Ji-Young’s not a K-Drama star, but Sesame Street’s first Asian-American muppet

Sesame Street has been part of many people’s childhood memories. But it’s about to welcome a new iconic character to the show. After being on air for over 50 years, the gang’s new member Ji-Young, its first Asian American muppet, will make an appearance next week.

The new addition to the neighborhood is described as a 7-year-old Korean American who enjoys playing her electric guitar and skateboarding. Apart from sharing her love for rock music and tteokbokki a.k.a. Korean rice cakes, her role is also significant since it will add more representation to the children’s show.

In a video interview with AP News, Ji-Young also shared an interesting story behind her name. The two syllables each have a different meaning. Ji translates to “smart” or “wise”, while Young could mean “brave” or “courageous”. She elaborated, ‘But we were looking it up and guess what? Ji also means sesame.’

The introduction of an Asian American character comes at a time where awareness in combatting anti-Asian bias and harassment is crucial. Puppeteer Kathleen Kim will be bringing the muppet to life. She shared, ‘I feel like I have a lot of weight that maybe I’m putting on myself to teach these lessons and to be this representative that I did not have as a kid.’

Ji-Young will debut in an upcoming episode titled See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special alongside other celebrities such as Simu Liu, Padma Lakshmi, and Naomi Osaka. It will premiere on HBO Max on Thanksgiving Day, November 25.

Banner: AP Photo/Noreen Nasir

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Source: we the pvblic