This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:21] Cheeyang Un: This is East Side Story, and I'm your host, Cheeyang Un. Each week I sit down with an Asian or Asian American artist working in the New York theater scene, and I excavate their life story. How they grew up, how they got their start in theater, as well as projects they've worked on and upcoming work that we should anticipate. This week's guest is David Park, an actor and musician that has been seen on film, television, and the stage. He made his off-Broadway debut in Red Rose's Green Gold at the Mineta Lane Theater, and is a proud alumnus of Pace University. I met David during his off-Broadway run, and I instantly fell in love with his charisma and talent. He has sung in multiple projects of mine, including my composer debut at Joe's Pub. I hope that after this podcast, you will also fall in love with this unique Korean American man.

[1:14] David Park: Uh, did did you get my bio?

[1:18] Cheeyang Un: Yes, I did.

[1:21] David Park: Did I say LOL in it? That's hilarious. Um, unprofessional. Um I'm David Park, uh, from Los Angeles. Live here now, pursuing the dream, as they say.

[1:33] Cheeyang Un: Where is here?

[1:34] David Park: We're here in New York City.

[1:35] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, they don't know that.

[1:36] David Park: We're in beautiful NYU, the facilities here.

[1:40] Cheeyang Un: Free.

[1:41] David Park: For life.

[1:42] Cheeyang Un: Just graduated.

[1:43] David Park: Yeah, you know.

[1:47] Cheeyang Un: And so you grew up in Los Angeles, and then when did you move to New York City?

[1:51] David Park: I moved to New York in the summer of fall of 20 what year is it now? 2019? So like 2013.

[1:57] Cheeyang Un: Oh my god.

[1:59] David Park: Yeah. Wait, you moved in the summer of 2013?

[2:02] David Park: Well, because I moved here to go to school in the fall. So like the end of the summer, beginning of the fall, like August. I moved here in the summer of 2013.

[2:09] Cheeyang Un: Oh my gosh. Wait, really?

[2:11] David Park: Yeah.

[2:12] Cheeyang Un: After I graduated from college, so I'm older.

[2:15] David Park: Well, you knew I was older. But I also went to school late. Like I'm turning 28 in September.

[2:20] Cheeyang Un: That's not old. You're still young. You're still in your 20s.

[2:22] David Park: I'm pretty old, dude.

[2:24] Cheeyang Un: Wait, yeah, I think I'm 28. I don't remember what I'm saying.

[2:26] David Park: You think you're 28?

[2:28] David Park: I was born '91, so 29.

[2:29] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, yeah.

[2:29] David Park: Yeah, you're turning 28.

[2:30] Cheeyang Un: Math. Quick maths. Hashtag Asian.

[2:34] Cheeyang Un: Um before we delve into all that, why don't you talk a little bit about your experience growing up? You said you grew up in LA.

[2:39] David Park: Grew up in LA.

[2:41] Cheeyang Un: In the city?

[2:43] David Park: So I grew Okay. Good question. Um my like childhood child, I don't know, it's split kind of. So from ages like born to 10, I lived in an area. Ages born to 10. That's like great. I um I lived in an area called Hancock Park, which if anyone knows LA, it's now right across from where the Grove is now. But the Grove wasn't there when I was growing up. And it was like this really cute like apartment complex area that is now like super expensive and like bougie and so you grew up bougie or?

[3:16] David Park: Mm-mm. Um I grew up poor and I'm still poor. Um but that it's like La Brea, Tar Pits is the area kind of, and then uh it's really close to Koreatown, which is a really big area in uh Los Angeles. Um and then I moved to Burbank when I was 10, and that's kind of where I lived until I moved here. So half in the city and then half like in the suburb outside of the main city.

[3:40] Cheeyang Un: And you how many siblings do you have?

[3:42] David Park: I have two siblings. I have a younger brother, Daniel.

[3:44] Cheeyang Un: Uh Daniel.

[3:46] David Park: Yeah. But I have not not our Daniel, but not our Daniel. I mean, he's still my Daniel, but not our Daniel. Um it's funny because people call me Daniel all the time. People that don't even know that I have a brother named Daniel. It's just like this, I don't know, it's this thing. And Koreans love to name their sons after like biblical characters. Koreans love Jesus.

[4:05] Cheeyang Un: Um that's a stereotype, isn't it?

[4:07] David Park: Or like it's true in my world in my world. All the Koreans I know like either grew up in church or still go to church or like don't anymore.

[4:13] Cheeyang Un: But did you go to church?

[4:14] David Park: I did grow up in church.

[4:15] Cheeyang Un: Okay.

[4:16] David Park: I did.

[4:16] Cheeyang Un: So David and Daniel, which is like the most stereotyped like David Park. There were literally three David Park in my high school while I was there. Like let's get a little more original. Call me like Umbahi.

[4:28] David Park: DP.

[4:28] Cheeyang Un: Ooh. T P.

[4:31] David Park: Okay. Well, gay.

[4:33] Cheeyang Un: Um sorry, so I cut you off. And so you have a brother, just one brother, younger brother.

[4:37] David Park: No, and the younger sister, who just graduated from UCLA.

