s a whole different category,” she said. “I want to compete but not using drag, if that makes sense. Because I’m a huge gamer and I love competition. I love brain games, I love puzzles.”
Embracing the Franchise’s Expansion
Despite her personal decision to remain off the show, Kim Chi praised the global expansion of the “Drag Race” franchise, which now includes versions across Europe, Asia, and other international markets. She pushed back against the “salty” notion that the increased number of seasons and spin-offs has diluted the brand.
“I personally think it’s cool. I feel like the more queer artists that get their time in the spotlight, the better,” she stated. “All the queens and their local communities deserve to… they deserve a moment or spotlight and they should be making that money too. So I think it’s awesome.”
The beloved star is also expanding from makeup palettes and runways to the literary world with the release of two new books, one being the young adult novel Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers.
The illustrated novel, co-written with Stephan Lee (K-Pop Confidential) and illustrated by Utomaru, follows twelve-year-old Jae Han, a Korean immigrant who finds safety and community in his small-town library. When the local government threatens to demolish it to make way for a mall parking lot, Jae and his friends, along with his drag-inspired comic book hero Donutella Hamachi, band together to save their sanctuary.
In addition to her literary debut in young adult fiction, Kim Chi is serving up global flavors and campy culinary flair with Kim Chi Eats the World: 75 Recipes Fit for a (Drag) Queen. The globe-trotting cookbook, released October 21, 2025, combines the drag icon’s passion for food with her signature sense of humor and style. Part memoir and part travel diary, the #1 best-selling book in LGBTQ+ Travel takes readers on a glamorous journey through Kim Chi’s favorite dishes from around the world, from Canadian poutine and Mexican birria tortas to Brazilian brigadeiro cake and Korean bossam.
Both Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers and Kim Chi Eats the World: 75 Recipes Fit for a (Drag) Queen are available now in hardcover and digital formats.
Kim Chi concluded by leaving the door slightly ajar for a potential return someday to the beloved competition series simply saying, “Never say never.”
