ROAR Story Slam 2026 Recap
On Saturday, April 18th, Korean American Story brought together an unforgettable evening of storytelling, vulnerability, and joy at Racket NYC in New York City for ROAR Story Slam 2026. In this year’s edition of our annual storytelling competition, six finalists took the stage to share powerful, deeply personal stories tied to this year’s theme, Joy. With no scripts, no props, just a mic and their truth, each storyteller captivated a sold-out crowd with moments of humor, reflection, and heart.
Hosted by Sesame Street Puppeteer and Emmy-Nominated producer Kathleen Kim, with Q&A moderated by Emmy-Winning TV Anchor Vivian Lee and music by DJ Jungin, the evening was a powerful reflection of the depth and range of Korean American storytelling.
Storytellers
Edward Yoo Pokropski – “The Roasting Pan and the Rudolf Plate” – 1st Place Winner
Gray Choi – “Joy is a Work in Progress” – 2nd Place Winner
Mikka McCracken – “A Wider Range of Joy” – 3rd Place Winner
Julie Yeeun Kim – “Kyle’s Wife” – Honorable Mention
Joy Choi – “Painting with Joy” – Honorable Mention
Helen Kim – “Nudging little ones to embrace their Asian heritage in spite of themselves.. now that’s a joyful legacy” – Honorable Mention
A special thanks to our judges: Chris Cho (Chef & Content Creator), Diana Son (Writer & Showrunner), Mary H.K. Choi (Author), Theresa Choh-Lee (Co-founder, Korean American Story), Julia Riew (Composer, Lyricist & Author).
A special thanks to our storytelling coach, Ernabel Demillo (Emmy-Winning New York City Broadcaster)
Sponsors
Executive Producer: YS Kim Foundation
Storytellers: Korean American Community Foundation, The Council of Korean Americans, Jeannie Park, Jane & Thomas Kang
Catering Sponsor: TBD Gimbap by Chef Jihan Lee
Credits
Photographer: Janice Chung
Production Manager, Videographer, and Editor: Kimberly Young Sun
2nd Videographer: Aj Valente
Special thanks to Racket NYC for hosting this year’s ROAR Story Slam.
Highlights
Performances
Edward Yoo Pokropski
1st Place Winner
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Min-Woo (he/him) grew up in Southern California as a restaurant kid before heading to Harvard University, where he majored in English and vibes. An award-winning screenwriter, he sold a TV comedy alongside Josh Gad to ABC with Trevor Noah producing, has written for a Netflix series based on global video game IP, and is currently developing a film with Lord Miller. In advertising, Min-Woo has written viral commercials for major brands and taught DJ Khaled ASMR.
Gray Choi
2nd Place Winner
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Mike (he/they) was born in Seoul, raised in New Jersey, and now calls Seattle home. His career: a mix of strategy and storytelling. He's helped bring financial inclusion to Africa and Asia, eco-friendly goods to nations across the South Pacific, and new music to listeners around the world. He believes in play; in sovereignty; and in expression. And for nearly three decades, he's played Magic: The Gathering-now sharing it with his daughter. She wins most of the time.
Mikka McCracken
3rd Place Winner
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Angelica Yi (she/they) is a queer 2nd-generation Korean American. Born and raised in Maryland, they've found a home on the west coast, living in LA for almost a decade before moving to their current home, San Francisco. As a licensed clinical social worker, Angelica runs their own private practice, focusing on LGBTQ+ people of color. They're also a singer-songwriter, triple Aquarius, and former theater kid.
Joy Choi
Honorable Mention
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Young Kim (he/him) produces stories for CBS Sunday Morning, all while knitting, painting, baking pies, and swing dancing. He'll be happy to bake you a K-Pie. He was booed off Amateur Night at the Apollo with his standup last year to show other Asian Americans it's okay to fail. If anyone can teach him how to play the Gayageum, reach out to his Instagram at @oldyoungkim
Helen Kim
Honorable Mention
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Raised in the 718, Jungin (she/her) is a multihyphenate. During the day, she works as a content creator for a Hawaii-based jewelry brand, and at night you can find her dancing, Ding, or playing make believe in hopes to reach the big screen. Her favorite ramen is Buldak Spicy Carbonara with an overeasy egg before eggs were expensive.
Julie Yeeun Kim
Honorable Mention
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Alisha Bennett (she/her) aka Seon Young 선영, is a Korean adoptee born in Daegu, South Korea. She grew up in a small town in Michigan and moved to New York City in 2006, a place she now proudly calls home. With a heart dedicated to children, she has worked as a school social worker for the New York City Public School system for 18 years. She also maintains a growing private practice, specializing in psychedelic-assisted therapy, with a deep commitment to racial and social justice.
Photos