[4:40] Cheeyang Un: Yeah.

[4:40] David Park: And she's actually about to move to Korea.

[4:42] Cheeyang Un: Oh my god.

[4:43] David Park: Yeah, yeah. She's gonna move there. Um, not for any like specific reason. It's not like she has like this career opportunity lined up. She just um she grew up in LA, went to school in LA, and I think because she's not really sure. Sorry, Michelle, if I'm putting you on blast. Uh to me, it just seems like it's it's an opportunity for her to expand her horizons and you know, maybe a little soul searching and just it's somewhere she's always wanted to live.

[5:09] David Park: And I'm actually really jealous of that because do you want to do that too?

[5:12] Cheeyang Un: Yes, I haven't been to Korea in like 17 years.

[5:16] David Park: Wow.

[5:16] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, it's been a I last time I went, I was like 11 or 12.

[5:21] David Park: And uh wait, have you seen The Farewell?

[5:24] Cheeyang Un: No, it just opened yesterday.

[5:25] David Park: Also, I don't know when this is gonna come out, so whoops.

[5:28] Cheeyang Un: Okay, well, I mean, it's not gonna come out in the past, so The Farewell is still gonna be a thing.

[5:33] David Park: Um so what but also if you're a real fan, you would have seen it on opening day, but no big deal. The weekend numbers matter, so everyone go see The Farewell. It's not gonna come out today. This is not radio, great.

[5:45] David Park: Um but it's amazing. Um and A24 is putting out some great films, cast me in a movie. Um but what I love the most about it is, and I don't know if this is necessarily an accurate statement, but it just feels like maybe the most important movie that I've seen um for like Asian slash Asian American representation to is like Western cultures and peoples, because I mean it just talks a lot about like the culture and like the importance of family and and do you know the plot?

[6:21] Cheeyang Un: I I don't I all I remember well I saw the trailer and I remember like I think the grandma's dying and they don't want to tell her.

[6:27] David Park: Exactly. Oh my god, that's literally my life. My grandma passed like three years ago.

[6:31] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, and my an aunt of mine had like a small like cancer scare, and she didn't tell us until after, and she was like, by the way, this happened and we're good.

[6:39] David Park: Oh, it happens all the time.

[6:40] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, and I mean, so that had happened in my life, and I was like, oh, that must be like a Korean thing, but I think it's like an Asian thing in general, and there's like this pivotal scene where it's you know Spoiler alert.

[6:53] David Park: Okay, it's it's not a big twist. It's just it's a cultural lesson. But Billy, who's played by Aquafina is kind of the like the avatar for for kind of the Western society.

[7:06] Cheeyang Un: Yes, and me as an Asian American, like I recognize the themes, but I consider myself an American, and like while I appreciate and recognize themes of like Asian culture, like I'm much more familiar with American culture.

[7:18] David Park: So even though I knew this was the thing because I had experienced in my own life, I was still like, okay, like where are they going with this? And like how are they gonna use this as a teaching moment? And like how are they going to tie this together? And her uncle is telling her about like we're not telling her because it's like it's our job to carry that burden for her. You know what I mean?

[7:39] Cheeyang Un: Like, what do you do by telling her? Like the doctors say this is incurable, it's terminal, so there's nothing that can be done for her, so why not just let her live her life blissfully unaware and like happy, and we will carry this sad burden for her.

[7:57] David Park: And like that is such an amazing sentiment. And he's like, yeah, he's like chastising her. He's like, It's not my fault that you're too weak, and like you're gonna feel guilty um about quote unquote lying to her. Like it's it's your duty to be strong for her.

[8:12] Cheeyang Un: And like I felt so moved by that because one, because it had happened in my life, and I was very confused when my mom told me what my aunt had done. But I just feel like okay, so you know that scene in Mulan, uh, which the trailer for that looks amazing.

[8:28] David Park: Oh my god, with with a bunch of problems, but we're not gonna go into that right now.

[8:32] Cheeyang Un: You're right. You're as a yeah, you would know more than me.

[8:35] David Park: Um, but the the scene where they're they're after he's gotten his uh conscription to go back to the army and they're eating their little dumplings, which always looks so good, like the way they draw their food, it's amazing. You know, when she like pours the tea into the cup, oh my god, like I could talk about that forever.

[8:51] David Park: But um, they're sitting there and like she's talking, she's like, You shouldn't have to go fight. Like you already fought. And he's like, he he's like, it's bigger than that. It's this is for China. It's not about the Fa family. It's it's bigger.

[9:03] Cheeyang Un: And like in a in a weird way, I was like, oh, The Farewell is like that family dynamic. If she had never run away, and like they had just like explored that and like really gone through like she she has a very like I mean, she's fighting for her father, but it's also like from Western mentality. It's like, no, like don't fight. Like you already fought, you're injured, you're probably gonna die.

[9:21] David Park: He's like individual individualism and he's like, listen, I know I'm gonna die, but I'm gonna die for my country.

[9:29] Cheeyang Un: Right.

[9:30] David Park: So that's also kind of crazy because like as I I consider myself pretty young still, and I also have the mentality. I grew up in Singapore, but I'm like, fight for your country, I am not gonna die for my country.

