Joel Kim Booster

Joel Alexander Kim Booster (born Kim Joonmin; February 29, 1988) is an American actor, comedian, producer, and writer. He is known for writing, producing, and starring in the Hulu romantic comedy film Fire Island and his role in the Apple TV comedy series Loot (2022–present), earning two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for the former. He has also co-produced, written, or guest starred for Big Mouth, The Other Two, Shrill, Search Party, and Sunnyside.

Early and personal life Born Kim Joonmin in Jeju Island, South Korea, Booster was adopted by an American couple as an infant. He was raised in Plainfield, Illinois, in a "conservative, white, Evangelical Christian family" and was initially homeschooled. He went to public school for the first time when he was 16, which he described as his "first time being around non-religious people."

Booster is gay and often talks about his sexuality in his stand-up. He explained he knew he was gay from childhood ("before I knew I was Asian") but kept it a secret. During his senior year of high school, his parents found out his orientation by reading his diary where he had described his sexual encounters with other boys. On July 21, 2020, Booster publicly shared that he has bipolar disorder.

On September 1, 2024, Booster announced on Twitter his engagement to John-Michael Sudsina in South Korea. The couple married at the Exploratorium in San Francisco on December 30, 2025. In an interview with GQ, Booster revealed that they are in a non-monogamous relationship, but they are not polyamorous and sex outside their marriage is recreational.

Career 2012–2017: Early standup career Living in Chicago, Booster took a job as a copywriter and began to perform in theater and write jokes after work. Meanwhile, he started seeing similar success as a comedic writer and producer during this time period, writing for acclaimed comedies Big Mouth, Billy on the Street, and The Other Two. In 2019, he started the podcast Urgent Care with Joel Kim Booster + Mitra Jouhari with comedian Mitra Jouhari under Earwolf. Booster appeared on the December 8, 2020, episode of The George Lucas Talk Show with fellow guest Eliza Skinner.

2022–present: Hollywood breakout and mainstream success Booster wrote and starred in the 2022 romantic comedy film Fire Island, streaming on Hulu and inspired by Pride and Prejudice. It is one of few mainstream gay films with a predominantly Asian American cast, and co-stars Margaret Cho, Bowen Yang, and Conrad Ricamora. The film received positive reception and was noted for its cinematography, faithfulness to Pride and Prejudice, and depiction of a loving friendship between Howie and Noah (played by Yang and Booster).

In 2022, he released a stand-up special on Netflix called Joel Kim Booster: Psychosexual. Abbey White of The Hollywood Reporter described the special positively: "...Psychosexual offers a hilariously biting deconstruction and reconstruction of Booster's identity onstage; a repudiation not only of himself as a representative or "role model" for his various communities, but an affirmation that as a comedian, his only job is to tell jokes — regardless of whether that speaks to any community at all."

In June 2025, it was announced that Booster would be performing at Belly Laughs, a new comedy and food festival in Los Angeles.

In November 2025, Booster made it to the final round of the "8 Degrees of Jane" episode of Celebrity Weakest Link.

Accolades Booster was called a Comic to Watch by Variety and one of Vultures 20 Comedians You Should and Will Know, and was named a Forbes ' 30 Under 30 in Hollywood & Entertainment.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes2018 The Week Of Airline Attendant Viper Club Robbie Fire Island Noah Also writer and executive producer

Television Year Title Role Notes2013–2014 Kam Kardashian Joel Web series; also writer Funemployed Charlie / Backup Dancer Web series 2016 Conan Himself Stand-up set 2018 Comedy Central's Thank You, Goodnight! Himself 2019 The Other Two Writer and producer BoJack Horseman Maude's Ex-Boyfriend Voice, episode: "The Face of Depression" Sunnyside Jun Ho Curb Your Enthusiasm Hulu Executive No. 1 Santa Inc. Jingle Jim Voice 2022 American Dad! Geric / Gold Top Nuts Son /Grocery Store Employee Voice, 2 episodes Celebrity Jeopardy! Himself Contestant The Great American Baking Show Himself Contestant 2022–present Loot Nicholas Main role; also writer 2023 Glamorous Cliff Is It Cake? Himself / Judge Episode: "That 90's Cake"2024 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself / Judge Episode: "Corporate Queens" Industry Frank Wade Episode: "It" 2025–present Love Hotel Himself / Presenter 2026 It's Florida, Man Lester Episode: "Crushed" Scrubs Dr. Eric Park Recurring

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2026 Cookie Run: Kingdom Romance Cookie

Discography 2018: Model Minority Gotham Independent Film Awards

Ensemble Tribute

GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Film – Streaming or TV Independent Spirit Awards Best First Screenplay Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Streamed or Televised Motion Pictures

Outstanding Television Movie

Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie