First of All

DREAM BIG, they say. GO BIG OR GO HOME, they say. We are here for ALL of it....but it also helps to know what it’s really like for people like us who are actually doing all of the above. Actualizing a grand vision, a lifelong dream, or ambitious goal looks different for everyone, but there are universally shared experiences and feelings that anyone can learn from. In this episode of First Of All,...

It's safe to say that no one likes confrontation. It's uncomfortable, it's scary, it's awkward, & you don't know what the results are going to be. Whether you're talking with a significant other, a boss, your congressional representative, or yourSELF, being 100% open, honest, mature, & constructive with someone else when you're defensive, fearful, or just plain angry can feel like it's jus...

We’ve been on a mental & emotional deep diving streak here on First Of All, & this time we’re back on one of our fav topics: DATING. There’s so much from our previous episodes that come into play in this murky, beautiful, maddening world of chemistry & courtship - love, anxiety, stress, self-discovery, the list goes on. Minji invites Steve Lim aka Slim back to FOA to get updates on his...

So you took a chance, made a change, & broke away (thanks, Kelly Clarkson) from a past version of yourself - your career, a relationship, a city. And now you’ll spread your wings & learn how to fly, right? Eh.. maybe after an identity crisis, sleepless nights & poorly timed shopping spree or three. On this episode of First Of All, Minji sits down with Traci Lee, a journalist & form...

Change is inevitable. It can also mean reinvention. Every person is on their own journey with their own timelines, goals, challenges, failures & wins. What happens when you reach a goal & it's as amazing (or not) as you thought, then what? What about addressing new priorities, or life events that prompt unexpected realizations about your career, your love life, your purpose, or all of the...

In every phase of our lives, the challenges continue to change but one thing stays the same - we are the captains of our ship & the leaders of our own lives. Some people may have additional titles like manager, director, CEO, or mom/dad, but the concept of leadership can be applied to every one of us as we each walk our individual paths. In this episode of First Of All, Minji sits down with ho...

Love is love is love...right? YES. And we are here for it. Also, if you are an Asian female who happens to be boo'd up with a white male, you might get an earful, a raised eyebrow, or some classic behind your back shade about it. In 2019, interracial dating/marriage is definitely not a new thing. For some, there are layers of bias, fear, & prejudice that still beg to be unpacked. In this episo...

It's PRIDE MONTH here & FOA is over the moon to celebrate our LGBTQIA+ friends & family!! The rainbows, the glitter, the dancing, we are LIVING FOR IT all! It's an important time to appreciate the beauty that this community brings to the world & also reflect on the work that lays ahead to achieve true equality, safety & respect. In this episode, Minji sits down with one of her favo...

Time for a heart to heart from Minji about anxiety & her thought process around building a career, maintaining good health & growing fulfilling relationships. All of these things feed into one another & many times feels like there are just too many balls in the air to juggle all at once. What do we do when the overwhelm becomes too much? How do we approach problems that feel like they’...

Once upon a time in Spring 2019, Minji went to acting class & witnessed a casting exercise that went a little...racist...& then sexist. Long story short, Minji failed to keep her feelings to herself & called out her classmates in front of everyone. She may have written an angry Facebook post too. And in the following weeks, there were many feelings experienced & insightful conversa...

Asian Americans historically suck at voting & are the least politically engaged out of all US minorities. But let's take a second and try to understand WHY, HOW, & WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. In loving honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we'd be remiss to acknowledge one of the very worst grades on our supposed model minority report card: civic engagement. Why is entering the politi...

Ronny Chieng is bold, real, & hilarious. End of description. Just kidding(ish). But really, do we need to say more? In this episode, Minji sits down with comedian & actor Ronny Chieng from The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Crazy Rich Asians, & International Student deep in the heart of NYC at the amazing Canal Street Radio. In between filming his show & doing a standup comedy tour,...

First Of All wishes you all Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! OK, so he West Coast vs East Coast conversation has been the source of many mainstream jokes, memes & rap songs throughout American pop culture. But what about the Asian American perspective? In this episode, Minji sits down with the insightful & hilarious hosts of the NYC-based 6.99 Per Pound Podcast, JoAnn Park &amp...