[9:42] Cheeyang Un: Right.

[9:43] David Park: Let that kind of like individualistic Western notion of like me, me, me. And then you realize like Asian culture is a lot about we, it's a lot about family, it's about how you navigate your truth, but also like within the community.

[9:57] Cheeyang Un: Right, right.

[9:58] David Park: And it's it's the movie's so good because farewell, um, because like you see the the adults that are more traditionally Chinese, like you see them like they're not just robots that are like honor, like family.

[10:10] Cheeyang Un: Like the uncle, he he goes through it and you see him have a s a sweet, tender moment too. Like, it's not that he's not struggling with it, he's just operating in a system that kind of doesn't allow him to explore that publicly because he he has bigger duties.

[10:25] David Park: It's very powerful.

[10:27] Cheeyang Un: I can't wait for people to see it. I think it's gonna be really amazing. I ended up having to go see Spider-Man because my friends really wanted to.

[10:33] David Park: Listen, that's a great movie too.

[10:34] Cheeyang Un: But all the things that to say, it really makes me want to go to Korea.

[10:38] David Park: Okay.

[10:39] Cheeyang Un: And like, I mean, I've all I've wanted to do that for years and years, but to live there, like for a year or two.

[10:46] David Park: I don't know if I could live there.

[10:47] Cheeyang Un: Like it But you've never tried it.

[10:49] David Park: You know, that's true. But I think I mean, what probably a lot of people don't understand about Asians that are born in America that have a loose uh like connection to the motherland, but like I would not fit in in Korea.

[11:04] David Park: Like I would very much be a foreigner.

[11:06] Cheeyang Un: Talk more about that.

[11:07] David Park: I mean, Korean culture is so different than American culture. Like my grasp of the language is not fluent. There's like the vernacular that I have, like somewhat saying lit, and like, you know, knowing like slaying vernacular like that, like I know nothing of that in Korea.

[11:23] David Park: And something as simple as that to kind of um like demonstrate that there's just a whole world that I'm not a part of there. Um, but also like culturally, I feel a tie to you know, like those roots, and I would want to explore that. It's it's very it's like the dichotomy of my life as a Korean American man.

[11:43] Cheeyang Un: Did you grow up speaking Korean in your family? Did your parents I remember we kind of talked a little bit about this before where like your parents sent you to Korean like language school and then you were like, I don't want to do this.

[11:53] David Park: Oh yeah, like I thought it was the worst thing ever because it was Saturday morning, and all my friends at school were like not, you know, they were playing video games, and my ass had to wake up at eight and go to Hangarakyo, like all my Koreans out there know. I mean, I'm sure a lot of like second generation kids of any any country know, but yeah, I mean, I would take my Game Boy and just train my Charizard. Let's go.

[12:17] David Park: And and your parents are first generation immigrants, mm-hmm.

[12:20] Cheeyang Un: And when did they move here? Did they meet here or did they meet in Korea?

[12:23] David Park: So they they technically met here. So my dad, my dad has a huge complicated story. He never met his birth father because my grandfather passed away while my grandmother was pregnant with my dad. He's the youngest of four. He has three older sisters.

[12:38] David Park: And um during the Vietnam War, my uncle Harvey, who was an American GI was stationed in Korea as a communications officer. And he met my aunt and fell in love. And they he married her and then he emigrated them back to the States.

[12:57] David Park: But because of well, originally it was just her and my grandma. But he brought my dad with him when my dad was like a teenager. But because of kind of logistical issues, he actually adopted my dad.

[13:08] Cheeyang Un: Oh my gosh.

[13:09] David Park: Yes. Oh, because of like visa and like family and like siblings. And my uncle Harvey had to be honorably discharged because he was marrying an Asian woman during the Vietnam War. Like it was this whole thing.

[13:21] Cheeyang Un: Holy crazy.

[13:22] David Park: So my dad half grew up in Korea and half in America. So he grew he was fluent in English. Um so I think that kind of contributes to me not being as strong in Korean that I might have been if like maybe his English had been weaker. Like I would have been forced to use a lot more Korean at home.

[13:41] David Park: Like I speak Korean exclusively with my mom, but she's like kind of the only person that I feel comfortable using my Korean with because I'm so self-conscious of it.

[13:49] Cheeyang Un: Right.

[13:49] David Park: So like I know she'll understand what I'm saying, but it's like it's truly like a second grade vocabulary.

[13:54] Cheeyang Un: It is so interesting.

[13:55] David Park: Um I mean, I'm a first generation immigrant, and it's like I never even realized until very very recently that I communicate with my parents purely in Chinese. Like we don't speak the only time we speak English is when we text.

[14:08] Cheeyang Un: And then it's like...

[14:10] David Park: And and it's just it's subconscious because you you I can't I cannot imagine being a second generation American having grown up in America, but like trying to think about your ties and what you are, what your relationship with your home country is, because I grew up completely in my own country, and then that's a whole different um experience.

[14:32] Cheeyang Un: For sure.

