We All Look Alike

In the Season 2 finale, Joyce and Han reflect on parenting, generational change, and the realities of building small businesses in Portland.They talk honestly about debt, downtown challenges, growth, and the emotional complexity of closing one chapter while preparing for another. Han shares news about the return of Kim Jong Smokehouse, and Joyce opens up about Goodies’ second location and the likely final summer in NW.An honest conversation about pressure, resilience, and what comes next.

Joyce and Han talk through the final drag of winter as small business owners, from getting sick at the worst possible time to pushing through slow months, staffing stress, and the fragile realities of running lean operations. They reflect on how spring changes everything, especially for Goodies as cherry blossom season brings the waterfront back to life. The conversation also moves into kitchen culture, chef ego, abuse in fine dining, and the mental toll of staying relevant in high-pressure industries. They close with a lighter snack segment featuring premium sesame oil, pizza chili crisp, matcha peanut butter, and a very unhinged product idea involving flavored communion wafers.Chapter Markers00:00 Recovering from being sick02:00 Small business during late winter03:40 Being sick while owning a business with a baby06:00 Staffing fragility and scheduling stress08:00 Counting the days until spring09:20 Taxes, paperwork, and training for a fight13:20 Cherry blossoms and Goodies’ spring reset17:30 Chef culture, abuse, and industry power24:00 Longevity, pressure, and surviving in food29:00 Portland business archetypes32:00 Seasonal confidence and self-doubt35:30 Weather closures, power outages, and survival stories40:40 Retail chaos and neighborhood unpredictability41:40 Snack drawer: sesame oil, chili crisp, matcha peanut butter53:30 Flavored communion wafers as a product idea56:20 Outro

Spring is starting to show up in Portland, and Joyce and Han are feeling it. In this episode, they catch up on what’s been happening around the city, from early cherry blossoms and busy restaurant pop-ups to the realities of running a small business.Han shares stories from cooking at the Timbers season opener and reflects on how supporting other entrepreneurs builds stronger communities. Joyce talks about celebrating Lunar New Year with friends, raising baby Tycho, and the constantly evolving routine of running Goodies while balancing family life.The conversation moves through Olympic highlights, Asian American representation in sports, the idea of “legacy businesses” in Portland, and why showing up for your community matters more than any award.And of course, the episode ends with another snack test of one of the strangest drinks the show has tried so far.If you enjoy honest conversations about food, business, culture, and life in Portland, this one’s for you.

Han and Joyce talk hotdog fundraising wins, newborn sleep deprivation, parent identity shifts, and the strangest product samples to hit Goodies.“There’s always been something worth fighting for here.”Han and Joyce catch up on Hotdog Week fundraising, the reality of newborn sleep deprivation, and the identity shift of becoming parents while running a small business. Then Joyce pulls out two truly wild product samples to taste and debate: functional RamenAid packets and “Milkish” watermelon seed milk. Innovation or trying too hard? You decide.

January in Portland feels cold, quiet, and weirdly heavy. Joyce and Han catch up on six-month baby life, “axer” immigrant-kid efficiency, and how small business owners learn to live out of boxes and routines.From there, the conversation turns toward real talk: neighbor politics in food pods, rumor spirals about leaving Chinatown, and the reality that developers and landlords often treat small businesses like disposable props for their pitch decks. They dig into what it means to be “political” as a brand, how fear and confusion get weaponized, and why some businesses can’t afford to close even when they support the cause.They end with a philosophy that hits hard: a business doesn’t die when it runs out of money. It dies when the founder gives up.

