Among Korean nursery rhymes, there is a song with the lyrics “I really wish I could appear on television.” How would it feel to appear on a TV program that you have been a fan of since childhood? One such person is Bowen Yang, whom we will examine. He appeared in three consecutive seasons as the first Chinese American actor on Saturday Night Live (SNL), where Asian actors rarely appear. He was also the first gay actor to appear on SNL for more than one season. Breaking the walls of SNL, that show he had dreamed of, Bowen Yang created a new flow. Now, don’t you feel curious about him? 

           Bowen Yang was born in 1990 in Brisbane, Australia. After emigrating from Australia to Canada, he became a big fan of SNL at the age of 9. SNL, which became a childhood memory for him, was an inspiration and motivation even in his teens. Before graduating from high school, Bowen Yang was chosen as "Most Likely to Be a Cast Member of SNL" in a vote held for fun at school. Considering SNL is a comedy program, it seems like his teens would have been pleasant. However, it wasn’t. When he was 17, he left chat logs on the computer he shared with his family. The chat revealed that he was gay and his family was outraged about his gender identity. The parents sat their son down and yelled that this couldn't happen, and eventually they decided to give Bowen Yang conversion therapy to change his sexual orientation. After completing this pseudoscience treatment, Bowen Yang enrolled at New York University. Although he majored in pre-med in college, he did not give up on comedy. As a result, he auditioned for comedy, and even performed on stage while making a living as a graphic designer after graduation. Finally, he set foot on SNL, the stage of his childhood dreams, as a writer in 2018. He got his first chance to appear on-air in the role of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un while he was working as a writer for Season 44 (2018-2019). Then the following year, Bowen Yang finally became a featured player on SNL Season 45 (2019-2020) and made his name as the first Chinese-American actor in the show's history. He was also on SNL for the next Season 46 (2020-2021) and drew attention by expressing the hardships of LGBTQ+ people on stage with his "Pride Month Song." In the March 2021 Weekend Update corner, he even spoke out against hatred towards Asian Americans. As a result, Bowen Yang was recognized for his outstanding acting skills and ideas in the United States. He was also confirmed to appear on SNL in Season 47 (2021-2022). He continues to appear on SNL to this day, and he is active in co-operating a podcast called “Las Culturistas” and making regular appearances in the comedy TV show “Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens”.

           Until Bowen Yang’s play, the homosexual element on SNL was often just a punchline to make people laugh. Among discriminatory stages, Bowen Yang portrays homosexuality in a way that can melt into the character and be naturally delivered to the public when he writes and acts. Recognized by the world for who he is: a gay comedian. Bowen Yang is living happily with the family that denied him in the past. CAH supports his acting, works, and choices he will show in the future.