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DD is 11.5 months and has been playing independently since she was about 3 months old. Now she can play for up to half an hour or so in her room while I get ready for the day.

@Mrs. Pen: I very much doubt its anything you've done! Different kids just have different personalities.

E, for example, is (currently) great at playing alone, as long as she has an interesting toy to occupy her. The newer the toy, the longer she will play. But that comes at a cost - she doesn't love cuddles and she's very easily frustrated by not being able to move about and get what she wants for herself. If you try to help her with something, she fights you off. She needs to be doing, doing, doing and doing it for herself.

@Mrs. Pen: it's not your fault! Some kids just have different personalities. Some kids love to be around others all the time and others are just naturally more independent

My LO has always been super independent. She is not cuddly...since she was super little she never minded playing independently...like since 3-4 months. She just loves to read books to herself or play with puzzles or stuffed animals or her little people sets. Now that she's older she pretends to cook has tea parties with her stuffed animals. We did go through a phase around 13-14 months where she would come in the kitchen and beg for food/attention. And my friend told me to tell her "mama is cooking right now. I need you to please go in the play room" and to walk her back. And keep repeating...my LO got it so quick...took 3-4 times of walking her and telling her. Then she just got it...it's kind of like how super nanny tries to correct behavior. Now I just ask her to please go to the play room and she knows to stay there until I'm done cooking.

Does J have his toys in an accessible area? Is there a task you can give him to do while you cook? Like I have a old yogurt container with a slot cut into the lid and I got our old Connect Four chips out and will ask her to put them in the container. Or get a container with a bunch of different objects and have him separate them - put all macaroni in one bowl, all beans in another bowl, all etc. maybe having special tasks/games will help.

K is totally independent- she would rather be on the floor, playing while I'm watching/drinking my coffee. She's 8.5 months old

Always? It's just her personality though. She has always been very independent, even as a newborn.

@Mrs. Pen: for what it's worth, my daughter does very well with independent play first thing in the morning, and after naps. When I'm getting dinner ready she is tired and hungry, and in no mood to play by herself.
Maybe try encouraging it at other times, when he's in a better mood? I just sort of expect her to, and always have, which I think helps foster it. After I nurse. And change her diaper in the morning I set her down next to her books and toy shelf, and she plays while I get breakfast ready. She plays by herself while I clean up too...although if she's melting down I give her a cloth and get her to "help."