[14:33] David Park: But so Yeah, I mean I get I get this like pang of it's a very complicated emotion that I don't know how to describe, but the flavors are like guilt and sadness and regret of when I'm when I'm speaking to my mom, and like I want to tell her things I'm feeling and going through, but I literally don't have the vocabulary to express the depths of my emotion to her because I I just don't know how. And even if I try to say in English, like she doesn't know how to receive that.

[15:05] Cheeyang Un: Oh, does she not speak uh...

[15:05] David Park: I mean she's she spoke a little English earlier, but like she's used it less and less growing up, so it's really just like her English vocabulary is like a little like I would say a little weaker than my Korean, but it's not not by much. Um so it it's like my mom and I have a deep emotional, like I know she understands me, and whenever I go to her with issues and like I'm feeling things, like she'll just give me advice without me having explaining what I'm feeling. That just always hits home. And I'm so grateful for that. But it's also like there are times that I can't even speak to my mom in a way, you know what I mean?

[15:43] Cheeyang Un: That is so fascinating to be like you grew up together. I mean, she raised you, yeah, but there's this barrier of communication where like you have a vast understanding of English and a small understanding of Korean, and your mom has a vast understanding of Korean and a small understanding of English. And then how do you how do you communicate?

[16:03] David Park: Right. Like the person that knows me the most, I can't talk to.

[16:06] Cheeyang Un: Right.

[16:07] David Park: About the things I want to talk to about the most. And I I'm trying to learn better Korean. But you know, they say it's harder to learn a language as you get older. And I mean I'm familiar with it, so it, but like just to be fluent in another language is like a whole other thing. Like the nuance that you I don't know. But it's it's wild. And I grew up, I remember having an epiphany like a few years back of realizing that growing up I had subconsciously resented my mother or like judged my mother for not being able to speak English and being like, oh, like I I think I realized that on some level I've been like, is my mom dumb? Like, is is you know what I mean? Just because like as a kid, I was like, I'm an American, I'm growing up in America, I speak English, like that's the standard I have. And my mom's like, well, I realize that she grew up in Korea. Like she's fluent and like she's this whole other person that I don't even know because I can't access it.

[17:05] Cheeyang Un: Right. Isn't that crazy?

[17:07] David Park: I'm just having all the feels because I'm like, I can't, I just can't imagine being in a person in your position because oh my god. But also like latching on to like literally what you just said, you grew up and you thought, hey, I'm American. At what age or like at what when did you realize that Americ being American had all these like subsidiaries?

[17:28] Cheeyang Un: Right.

[17:28] David Park: That like that I was in a flavored American because I'm not white.

[17:33] Cheeyang Un: When yellow flavored you realize that.

[17:36] David Park: Um yellow flu. I don't know if I have like one moment that like is is the one that in my pensive, like you go to, and it's like, oh my god, this is the memory. But there just have been moments in my life where I was made to be very aware that I wasn't the white kid. Like throughout the time you're growing up, or yeah, yeah, I'd say there was like a thing at like in junior high, a thing in high school, and then like now that I'm an actor in New York and like pursuing a career um in acting, it's it's not like people are like, oh, you fucking chink. Like it's it's not aggressive, it's just like understanding how the world operates and how the world consciously and subconsciously views me.

[18:18] Cheeyang Un: Like what so in junior high, I remember like there were these group of girls that were we call them fobs, fresh off the boat.

[18:26] David Park: Lol.

[18:27] Cheeyang Un: All the Asians, all the Asians know what that is.

[18:29] David Park: Yes. Um it's funny because the word for playing in Korean is PNG, so it's the same B sound. So Koreans say fresh off the Pengy. That's a little inside joke. Um But they were like super into K-pop and stuff, and I was I remember like having this reaction, like looking back, I'm like, wow, but being like, oh my gosh, like stop being such such a fob. Like, can you just be normal?

[18:51] Cheeyang Un: Oh wow.

[18:51] David Park: I said that to a Korean person, and like now that I'm older and have the the blessing of hindsight, I'm like, wow, like you really were so hurt, not because of something that explicitly happened to you, but just because the environment you were in, you were told that like you're abnormal, like get in line.

[19:07] Cheeyang Un: Right.

[19:07] David Park: The idea of normality, and and that's also kind of crazy because that goes towards not just race, gender, identity, sexual orientation. It's everything. Everything seems to be geared towards a cis white male centric world. But the good thing is like everyone is talking about it right now. And the more we are aware of it, the more we can subvert it, the more we can open up discussions. Um to have to to have a better, more inclusive society for people who are just not the same as you.

[19:39] Cheeyang Un: 100%.

[19:39] David Park: And like that's the beauty of Twitter. And like everyone has a voice, and like sometimes that can get a little crazy and out of hand on both sides, I would say. Um because it it always comes from a place of self-preservation. It's like I have to say my voice and I have to protect my own because no one is standing up for me. And like I totally get that. Um yeah, it's like it's it's crazy. Like we're making up the rules as we go in in an attempt to just fully embrace everyone. So it you know, it's uncharted territory.

[20:08] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, yeah, yeah. We just gotta leave with love, you know.

[20:11] David Park: Oh my God. Let's talk a little bit about um your experience here in New York City. So you came here for school, you went to Pace University for musical theater.

[20:21] Cheeyang Un: Go pace.

