Joana Pak: The Photographer Behind Steven Yeun’s Quiet Family Life
Joana Pak is a photographer and the wife of Emmy-winning actor Steven Yeun, known for roles in The Walking Dead, Minari, and Beef. While Steven has built one of the more acclaimed careers in recent Hollywood memory, Joana has taken a deliberately quieter path, running her own photography business and keeping her family life almost entirely out of public view.
Quick Facts About Joana Pak
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Joana Pak |
| Born | October 1, 1986, Fayetteville, Arkansas |
| Nationality | American |
| Heritage | Korean-American |
| Profession | Freelance photographer |
| Business | Jo Pakka Photography |
| Education | Columbia College Chicago (Photography) |
| Husband | Steven Yeun (married December 3, 2016) |
| Children | Son Jude Malcolm (born 2017); daughter (born 2019, name not public) |
Who Is Joana Pak?
Joana Pak is an American photographer of Korean descent, known both for her own creative work and as the wife of actor Steven Yeun. She runs a freelance photography business, Jo Pakka Photography, with a style often described as warm and naturalistic, focused on nature, family, and candid portraiture — including intimate shots of her own husband and children.
While much of the public interest in her comes through her marriage, Joana has maintained a consistent creative identity of her own throughout, one she’s kept largely separate from Steven’s public profile.
Early Life and Family Background
Joana Pak was born on October 1, 1986, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to Korean immigrant parents. Steven Yeun has spoken about her family background specifically in connection with his film Minari, revealing that her family had roots in the same world the film depicts — more on that below.
Note that some online sources describe a woman named Kayce as Joana’s sister; this appears to actually refer to Steven Yeun’s own sister, who became Joana’s sister-in-law through marriage and posted publicly about the couple’s 2016 wedding. There’s no independently confirmed sibling of Joana’s own under that or a similar name.
Education at Columbia College Chicago
Joana studied photography at Columbia College Chicago, reportedly earning her degree around 2009. It was during her time as a student in Chicago that she first crossed paths with Steven Yeun, who was then performing with the Second City comedy theater rather than pursuing the acting career that would later make him famous.
Career as a Photographer
Joana Pak works as a freelance photographer through her own business, Jo Pakka Photography, with a portfolio spanning nature, portraiture, and candid family moments. She shares her work primarily through Flickr and, at times, Tumblr and VSCO, building a modest but genuine following for her photography outside of any connection to her husband’s fame.
You may also like this: Finlo Clarkson: Biography, Family, Career, and Life Away from the Spotlight
How Joana Pak and Steven Yeun Met
Joana and Steven first met in Chicago in 2009 through mutual friends, while she was still a student and he was performing comedy with Second City. At the time, nothing romantic developed between them. About a year later, they reconnected when Joana walked into the bar where Steven was working — by his own admission — as “a really sh—ty bartender.” He’s described the reunion as “kismet,” recalling that he saw her nearly every day for the following six months.
Steven has also spoken candidly about his awkward early efforts to win her over, telling GQ he initially invited her out along with two other female friends in an attempt to play it cool — a move he’s since called one of his “lame-ass moves” of all time.
Marriage
The couple’s relationship endured a period of long distance after Steven relocated to Atlanta to film The Walking Dead, while Joana remained in Chicago. Steven proposed in August 2015, and the two married on December 3, 2016, at the Paramour Estate in Los Angeles, in an intimate ceremony attended by family, friends, and several of Steven’s Walking Dead co-stars. According to Martha Stewart Weddings, the couple honored their mothers during the ceremony by presenting each with a bouquet, describing their approach to the event simply as wanting to “host a party” rather than a more traditional, formal wedding.
Children
Joana and Steven have two children. Their son, Jude Malcolm Yeun, was born on March 17, 2017 — St. Patrick’s Day. Their daughter followed in April 2019; her name has never been made public, consistent with the couple’s broader approach to keeping their children’s lives private.
The Surprising Minari Connection
One of the more striking, well-documented details about Joana’s family background involves Steven Yeun’s Oscar-nominated film Minari, which tells the story of a Korean immigrant family building a new life in rural Arkansas. In a 2021 interview with W Magazine, Steven revealed that the film closely mirrors Joana’s own family history — she is Korean but grew up in Arkansas, and her family’s early income came from chicken sexing, a niche and historically Korean-American-dominated occupation involving determining the sex of newly hatched chicks. Steven has said Joana’s family gave him direct guidance on the trade while he prepared for the role.
Her Social Media Presence
Joana Pak maintains an unusually minimal social media presence given her connection to a major public figure. Her Instagram account, reportedly followed by around 60,000 people, has at times shown just a single photo — an image of a double rainbow posted in 2019, captioned with a passage from the Buddhist Diamond Sutra about the fleeting nature of the world. It appears she deleted earlier posts at some point, leaving just this one on her profile. This deliberate minimalism reflects her general preference for privacy, even as she occasionally appears alongside Steven at major public events, including the 2021 Oscars, where he was nominated for Best Actor for Minari.
Steven Yeun’s Words About Joana
Steven has spoken publicly about Joana’s importance to him on several occasions, most notably during his acceptance speech at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards after winning Best Actor for Beef. Thanking her directly, he said: “Joana, I love you. You are my strength” — a brief but genuine acknowledgment of her role behind the scenes of his very public career.
Final Thoughts
Joana Pak’s story is one of quiet, consistent independence alongside one of Hollywood’s more publicly beloved actors. From her own photography career to her family’s unexpected personal connection to one of her husband’s most acclaimed films, she has built and maintained an identity distinct from “celebrity wife” — largely by choosing, deliberately and consistently, not to chase visibility at all.
FAQs About Joana Pak
How old is Joana Pak?
She was born on October 1, 1986, making her 39 as of 2026.
How did Joana Pak meet Steven Yeun?
They met in Chicago in 2009 through mutual friends and reconnected about a year later at a bar where Steven was working.
When did Joana Pak and Steven Yeun get married?
They married on December 3, 2016, at the Paramour Estate in Los Angeles.
How many children do Joana Pak and Steven Yeun have?
Two: a son, Jude Malcolm, born in 2017, and a daughter born in 2019 whose name hasn’t been publicly shared.
Is Joana Pak active on social media?
Not really. Her Instagram has, at times, shown just a single post, reflecting her strong preference for privacy.
What does Joana Pak do for work?
She’s a freelance photographer and runs her own business, Jo Pakka Photography, focused on nature, portraiture, and candid family photography.
Is there a real connection between Joana Pak’s family and the film Minari?
Yes. Steven Yeun has said the film closely mirrors Joana’s own family history as Korean immigrants who settled in Arkansas, including her family’s early work in chicken sexing.
Does Joana Pak have a sister?
Some sources reference a “sister” named Kayce, but this appears to actually be Steven Yeun’s own sister, who became Joana’s sister-in-law through marriage.
