Something about Grace Kim really strikes a chord with us, and it's not just the way she handles her instrument. When we met the guitar goddess during her shoot at Playboy Studio West, her enthusiasm about life was infectious. "I've always been a rebel," says Grace. "I play a mean game of Guitar Hero
..., and I'm willing to challenge anybody. I must warn you I'm a very sore loser – at any game." Creative expression is vital to Miss November – "I feel I can express myself better through writing. It's a pure, passionate love of mine" – and music and art are in her genes. Her mom is a calligrapher, her dad a violinist and her brother a pianist and guitarist. An L.A. girl born and raised, Grace has made three visits to South Korea, from which her family emigrated in 1979. "I have relatives in Seoul, and I went to Korean school to learn to read and write the language."
Miss November earned a degree in English from UCLA and worked as a paralegal and a teacher before parlaying her addiction to Guitar Hero into a job with Activision, publisher of the video game series. In a bid to win an invitation to a Mansion party, Grace sent her photo to Playboy. "The next day the magazine asked me if I wanted to try out to be a Playmate," she says. "I'm still reeling – it's such an honor and a compliment."
At 29 Grace has been affectionately dubbed the "den mother" by other Playmates, and with that maturity and perspective she has begun writing a book of dating tips aimed at L.A. guys. "It's kind of like a Tom Leykis one-on-one from a girl's point of view," she says. "I like a well-rounded sense of humor in a man, with goofiness, sarcasm and wit all combined. I also love shaved heads – maybe it's a fetish." Grace says her ideal date is a round of Guitar Hero or Rock Band with perks. "The incentives are pretty good," she says, laughing. We're so game.