[20:21] David Park: And how how was that experience?

[20:23] David Park: Um, it was a really great experience for me. When when I decided to pursue theater, I had done a production of hairspray at the community college I was attending back home.

[20:34] Cheeyang Un: Yes, Asian hairspray.

[20:36] David Park: I was link baby.

[20:37] Cheeyang Un: Oh and I was like 210 pounds.

[20:39] David Park: It was I love it.

[20:41] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, I was like Elvis past his prime, the lights went off.

[20:44] David Park: Motion sensor.

[20:45] Cheeyang Un: Pause pause.

[20:47] David Park: And we're back.

[20:49] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, we're gonna keep that in.

[20:50] David Park: Okay, we'll see. So yes.

[20:52] Cheeyang Un: So yes, you were saying link hairspray.

[20:53] David Park: Hairspray, link 210 pounds.

[20:56] Cheeyang Un: Oh, I we got pictures at at David Park.

[20:59] David Park: Um but it it's one of the only moments in my life where like lightning it a bottle, I was like, oh my god, like this is what I'm meant to do. Uh so dramatic. But um, yeah, I wanted to move to New York because I w had a dream and still have the dream to be on Broadway, but I wanted to go to school because I'm like, I'm not gonna do this without nothing. Like I need I need experience. I need to I just felt so behind because I I was hyper aware growing up with kids in Bur Burbank, California, which is like where all the baby actors are in SoCal. Um that like kids had grown up doing this. So um I looked into Pace and I really liked the vibe. It was just like up and coming, and like RSL was on staff there, and he's like someone that I knew in my limited uh knowledge of like the musical theater world.

And funny, like that's the only school I applied an audition for, and I was like Wow, I was like, yeah, I was like, I'm gonna leave it up to you know, God, the universe, whatever you want to call it. I was like, I like this random production had felt like fate to me, so I was like, I think fate can do it one more time. I just needed that push.

[22:05] Cheeyang Un: Sometimes you sometimes you just never realize well, I think when you have faith, sometimes it works out and sometimes it's not.

[22:12] David Park: And and sometimes if it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be, and it's okay.

[22:16] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, but C Tian, I think in that sense, if it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be. Like that means faith is always working, right? Whether it works out or it doesn't.

[22:24] David Park: Right.

[22:24] Cheeyang Un: So yeah, I mean, for me, I think my life has shown me time and time again that like things work out and when they're meant to work out for me.

[22:34] David Park: Right, absolutely. Um, because of like when I'm ready for it, when I'm not ready for it, etc. So but yeah, pace was great because I I was hoping for one experience, two training, and I think I got plenty of both there.

[22:48] Cheeyang Un: So you went to school in 2013 and you graduated in 2017.

[22:52] David Park: Yes.

[22:53] Cheeyang Un: Right. And what have you been up to since?

[22:55] David Park: The first time I saw you was in Red Roses Green Gold.

[22:55] Cheeyang Un: Red Roses Green Gold.

[22:59] David Park: At off Broadway. Shout outs.

[23:01] Cheeyang Un: And that is um with one of my very, very close friends, Debbie Christine John. Love her.

[23:05] David Park: She's killing it right now.

[23:08] Cheeyang Un: And living the best life.

[23:10] David Park: Honestly.

[23:11] Cheeyang Un: Honestly. And I'm like, why are you not on Master Chef? Shout out to Debbie.

[23:14] David Park: Okay, wait. Uh quick tangent. She cooked me a literal Beef Wellington, Golden Ramsey's recipe, and it tasted freaking amazing like she's what can't she do.

[23:27] Cheeyang Un: Honestly.

[23:28] David Park: Plays every instrument, sickest voice, like nicest person, great chef. I need her on this podcast because I need to talk. Like, I've known her for I don't know 14 years.

[23:37] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, that's crazy.

[23:38] David Park: Yeah.

[23:39] Cheeyang Un: How small of a world.

[23:40] David Park: Like, insane.

[23:41] Cheeyang Un: Insane. That's like before I came here. Also, good job, Singapore, because y'all pumping out some real talent. I gotta say, real talent.

[23:45] David Park: Represent Robert's.

[23:48] Cheeyang Un: Isn't what's her face from Singapore? Julia Bueva?

[23:49] David Park: Yeah, she's also from Singapore. Listen, Singapore. Crazy Rich Asians, let's freaking go. But okay, so let's talk a little bit about when you first graduated. You started, you was that the first edition you went on again?

[24:04] David Park: I I that's how I remember it. It was like, if not the first, like one of the first I got through CGF.

[24:09] Cheeyang Un: This girl is insane. You.

[24:12] David Park: Debbie.

[24:13] Cheeyang Un: You love that girl.

[24:15] David Park: I'm not. Listen. It's like first job out of school off Broadway.

[24:20] Cheeyang Un: So Red Roses Green Gold.

[24:22] David Park: Which was a huge blessing. And like I'm so grateful for that experience because I learned a lot, just a lot. Like, I can't even begin to describe all the lessons I learned from that production.

[24:32] Cheeyang Un: You were so charismatic on stage. You played the guitar, you sang.

[24:35] David Park: You danced, you're face off.