Portland gives you January sunshine like it’s a prank, and small business owners feel it in real time. Han and Joyce talk about the fakeout weather, shortening Goodies’ hours for sanity, and what “rest” actually looks like when your work never stops. From fight camp setbacks and sleep deprivation to “start small and test it” business philosophy, they get into the real risks behind entrepreneurship. Then it turns into a deep one: community predators, fake allyship, being used as content, and how gut checks and relationship-based trust help you protect what you’ve built.Chapter markers0:00 Portland January “fakeout” weather2:10 Food cart standards and being “grandfathered in”4:10 Goodies cuts hours for January8:40 Han’s injury and canceling a fight13:30 Sleep, sobriety, and recovery16:30 Parenting exhaustion talk22:40 The “do you have the stomach?” small business reality check32:00 Joyce’s business philosophy: start small, test, refine36:30 Founder archetypes and “delusion”50:40 Exploitation, fake allyship, and protecting your brand1:03:10 Podcast growth, sponsors, and equipment

Still here. Still building. Still betting on ourselves.End of the year episode, Han and Joyce reflect on the realities of surviving 2025 as small business owners, creatives, and new parents. From storefront closures and brutal leases to burnout, self-doubt, and redefining success, this conversation is about what it actually takes to keep going when the shine wears off.They talk about shedding expectations, giving yourself credit, the power dynamics between landlords and tenants, Asian American cultural momentum, and why consistency matters more than growth.This episode is about clarity, grace, and making space for what’s next.Chapters00:00 – End of 2025 & Local Business Closures03:10 – Shedding, Doubt, and Betting on Yourself07:00 – Business Reality Checks & Parenthood11:00 – Consistency, Grace, and Giving Yourself Credit15:00 – Timelines, Second Locations, and Expectations19:30 – Gambling on Yourself & Long-Term Vision21:00 – Why the Podcast Matters24:00 – Making Space for 202627:00 – What Actually Mattered in 202531:00 – Bad Leases, Landlords, and Power Dynamics38:00 – Culture, Food, and Asian American Momentum47:00 – Snacks, Trends, and What’s Next55:00 – Gratitude, Community, and Looking Forward

The holidays can be full of joy, but they can also bring exhaustion, pressure, and reflection. In this episode, Han and Joyce talk about the end-of-year push of markets, the realities of running small businesses through winter, and the emotional weight that shows up during the holidays.They reflect on capitalism, convenience, and waste, the tension of being anti-capitalist while running a retail shop, and how immigrant family traditions shape the way we think about money and gift-giving. The conversation moves through childhood Christmas memories, grief and loss, and the shift that happens when you begin creating holidays for your own kids.This episode is about slowing down, letting go of survival mode, and finding meaning in the midst of a heavy season.00:00 Holiday Catch-Up & End-of-Year Exhaustion02:10 Markets, Community, and Showing Up for Friends05:45 Winter Slowdowns & the Restaurant Economy09:20 Dentist Visits, Healthcare, and Vulnerability15:40 Capitalism, Convenience, and Waste19:10 Immigrant Parents, Scarcity, and Survival Mindsets22:50 Christmas Growing Up: Belief, Loss, and Illusions28:30 Grief, Nostalgia, and Redefining the Holidays33:40 Parenting, Traditions, and Intentional Gift-Giving38:45 Anti-Capitalism While Running a Retail Business44:30 Looking Ahead to the Year of the Horse52:30 Gratitude, Community, and Closing Reflections

The holidays are here, and for small business owners, that means everything at once.In this episode, Joyce and Han talk honestly about seasonal depression in the Pacific Northwest, therapy, and what the holiday season really looks like behind the scenes of markets, food carts, and community work.A grounded conversation about pressure, resilience, and finding moments of meaning in the middle of it all.

