Lee Sang-jun flashes peace signs as he poses with the audience at his stand-up comedy show at The Marquee Astoria in New York, April 25. The performance marked Lee’s first show in the United States held for Korean American residents and local audiences. Courtesy of Lee Hee-hoon
Celebrating his 20th year as a comedian, Lee Sang-jun took his show to a stage in New York City. There, he came to realize that laughter can travel farther than language.
“I didn’t plan it as a 20th anniversary show” Lee said in a recent written interview with The Korea Times, days after wrapping up his sold-out “Lee Sang Jun Show in NYC” at The Marquee Astoria where he performed for some 1,400 people. “I was just working hard and suddenly realized that it had been 20 years. At some point I felt that, unless I completely changed my style, there was nothing new left for me to show in Korea.”
That realization pushed him to look outward just as Korea’s comedy ecosystem was being upended, with major network sketch shows disappearing and many comedians rebuilding their careers on streaming platforms, podcasts and live shows. Instead of switching fully into Western-style stand-up comedy, Lee leaned into what he already knew: tightly written, audience-driven bits honed under the pressure of having to create fresh material every week.
“I don’t think of it as ‘transitioning’ to stand-up,” he said. “Honestly, I don’t even really know what stand-up comedy is. I just thought it would be a waste for the comedy I’ve built to disappear.”
His path abroad began not with English, but with subtitles. While he was slowly studying the language — “I thought it would take 10 years,” he joked — MBC C&I approached him to launch a YouTube channel, “Lee Sang-jun Show.”
“We added English subtitles on YouTube, and suddenly people overseas started reacting,” he said. “Even people who don’t speak Korean were saying they wanted to learn Korean because they enjoyed the show.” That online response convinced him to attempt a live performance abroad before his English was “ready.”
New York, however, brought new anxieties. All tickets sold out, but Lee worried that his Korea-centered sensibility might not land with longtime Korean immigrants or non-Korean audience members. He also battled jet lag.
To prepare, he flew over ahead of his staff, wandering the city alone to eavesdrop, observe and take notes. “I wanted to know what people in New York think about, what struggles they have,” he said. “When I used what I picked up onstage, they really liked it.”
Lee Sang-jun performs a highlight segment during an audience-interactive stand-up comedy show at The Marquee Astoria in New York, April 26. The performance focused on direct interaction with the audience during Lee’s U.S. comedy debut. Courtesy of Lee Hee-hoon
Source: Korea Times News
