CHICAGO — For drag queen Kim Chi, Chicago is her home — even if her newfound fame means she's become a world-famous performer and jet setter.

Kim Chi, an entertainer and finalist on season eight of "RuPaul's Drag Race," has lived in Andersonville while working in the Boystown community. An artist and singer, Kim's popularity skyrocketed while she was on "Drag Race" (some hoped she'd be the first Chicago gal to be named the Drag Race winner) and she has been touring all over the world since its finale in mid-May.

“A lot has changed," Kim said. "I definitely have less free time, but I definitely get to meet so many people on a daily basis.”

The drag queen toured the United Kingdom and is now going around Australia. She'll stop in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and other major cities before going to Korea and Brazil.

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Traveling has given Kim a chance to meet people every night and visit new cities, she said, but being home has its perks: Fans recognize her and tell her they were rooting for her or she should have won "Drag Race" ("And I'm like, 'Guess what? I didn't,'" Kim joked).

"I miss the people," Kim said. "And I actually miss the Chicago weather. During summer it's nice and warm. I like [the snow]. It makes me appreciate the summers more."

“Chicago will always be my hometown.”

Another plus: She's gotten free food with her fame (including a sandwich during a recent visit), Kim said, laughing. A famously curvy queen, Kim has called for gay men to stop saying they want "no fats, no femmes, no Asians" when looking for a partner. That's a message she's still spreading, she said.

The city's LGBTQ community is also special to Kim, she said: Boystown, where she made her bones as a drag queen, brings together all kinds of people in a way other cities don't.

"Boystown makes it so easy for gay people of different [backgrounds] to come together ... . In other cities the gay bars are separated," Kim said. "It feels like a community here."

When she is home, Kim is exclusive to Roscoe's, 3356 N. Halsted St. She is set to perform there and host events and viewing parties for the year.

In the meantime, Kim said you can check out Chicago queens like Trannika Rex, who hosts the Drag Matinee at Berlin every Saturday, and Valentine Addams, a "big, juicy girl who's not afraid to show her curves."

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