[24:37] Cheeyang Un: Okay, but here's the real lesson of that experience. That we closed February of whatever year it was.

[24:43] David Park: 2018?

[24:44] Cheeyang Un: And I didn't book another theater job until uh a full ass year.

[24:49] David Park: Earlier this year.

[24:50] Cheeyang Un: Yeah.

[24:51] David Park: So in hindsight, a year feels like nothing. But I remember during it, I was like, whoa.

[24:56] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, yeah.

[24:57] David Park: And like already, like I closed Greece at Pioneer three weeks ago, and I'm I'm already in that. Like, whoa, you know what I mean? Like as an actor, we are so hungry to be present in the moment of like being booked and blessed, which like is not a bad thing to revel in. But um, it's just so crazy how like short-term memory I have. You know what I mean?

[25:15] Cheeyang Un: But but I'm grateful for that year where I didn't get any jobs because it just taught me a lot about patience and and understanding that it's truly, you know, they say it's not a it's not a sprint, it's a marathon, right?

[25:30] David Park: And I was like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it, got it. Like there'll be a like there'll be a couple months where I won't work, whatever.

[25:35] Cheeyang Un: No, a year.

[25:36] David Park: And also a year is not a long time.

[25:38] Cheeyang Un: It's not relatively new. There are actors who have not, well, I've not worked in a long, long time.

[25:43] David Park: You're killing it in other ways.

[25:44] Cheeyang Un: Eastbound, eastbound, come on.

[25:46] David Park: Come on. But I'm like, you know, it's it's a whole it's a whole thing. I have a lot of friends who have not been working for like almost three or four years since graduation. And that's just kind of like the where the business is at right now. And I think everybody has their own trajectory, and there's no like I mean, there are people who succeed right away, and then when you start comparing yourself to that, and it's like, why am I not doing that? It's like you don't really have an answer to that.

[26:11] Cheeyang Un: Right.

[26:11] David Park: But also with Instagram where everyone is posting their successes, which like that's no tea, no shade. Like, you should post your success, you shouldn't be proud. Um, but like also with how small this community is, it's like I have friends that are constantly succeeding, and I'm not unhappy about that at all.

[26:26] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, but there's that voice in your in the back of your head that's always a collecting that, being like, why aren't you like what what's wrong with you?

[26:33] David Park: Oh, absolutely. And and bringing it back to like being Asian as well, it's like the idea of like success to an Asian family is a it looks a certain way because that's how we grew up. I I hope this changes in the next generation. But success definitely looks a certain way. Every time I go home, my aunt is like, so when are you buying this car? When are you buying this home? When are you gonna support your parents in this way?

[27:06] Cheeyang Un: Right.

[27:06] Cheeyang Un: Like you define success.

[27:07] David Park: And some it's not that that is a bad sentiment to have, and I and I understand what that is, but going off of like n no, that's success is defined by yourself.

[27:07] David Park: I completely agree.

[27:08] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, completely.

[27:09] David Park: And like I think as soon as I'm grateful for my my parents for is they success to them is defined by me pursuing what makes me happy.

[27:20] David Park: Oh, wonderful. And what will make me feel like I'm living a life that I want to lead? But they, you know, like they don't want me to be starving and poor. Like when Asian parents, like tiger moms and tiger dads do that stuff, like it's from a genuine place of like, I don't want you to struggle like I did, or like I want you to succeed. And it's up to kids and parents alike that are still, you know, struggling with that to like make sure that they know where that's coming from. Right. And that's just like humanity in general. It's like what, what, why are you saying the things you're saying? Why are you doing the things you're doing? Like, where does it come from? Don't you think it's like such a privilege too to be doing what we do?

[28:00] Cheeyang Un: 100%.

[28:01] David Park: There are people who have to worry about what they have to eat tomorrow, and like we're here talking about our lives in the theater. 100%. And sometimes, I mean, this is something that it's kind of like weighing on me. It's like, where do I stand in the global scale right now? Like, so much shit is going on. So many bad things are happening. How can I play my part? How can we play our part in making the world a better place? Is it changing people one step at a time? Is it like, what is it? And then you really have to like self-reflect, right? You have to think about the things that really, really matter to you and the things that sometimes we get so harped on the littlest things that we get mad on. Do you ever feel that? It's like, why am I angry over this like insignificant thing? Like I can't name an example off the top of my head right now, but like are you talking about like political stuff or just like in your own life?

[28:56] Cheeyang Un: Just in my own life, just I mean, also political stuff, but political stuff is a whole other.

[29:03] David Park: Oh, absolutely. And I can't vote for, right?

[29:05] Cheeyang Un: No, I know that.

[29:06] David Park: But I think I, in a sense, it's like there's only so much you can do. Like, you can fucking share all the videos on Twitter that you want. Like, that's not doing anything. That's just like your pre, your followers, I guarantee that they think the same thing you do. Like, and like your tweets not going viral. Like, what are you doing to make this world a better place? And like, me as an actor and as just a person, like I can vote, and then I can have meaningful conversations out of love with people because yelling at someone, when has that ever made someone change their mind?

