K-Pod

Writer-performer Karen Chee is a rising star in the comedy world and the youngest member of the writing staff of Late Night with Seth Meyers. A 2017 graduate of Harvard, she’s known for smart, quirky humor that’s unafraid to take on issues of gender, race and politics. Thanks to the recurring segment “What Does Karen Know?” she’s also known for her millennial ignorance of fax machines and Nirvana. Karen tells Catherine and Juliana about her childhood as a “square” (she only watched PBS and C-Span), her early ambitions to be a political speechwriter and how she got her first big gig, writing jokes for Sandra Oh at the Golden Globes.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/X-Wt4uaNO9wFollow Karen Chee @karencheeeHosts: Juliana Sohn @juliana_sohn Catherine Hong @catherinehong100Executive Producer: Hj LeeEditor: AJ Valenteinstagram.com/kpodpodyoutube.com/koreanamericanstoryorg

Peter Kim grew up in New Jersey knowing he wanted to do one thing in life: act. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, he made his Broadway debut in Thoroughly Modern Millie and has since built a solid stage, film and television career. This past fall, he astonished audiences with a funny and heartbreaking performance in the play Wild Goose Dreams at the Public Theater. Catherine and Juliana learn about Peter’s family (spoiler alert: his parents weren’t exactly thrilled about having a "gay actor son"), the casting challenges he’s faced, and his growing role as a mentor, teacher and activist.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WsrCMiaonkEFollow Peter Kim on Instagram @peterkimpeterkimHosts: Juliana Sohn @juliana_sohn Catherine Hong @catherinehong100Executive Producer: Hj LeeEditor: AJ Valenteinstagram.com/kpodpodyoutube.com/koreanamericanstoryorg

Oejong Kim worked as a translator, chef and corporate housing specialist in Tokyo and New York before discovering her true passion: knitting. In 2004, Kim co-founded the yarn and knitwear company Loopy Mango, which has become a creative force in the knitting world. Loopy Mango’s signature product is Big Loop, a luxuriously thick, chunky merino wool yarn that has inspired many imitators. Catherine and Juliana travel to Beacon, NY to meet Oejong and see for themselves why this artsy, eccentric Korean-American in the oversized glasses has become a cult figure in the DIY world.Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/m1sx1e3GBOAFollow Oejong Kim on Instagram @loopymango @oejongkimHosts: Juliana Sohn @juliana_sohn Catherine Hong @catherinehong100Executive Producer: Hj LeeEditor: AJ Valenteinstagram.com/kpodpodyoutube.com/koreanamericanstoryorg

Facebook creative director Ji Lee is one of the most influential graphic designers working in the country today. Born in Korea and raised in Brazil, he built his career in advertising, working for Google Creative Lab, Droga 5 and Saatchi & Saatchi. But it’s his wide range of witty and subversive personal projects — like the Bubble Project and the Instagram sensation Drawings for my Grandchildren, which features the artwork of his 76-year-old father — that are dearest to his heart. Catherine and Juliana learn about his Korean-Brazilian childhood, his unique creative process and his passion for challenging the way we see the world.Follow Ji Lee on Instagram @ji_lee_Hosts: Juliana Sohn @juliana_sohn Catherine Hong @catherinehong100Executive Producer: Hj LeeEditor: AJ Valenteinstagram.com/kpodpodyoutube.com/koreanamericanstoryorg

Celebrity manicurist Jin Soon Choi has been a force in the beauty world for the last two decades. Her pioneering work has been featured on countless magazine covers and has made her a backstage fixture during New York Fashion Week. In the industry, everyone loves Jin — she’s the fun-loving, ageless cool kid who hangs out with Marc Jacobs and the Hadid sisters, always with a smile on her face. But what Catherine and Juliana learn is she’s never forgotten her humble start in the States when she spoke just a few words of English and worked as a waitress at GamMeeOk in Koreatown.Follow Jin Soon Choi on Instagram @jinsoonchoiHosts: Juliana Sohn @juliana_sohn Catherine Hong @catherinehong100 Executive Producer: Hj Lee Producer: Kevin Park Editor: AJ Valenteinstagram.com/kpodpod youtube.com/koreanamericanstoryorg