Queer Joy in Conversation

Queer Joy in Conversation Playlist

Queer Joy in Conversation: Dr. Su Pak & Sung Park

Dr. Su Yon Pak and Mudang Sung Park share the story of how they met, the philosophies that guide their work and identity, and how seemingly ordinary people—which both Su and Sung insist they are—leave legacies of hope and perseverance for the generations that follow.

Queer Joy in Conversation: Emmett, Andrea, & Ahri

Emmett, Andrea, and Ahri sit down for a conversation on family and joy, as well as their journeys in finding—and making—them. They begin their story in 2017, which Ahri and Andrea describe as a hectic but fulfilling year when their family began to come together. Andrea and Emmett had met through their work in trans advocacy in Texas, with Ahri occasionally accompanying Emmett to the state Capitol in Austin.

Queer Joy in Conversation: HA:N UMC

Rev. Sulkiro Song, pastor of HA:N UMC, joins congregants Lia and Paul in a conversation about their faith, their experiences with the Korean American church, and their journeys in navigating what can often feel like an interstitial space between queer identity and Christianity.

Queer Joy in Conversation: The Bailar Family

Schuyler Bailar, an activist, entrepreneur, and swimmer who made history as the first transgender man to openly compete in Division I swimming, sits down with parents Terry Hong and Gregor Bailar in a conversation about queer advocacy, identity, and growth.

Queer Joy in Conversation: The Son Family

Diana Son, TV writer, producer, showrunner, and playwright, sits down with her three sons—Nate, Dash, and Wilder—for a conversation on family, love, and joy. Together, they reflect on Diana’s relationship with her partner Casey, and how that journey has intersected with their own growth as Korean American children of a queer parent.

Queer Joy in Conversaton: Sammy & Jiwon

Sammy and Jiwon first crossed paths in Brooklyn nightlife, leaving deep impressions on one another: radiant confidence, an ability to light up a room, and joy that was infectious.

Queer Joy in Conversation: Dr. Su Pak & Sung Park

In this conversation from Queer Joy in Conversation, Dr. Su Yon Pak and Mudang Sung Park share the story of how they met, the philosophies that guide their work and identity, and how seemingly ordinary people—which both Su and Sung insist they are—leave legacies of hope and perseverance for the generations that follow.

Dr. Su Pak, who currently serves in an administrative-faculty role at Union Theological Seminary, met Sung during a religious campaign for LGBTQ inclusion in the mainline Protestant church, where they connected over shared experiences as 1.5-generation queer Korean American immigrants with Christian backgrounds.

Sung recalls how their first meeting didn’t feel like an introduction; whereas other encounters with older Korean Americans had been shaped by certain Confucian social tenets, Sung saw Su as a role model and mentor—someone who embodied a different kind of Korean elder, grounded not in hierarchy or authority, but in care, curiosity, and support. In his words, he saw in their relationship a “lineage,” one that affirmed and continued the spiritual work that queer Korean Americans had been doing before him.

Su, for her part, sees her life as the quotidian one of “a queer, cis, 1.5-generation woman who’s beloved, and a loving grandmother of two.” A model of intergenerational kinship rooted in spirituality, diaspora, and shared queer perspectives, their dialogue invites listeners to consider how legacy is built not through grand gestures but through moments of recognition, mutual witnessing, and the courage to live authentically—within and beyond inherited traditions.

🌈 Queer Joy In Conversation invites audiences to sit in on intimate, interpersonal interviews with folks from the Korean American queer and trans community as they reflect upon the unique and shared journeys of finding queer joy in their lives. The second part to KAS’ Queer Joy series, this project aims to highlight the diverse, dynamic, and intersecting identities of the Korean American community; destigmatizing conversations around sexuality and gender. ❤️

Funding for this special Legacy Project series was made possible by The Reva and David Logan Foundation.

1.5 gen LGBTQIA Queer Joy in Conversation