[29:41] Cheeyang Un: Literally on that point, a lot of people, and this was something we talked about earlier as well, right? Like, a lot of people engage other people by confrontation versus conversation.

[29:52] David Park: Right.

[29:52] Cheeyang Un: And I'm a personal believer that no confrontation is gonna yield positive results in the way that conversation can.

[30:01] David Park: Absolutely. Especially in politics, I think. I mean, one thing that I recently started doing is like started to listen to right-wing podcasts because I really wanted to understand where the thoughts lie. And I'm liberal, but I'm also like I kinda, I feel like I'm very centrist. I get it.

[30:18] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, exactly.

[30:22] David Park: It's like it's the dichotomy of like we're literally Switzerland, like neutral as fuck. But it's, you know what? And I don't mean to cut you off, but it's funny because I have family that like lives in Texas. Koreans tend to be very conservative. So I grew up and I decided for myself what I believed and what I think, and then that's changing every day, you know, based on my experience and what I'm seeing and learning and reading. But I have family members who are very conservative, and I know that they're not crazy racist, bigoted, like assholes, right? I know that they believe that for a specific reason, and maybe they're ignorant to certain things that I am aware of that makes me think differently from them.

But I think what happens when all the discourse happens over Twitter is you don't get to know that about the person. You just see the all bold cap text of like, uh blah blah blah, you know, yeah, I don't even know. But then that dehumanizes people, and that's like, okay, well, that's that person, I'm this person, enemies, right? But it's like we're all, everyone that gets mad is because they're hurt. You know what they say, like hate and love are closest, you know, whatever. Like yin and yang, like that, that is true. Everything has another side to it that's directly connected. So it's why are you doing the things you're doing? Why do you say the things that you say? Like, I think that's imperative for people to understand that about each other, or like this is never gonna change.

[31:48] Cheeyang Un: Right. What do you think? Um living in New York, what have you learned in terms of like your life experience, living in New York as an Asian American person, Korean American person, and acting in the musical theater world, what do you think you have learned that other people can stand to hear from? Like, you're like, if I could tell you one thing, this is what I would love to tell you.

[32:11] David Park: Okay. I think what I'm going through right now is I have been, you know, so many people say like these things are wrong with this industry, like XYZ, and it's not that I don't see it, it's not that I even necessarily disagree, but I think for me, after hearing that so much, I was like, well, yeah, it's everywhere. Like it's, I got indignant and upset, and I started bringing that into the audition rooms. And like being mad about something, being stressed about something, that has never made me better for it. It only makes me more confused, it makes me hurt and sad and self-conscious. And I started realizing this is actually a recent thing for me, of being like, am I projecting all this? Like, do I, are they really like sitting there with their arms crossed being like, well, impress me, kid?

Like, we have this white guy that we want to cast, but like maybe if you change my mind, like I'll cast you instead. Like, that could happen. But I don't know that that's happening in every room I'm going to.

[33:11] Cheeyang Un: You know, no, I think I totally understand where you're coming from as well because it's like it's so easy to project your insecurities onto what's happening.

[33:21] David Park: And that's what I realized I was doing. It's like, you know, I'm a very self-conscious person as well. I think all of us are.

[33:28] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, I don't mean to put myself on a pedestal like that, but I just realized that like I wasn't doing myself any favors by like, again, it's not, and this is not me dismissing any of that, it's being like I understand that that's happening, but I just need to have, I need to find a better way of like logging that information in and like understanding that that's a goal of mine to help contribute to like changing, but also it's like I also have to live my own life and not let that like cripple me in every room I walk in.

[33:57] David Park: Yeah, absolutely. Because I think people want me to succeed, and like I want to succeed.

[34:01] Cheeyang Un: Yeah. I mean, I think you are doing really, really wonderful. Like think about you just played Kanicki in Greece.

[34:08] David Park: It was so fun.

[34:09] Cheeyang Un: And you're Asian, so it's like how many Greece productions have Asian people in it?

[34:15] David Park: Yeah, especially a role like Kanicki, who is like the maybe, you know, borderline toxic masculinity presence in the show, but it's like a lot of Asian men don't get to portray someone like hyper-masculine. They're kind of like the nerds or the sidekicks. Um, and it's so funny because he, you know, in the show he has Grease Lightning, which is like the super Elvis-y song. And my dad in college was called Korean Elvis, and he was in this like tech for like engineering frat or something. And his fraternity brothers would take him to sorority row and like have him croon the sorority girls out onto the balcony. So it really felt full circle for me.

[34:53] Cheeyang Un: Did you not get to see the production?

[34:55] David Park: He did. He loved it. They loved it.

[34:57] Cheeyang Un: That's great.

[34:58] David Park: That's great. If you could give yourself one advice to your younger self, what would you say to little David Park?

[35:06] David Park: Oh man. Um, I'm gonna cry. That, I mean, there's a lot, but a lot of my issues today, my confidence issues, my self-worth issues come from like image issues. I grew up really chubby, and I grew up like I have really chinky eyes, all these things like that compared to people that I saw were getting all the attention. I was like, oh well, you're not that, so you're worthless. And like it's years and years and like current battles of just like undoing that trauma, and so I would tell little David that it's like you are enough. And that's so cliche, but it's just so true, and I don't doubt that many people need to hear that.

