Have you heard Julie Kim's name before? Even if not, chances are you've heard of the folks she's been associated with.
Kim recently toured across North America, doing 40 theatre shows alongside Ronny Chieng of Crazy Rich Asians fame. Two years ago, she was named to View the VIBE's Power 60 List for Inspiring Asian-Canadians of Influence alongside Russell Peters, Andrew Phung and Lilly Singh.
"As a comedian, I feel like there's really objective measures or milestones of progress because it's such a long slog. I was actually surprised to be on the list, and very honoured to be among those high-profile people," Kim says. "It means a lot. Quite honestly, I haven't met most of them."
Not that she needs to ride shotgun with a big name. As a solo performer, Kim has graced every major Canadian comedy event like Just for Laughs Vancouver, Winnipeg Comedy Festival, and Halifax Comedy Festival—with multiple televised gigs at each. She headlined a quartet of sold-out shows at Just for Laughs Toronto in 2023, the same year she joined the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Now, Kim is heading back to Whistler as part of the Doing Too Much Comedy Tour.
"I was in Whistler almost exactly two years ago at the [Maury Young Arts Centre], and it was sold out. It was a very fun time," she recalls. "My husband is a snowboarder, my daughter is a skier, so we try to go up there a lot in the winter.
"I've changed a lot in the last couple years. I'm as strong as I've ever been as a comedian. I have such an appreciation for people who choose to spend a night to see me … because increasingly, my audience base includes people with kids. I know how much work it takes to plan around your family life, but I'm excited as ever to get out there, connect with people, tell my jokes, and have a fun time."
Artistic empathy
Born and raised in Toronto, Kim now lives in Vancouver. She picked up comedy as a dare to herself, a bucket list item to attempt something difficult. Her other goal was to become a better speaker, for she noticed that individuals who spoke well tended to garner respect.
It's a tool Kim wanted on her belt as a young, working woman… but then she got hooked. One stand-up comedy course led to a few open mic nights, which eventually transformed into a career.
"I had never thought [comedy] would become part of my main identity, and certainly not my main focus work-wise," she admits. "It's very satisfying. I love to laugh. I like to make people laugh, and I like being light in life because it can be quite dark."
Rather than discuss hypotheticals or philosophical ideas on stage, Kim wishes to make points based on her own lived experience—albeit with a healthy dose of satire and sarcasm. Common ground is important, and it can be found more easily than one might assume.
"One of my main takeaways from comedy is that I believe people are a lot more similar than we might think based on what we see in the news or what we hear on social media," Kim remarks. "One of my favourite things is experiencing a bunch of people in a room laughing at the same thing when they look very different from each other. You can't experience that and also be thinking, 'Oh, there's so much division.'
"I've also learned from my travels that there's wonderful people everywhere you go. It helps me to grow as a person and stay open-minded and hopeful about humanity—if that's not too cheesy."
Kim isn't just a humour merchant. She's also a Canadian Screen Award-winning writer and producer who worked with Simu Liu (Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as Liu hosted the 2022 and 2023 Juno Awards. She has also contributed to successful TV programs like Kim's Convenience, Run the Burbs and Still Standing.
The Vancouverite feels this other half of her career has fostered artistic empathy within her. Stand-up can lean towards the realm of narcissism because it's only one person on stage at a time, voicing their own content, but writing for others requires a broader, more nuanced approach.
Catch Kim and the Doing Too Much Tour on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Maury Young. Tickets and details are available at juliekimcomedy.com/event-details-registration/doing-too-much-comedy-tour-whistler-bc.
