The Influential People Behind Charlotte’s Asian Herald Library
Published on May 29, 2025
Dr. Ki-Hyun Chun and Sun-Shin "Sunny" Chun standing in their library.
By Morgan Newell
Imagine you are handed a book and told to read it. Easy, right? This is a common experience for many of us. Now, imagine you are standing in a room of 5,000 books and told to read every single one. Not so easy now, is it? Yet, that was Dr. Ki-Hyun Chun’s reality growing up in South Korea. Every year, his father encouraged him to read 100 books, so he could try to read all 5,000 of them. Chun grew accustomed to reading but couldn’t have predicted how much reading would shape his future.
Ki-Hyun Chun was born in North Korea, prior to the rise of communism. Chun and his family escaped and moved to South Korea to build a new life for themselves. Years later, Chun attended Korea University and won a scholarship to earn a Bachelor of Arts at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina. After graduating, his education did not stop there. He went on to get his master’s at Appalachian State University, then earned a doctorate of from LaSalle University.
Through it all, his wife Sun-Shin “Sunny” Chun stood by his side. The two married in 1977 shortly before moving to North Carolina. It was Sunny who supported Dr. Chun as he once again hit the books to further his education. After his third graduation, Chun and Sunny settled in Charlotte and opened an accounting firm.
Throughout his entire educational journey, books never left his mind. Since reading was instilled in him at a young age, he understood the importance of it. Even after leaving some of his own personal books behind in South Korea, he still sought information. The books he brought to the U.S. became lifelines. However, because he didn’t see others reading, he thought maybe they didn’t see knowledge as significant as he did. It wasn’t until 1985, it dawned on him that other Asians who immigrated to the United States had to leave their books behind too, just like he did. At the time, the Charlotte area didn’t have many library books in languages other than English. With a reinvigorated spirt, and a push from his father, Chun knew what he had to do.
“I wanted to open a library,” Chun said. “I wanted people to read and enjoy reading just as I did.”
Books at the Asian Herald Library.
Chun says the library started with humble beginnings. It was a spare room in their house. The focus was on the books. Chun, Sunny, and their three children fervently collected books. They came in from everywhere: Asian countries around the world, bigger cities with larger Asian populations, and Chun’s own personal collection. The languages knew no bounds. Korean and Chinese books led the stock, but Vietnamese and Japanese poured in as well.
“We just kept getting books, books, and more books,” Chun said. “Many days, we skipped lunch to collect and catalog books.”
By 1997, the family had collected exactly 65,000 books. They were quickly outgrowing the spare room in which the now-not-so-little library was being held. So, Chun and Sunny decided to buy a two-story building on Baxter Street. The building wouldn’t just be a library, though; it would become a community space.
“We wanted everyone to come here no matter if they were coming to check out the books or not,” Chun said.
That dream quickly took shape. Everyone, but especially the Asian community, benefitted from the space the Chun family bought. They invested 5 million dollars in books and in maintaining the space to be a haven for anyone who walked through the doors. Empty conference tables soon filled up with important business meetings. The wide-open rooms hosted church services and dance classes. Ambassadors from Charlotte’s sister city Baoding, China and political figures like President Barack Obama used the space to host events.
“This is the only place that some of the people can have their own fellowship and participate,” Sunny said.
Photo commemorating the Wall Street Journal article about the Asian Herald newspaper.
The library isn’t the only thing the Chun's have provided for the community. In 1977, Dr. Chun helped found Charlotte Presbyterian Church, the first Korean church in North Carolina. Almost two decades later, Chun started the Asian Herald. The newspaper—written in Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese and English—reached over 500,000 Asian-Americans living in the southeastern United States. The family led the monthly newspaper as the publishers and managing directors. With the two at the helm, and with help from several others including their children, the newspaper became nationally recognized. Just a few short years later, Chun founded and became the first president of the Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce (CAACC). The chamber’s focus would be “championing” the Asian American Pacific Islander community.
“I want to be a servant of my community,” Chun said.
While the Chun’s service is extensive across Charlotte, the library holds a dear place in their hearts. As of May 2025, the library holds over 150,000 books. It is the largest private Asian library in the United States. From graphic novels to history books and encyclopedias, there is something for everyone. They’ve even added a section of English-language books about Asian countries and cultures. To this day, the family still collects books to add to their overflowing, but neatly organized, shelves. For Dr. Chun and Sunny, knowledge is power, and the knowledge of their impact from this library is the most powerful piece of information they say they will ever have.
The Asian Herald Library.
“It gives us joy to provide a space for people and that gives us a purpose,” Sunny said. “People approach us with how appreciative they are that we give this space.”
“This is our legacy,” Chun said. “I have spent 50 years collecting books and I want books to be how people remembered me by.”
See more of the library in our video below. You can visit the Asian Herald Library at 1339 Baxter Street in Charlotte.