[35:52] Cheeyang Un: Absolutely, absolutely. I think you are enough.

[35:54] David Park: Thanks, man.

[35:55] Cheeyang Un: Yeah.

[35:57] David Park: You're smiling. You, you, you're one of the one most wonderful people I've known because truly your work I think is great, and you have a great voice, and you always bring this energy into the room that's like completely fresh and you. So it's like whenever we get to work together, I'm like, yeah, David's my guy.

[36:17] Cheeyang Un: I would so in Greece, um, I was really close with our Sandy, Emma Hearn, who's amazing. If you ever need a white girl, she's your girl. Um, but we were talking one night. It's like I get to connive so much in rehearsals just because I, and this is like one of the few compliments I will give myself. It's like I just know how to pick the spots, man. Like the moments where like I can do something stupid or say something really stupid, and like it won't detract, but it'll like kind of refresh the room.

[36:44] David Park: So thank you.

[36:44] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, I, I that is a compliment that, uh, like there's a million compliments that I will not accept at my heart because I'm too self-deprecating to, honestly, but that's one that I'll be like, thank you. I appreciate that.

[36:55] David Park: Yeah. A few other questions before we wrap this up. Um, what will you want to do in order for you to say I've made it?

[37:07] David Park: That is a loaded question.

[37:09] Cheeyang Un: It is, it absolutely is.

[37:11] David Park: And because I, and honestly, I think a part of me hasn't fully accepted what I deem as success yet. When I had my first meeting with my agents, they're like, Who what career do you see that you can model yours after? And I was like, honestly, none, because there aren't enough, there isn't enough diversity of Asian male actors that I've seen where I'm like, oh yeah, like I really see myself in that. Like I see a little John Chow, I see a little Randall Park, I see a little Daniel Dae Kim, but like those are three men, and I'm, I'm no, I'm missing some, but like three men out of so many like white and other race men that have such vast careers.

[37:53] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, just think about the questions.

[37:54] David Park: Different types, you know?

[37:55] Cheeyang Un: Yeah. I mean, literally just the Chris's, and like, yeah.

[37:58] David Park: So, um, but I was like, you know what? I want, I want to say that I want an EGOT. And like that's not me saying that I'm gonna win one. I mean that'd be great. But it's because I said that because it would mean that I had a diverse career, because I have so many interests. And I just want to like work with people and like do things, you know. So, but uh that's so that's like the, um success-oriented side, but honestly, like if I can make money being an actor and support a family and like have a wife and kids, that's a great life, man. And like I don't know if I need much more than that.

[38:34] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, and I think just elaborating on that, for me at least what I'm picking up on is the idea of joy. You know, as long as you love what you're doing and you are succeeding at what you're doing, but you know, making a living and doing what you love.

[38:50] David Park: Hey man, it's not what you do, it's how you do it.

[38:52] Cheeyang Un: Yeah, absolutely. That is the truest thing ever.

[38:54] David Park: Absolutely. Also in The Farewell.

[38:56] Cheeyang Un: Go see The Farewell.

[38:58] David Park: This podcast sponsored literally sponsored by The Farewell.

[39:02] Cheeyang Un: Awkwafina.

[39:03] David Park: Sponsor us, Awkwafina. You can Venmo me at David Park. That's, that's with a Y.

[39:10] Cheeyang Un: Um, before we go, do you have any questions for me?

[39:15] David Park: Any questions for you?

[39:16] Cheeyang Un: Yeah. Anything that you would like to know, anything you would like to say, anything you would like to find out.

[39:21] David Park: Yes, some deep dark secrets. When are you writing this Crazy Rich Asians musical?

[39:24] Cheeyang Un: Oh my god, Crazy Rich Asians sponsor us.

[39:28] David Park: Literally, um, can I have a part in it? I will be janitor number three in that production. I don't care. Um, I already actually talked to my agent about this, and he was like, You are not gonna write this show. He didn't say he didn't say that. He was just like, Well, the studios are gonna take a long time before the Chang said, bitch bet, I will write this show. I was like, how many Singaporean writers do you know? Literally, like literally school theater writers. Yeah. There's if two like no, I'm not gonna name any names, but if a certain, if certain individuals that are obviously a higher profile, I just, if a white man writes his musical, I'll be pissed. It like if it's not Cheeyang, then someone like make him black, yellow, brown something. Anything. Anything. I cannot have a white man write that musical.

[40:17] Cheeyang Un: But then I should write the musical.

[40:18] David Park: That's what I'm saying.

[40:20] Cheeyang Un: Alright, we're making this happen. You hear it here first. Add John M. Chu. I have added so many people. This, I'm, this is a PSA. I'm putting y'all on blast.

[40:32] Cheeyang Un: Did you like that episode of East Side Story? If you did, follow us on Instagram at East Side Story Pod and at Cheeyang Music. Go on to Apple Podcasts, rate us, review us, and don't forget to subscribe. Or if you are a Spotify user, you can also click the follow button. Even better, you can tell someone about the podcast. And the best part, they don't even have to be Asian. Thank you so much for your support, and I'll see you next week.