Tag: LGBTQIA

David Lee’s journey from a troubled upbringing in LA, marked by his mother’s bipolar disorder and abusive behavior, to finding solace and a new beginning is a testament to resilience and the search for identity. Raised in a devoutly Christian, Korean American household, he faced intensified challenges after his siblings left and his mother was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, bearing the brunt of her abuse while serving as her caregiver. Recognizing education as his escape, David excelled academically, earning a scholarship to Georgetown University and leaving his difficult past behind. There, he formed a life-changing friendship with Kelly, whose family eventually adopted him, offering the love and stability he didn’t have growing up. This act of adoption not only provided David with a new family but also helped him to start healing from his past traumas. Embracing his complex identity as Korean, LGBT, and adoptee, David’s story is a powerful narrative of overcoming adversity through the support of his chosen family and the strength of the human spirit.

Andrew Ungal Kim takes us on a poignant journey from his early years in Gyeonggi-do, Anyang-si, Korea, where childhood was spent playing soccer and badminton with neighborhood friends. Moving to a town just outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at age 14, Andrew was initially enthralled by the American dream but soon confronted the reality of adapting to a new country with a different culture and language. As he navigated this challenging period, Andrew grappled with both his station as a new immigrant to the country, as well as a self-reckoning with his own sexuality. Raised in a Christian environment, he initially tried to suppress his feelings through prayer, hoping they would eventually fade away. However, at 27, he met someone in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and fell in love, forcing him to accept his true self.

Andrew’s journey also reflects the complexities of being open about his sexuality. While he had a nine-year relationship, he struggled to reveal it to his own side of the family and friends, causing a sense of isolation. Eventually his mother discovered the truth, challenging their relationship. Through it all, Andrew is grateful for the acceptance he found in some corners of his community (including some members of his congregation), emphasizing the ongoing process of self-discovery and the importance of understanding and embracing one’s true identity.

Daniel K. Isaac is best known for his ensemble role on the Showtime series Billions where he plays portfolio manager Ben Kim. But 2022 was a pivotal year for the actor and playwright, whose passion is the stage. He starred in The Chinese Lady at the Public Theater; he made his playwriting debut with Once Upon a (korean) Time for the Ma-Yi Theater Company; and he’s currently starring opposite Linda Lavin in You Will Get Sick at the Roundabout Theater. Daniel was born in Southern California, the only child of a single mother active in her evangelical Korean church. As a gay teenager, he struggled against his sexual orientation and even underwent conversion therapy. (Spoiler alert: It did not work.) In a candid, funny and yes, raunchy, conversation he opens up about his early sexual experiences, his estrangement from his father and his ongoing conflict with his mother, who disowned him when he was in college and is still “in the closet” about being the mom of a gay son — despite the fact that Isaac has turned many of her remarks into the viral hashtag #accordingtomymother. Prepare to laugh, cry and cover your young children’s ears.

Join us for our fourth edition of Writers Block with author Alexander Chee! You will be able to listen to Alexander speak more about his book and his personal story. Also get a chance to ask him your questions first-hand and get to know him in an exclusive Zoom room. Limited spots available.

Dr. Yuri Doolan was born in an Air Force base to an American father and Korean mother who met in Korea during the 1980s.

Sung Tse’s son brought up this haunting question the day he told his mother he did not identify as a female.

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.

Born in Daegu, South Korea and raised in Albany, New York since he was four months old, Alex Myung Wager struggled with his identity as not only a Korean adoptee but also a gay man.

Andy Marra is a Korean American adoptee and leader in LGBTQI advocacy.

In this month’s KoreanAmericanStory, partnered with KRB 87.7 FM, Pauline Park, a New York City-based LGBT and transgender rights activist, shares how she overcame multiple identity complexes through different stages of life as a transgender Korean American adoptee, and talks about the work she currently does with Queens Pride House and New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy.

Filmmaker Andrew Ahn reflects on his journey of merging his gay identity and Korean American identity.

Joanne Lee didn’t know how to react when her second child, Skylar, came out as transgender and found that she was unable to fully understand and accept his LGBTQ identity.

In this week’s Korean American Story with KRB 87.7 FM, Clara Yoon talks about her experience as a mother of a transgender son, and the support that’s available at PFLAG for LGBTQ individuals, their families, and friends.

In this week’s Korean American Story with KRB 87.7 FM, actress and musician Diana Oh talks about the creative profession, her My Lingerie Play, and what it means to be a queer individual.

When her child, born female, came out to Clara Yoon and her husband as a boy, they decided to accept and support his transition.

June Oh, as interviewed by her daughter, Diana, never wanted to get married, but life took her in a different direction from what she expected.

In this film Dan reflects on his journey as an activist as well as a gay man seeking acceptance from his mother and father who are conservative Christians. His father is a Southern Baptist minister in California. Dan talks openly about the challenges of being a full time activist, the emotional and mental toll which has resulted in him being hospitalized for mental health treatment, and the Christian values that enabled him to get through the difficult times even as he felt abandoned and ostracized by the Christian community in which he grew up.

Janice Paik was born and raised in LA’s KoreaTown, and currently works and lives in downtown LA.

Haewon Latorre was born in Korea, moved to Argentina as a toddler, then moved to NYC as a teenager.

In popular culture, Asian Americans always seemed concerned with building bridges from old country to new country, first generation to second generation.

Matt Chun’s story is from the Woori Dari book of the Dari Project, which is a collection of personal testimonials on the experiences of LGBTQ people of Korean descent.

KoreanAmericanStory.org has made, and will continue to make, intentional effort to share the stories from those whose voices have not been heard in the past by the mainstream Korean American community, including adopted, multi-racial and LGBTQ Korean Americans. If you’d like to share your story, please contact us

Ever since I left Southern California for college in Connecticut, my mother has always waited while I wind through the airport security line. She smiles and waves wildly until I make it past screening and turn around to wave goodbye one last time. Except once.

You may already be familiar with the story of how Choi helped to bring about the repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT), the U.S. policy that banned openly homosexual individuals from serving in the military.

“God,” said Paul, saying it like gaaaawd.  “Korean guys are a bunch of homos!” I was about to tell him to pipe down, then decided it wasn’t worth the trouble.  Your average Korean probably wouldn’t know what he was talking about any more than we knew what they were talking about.