Ever had that feeling that old folks are just like SO lame & out of touch & parents just don’t understand? Yeah, we haven’t either. But we’re told that in some parts of the world this sometimes happens. In this episode Minji sits down to talk to the young people (or at least a representative) since she is finally embracing that she no longer is one. She also thinks it might really helpful...

This episode goes deep into discussing the dark underbelly of the K-Pop world & Korean culture. In this episode, Minji calls upon the hilarious insight of comedian Peter Kim, host of the podcast "The Ajumma Show", to talk about the recent K-pop scandal involving celebrities, politicians, police, prostitution, rape, corruption, & all encompassing nastiness that runs rampant in the...

Whatever your preference - beer pong at a house party, shots in a club, or a glass of wine (or three) with friends over dinner, alcohol is the widely beloved social lubricant of the ages. But as much as Drake loves to sing about it, sometimes a more in-depth conversation on partying, drinking, & evolving social etiquette can help. For this doozy of a topic, Minji sits down with her friend, Bry...

"Empower" has become a word used regularly in speeches, mission statements, & personal goals. But it can mean something different depending on who you ask for a definition. In a preparation for Minji's 4th Kollaboration EMPOWER Creative Leadership Conference, she sits down to talk through it all with one of the incredible women who, in her eyes, embodies the word itself - tv/film wri...

As far as we can tell, there aren't that many people that can say they knew EXACTLY what their career would be early on, or had an easy time laying the groundwork to build it. For most of us regular folk, finding a career is much like a baby deer learning how to walk - it's awkward, entertaining, shaky, scary, & an inevitable part of the process. Or as we at First Of All like to call it, &quot...

Anyone else find it easy to give solid, loving, practical advice... & also be the worst at taking it, even (gasp) applying it in our actual lives?? A common struggle we all can face at some point is not taking action to improve our own lives, even when it's easy to dish out & implore (maybe even nag) others to just do as we say. Or maybe we're open to hearing advice, perhaps even resolving...

Who loves Valentine's Day?! XOXO <333 @}--}----- ..... Kenji & Minji don't. But the holiday does lend itself to a perfect podcast theme for all things dating and romance! So we're going to go ahead and celebrate that! Now, Kenji has already made multiple First Of All guest appearances to discuss long distance woes and how to navigate fights and rough patches while being in a relationship wi...

The self-care 2019 resolution is in full effect, yall. As a longtime advocate of self-care & mental health, Minji finally puts her money where her mouth is & starts her transformational journey getting therapy with her friend & certified hypnotherapist, Panney Wei. Together they discuss Panney's evolution in finding her calling to become a mental health provider after multiple careers...

Minji sits down with her friend, producer, "Perfectly Imperfect" podcast host & life coach Christine Chen to talk about a much discussed and often difficult to understand reality of "mean girls" - being one, dealing with one (or many), and some of the underlying layers that feed into problematic female relationships. In the age of #MeToo and #TimesUp, these elder millennial...

Do nice guys really finish last? And um, when & why did being "nice" become such a loaded, problematic thing? What's the baggage of this word & are we just giving it grief for no good reason? WHO WILL DEFEND THE NICE GUYS?? In this inaugural 2019 episode, Minji sits down with her friend Scott to unpackage all this & more. It's time to dive in deep with some funny anecdotes, p...

The man, the myth, the legend - Producer Marvin joins Minji for the first time on First of All. After 5 years of working together for the Asian American grassroots organization Kollaboration, 180+ episodes of co-hosting KollabCast podcast, launching First Of All & multiple years of nagging, venting, regrouping, & apologizing...Marvin & Minji are pretty familiar with powering through ha...

HEY GUYS, it's that time of year again. 2018 is rapidly coming to a close & it's time to reflect, plan, & strategize execution of the most INCREDIBLE, FULFILLING, & ABUNDANT YEARS OF OUR LIVES Y'ALL. You know, to counteract whatever stressful, debilitating, anxiety-inducing nonsense this year may have caused you to lose hope in humanity or.. just simply killed your vibe. Whatever it ma...