Season Two opens with a Thanksgiving catch-up that turns into everything we love about this show — parenting, culture, business survival, and the weird reality of being Asian American during the holidays.Joyce and Han talk about what life looks like right now: Tycho growing every day, Harlow entering a new era, and both Goodies and Kim Jong Grillin navigating the slowest season they’ve seen in years. We get into what regulars mean for small businesses, how families shape our relationship to holidays, and why Friendsgiving always hits harder than family chaos.Thanks for listening and for supporting Goodies Snack Shop and Kim Jong Grillin during the slow season.Chapters00:00 — Thanksgiving Hellos00:45 — Parenting & Watching Tycho Grow02:00 — Genetics, Identity & Raising a Mixed Kid03:00 — How Kids Change You04:30 — Slow Season Hits Small Businesses06:50 — Delivery Culture: DoorDash & Klarna09:00 — Grit, Loans & Business Survival11:30 — The Power of Regulars13:30 — Growing a Small Business in Portland15:00 — Growing Up Korean American on Thanksgiving18:00 — Sharing & Building New Traditions20:30 — Friendsgiving Over Family Chaos22:30 — The Immigrant Disconnect With “American” Holidays25:00 — Representation, K-Dramas & Asian Men Trending27:00 — The K-Pop Effect & Visibility29:00 — Portland Culture: Inspiring & Underwhelming33:00 — Portland Food Scene vs LA36:00 — Asian American Creativity in Food40:00 — Small Business Reality & Slow Season45:00 — Representation in Media: Bruce Lee to John Cho55:00 — ICE, Immigration & Political Frustration57:30 — Gratitude & Looking Ahead59:00 — Han’s New Concepts & Season 2 Guests1:00:00 — Outro

Second part of our bonus episode is here! Joyce and Han talk biggest ops, why they chose Portland, comfort meals, scent memories, bedside chaos, rice loyalty, and which superpower they’d choose. It’s tender, weird, honest, and very them.Chapters00:00 — Intro from Producer Terence00:24 — Question 1: Biggest op?02:45 — Why Portland? 05:00 — Music 24/7 or never?06:05 — Go-to comfort meals08:20 — What’s by your bedside?09:20 — How do you relax?10:30 — Favorite scent memory12:58 — Cats or dogs?14:00 — Rice or noodles?15:10 — Choose a superpower16:30 — Closing thoughts + send more questions

A spicy grab-bag from the We All Look Alike community. Joyce and Han talk about finding your people, what makes Portland special for small businesses, biggest wins (including mom’s approval), what they hope guests take away from their spaces, the emotional labor of “education,” what a good AAPI Month event needs, post-shift drinks, last-meal fantasies, dim sum vs K-BBQ strategy, pump-up songs, and the truly unhinged: 20 Hans vs one silverback.Chapter markers00:00 – Kickoff: Community questions00:35 – How do you know you’ve found “your people”?01:45 – What’s special about Portland for your business?03:05 – Biggest wins (Korea pop-up, mom’s approval; surviving and thriving on a tough block)06:20 – What do you want people to take away from your business?08:00 – The “education” tax, boundaries, and Google exists in 202512:45 – What makes a successful AAPI Month event? Intention, representation, show out14:40 – Favorite post-shift drink (tap water supremacy, coconut water love)16:50 – On going sober and the fast switch when a baby’s on the way18:40 – Last meal picks (jokbal and lasagna vs yukgaejang and a beans-rice-cheese burrito)22:10 – Dim sum vs K-BBQ: sport, strategy, and comfort orders26:00 – Pump-up songs (Rage Against the Machine; Tiffany, Pop Smoke, Wu-Tang)27:25 – 20 blood-lusted Hans vs one silverback29:00 – Break: Terence’s Part-2 teaser and how to support

Han and Joyce celebrate ten episodes of We All Look Alike with an honest talk about finding joy in the grind, rediscovering creativity, and what it means to build something that lasts. From burnout and business to family life and cultural roots, they share how community, collaboration, and a little humor keep them moving forward.[00:00] Catching Up — Rainy days, yard sales, and family time[03:00] Burnout & Boundaries — Finding balance as small business owners[10:00] 10 Episodes In — Reflecting on milestones and community[18:00] Joy & Creativity — How inspiration shows up in everyday life[32:00] Collaboration & Culture — The “damage Asian” reflex and letting others in[45:00] Authenticity & Adaptation — What it means to be Korean-American creatives[55:00] What’s Next — Future collabs, gratitude, and growing together

Joyce and Han catch up on life with kids in the shop, a tiny new apartment, and the daily math of staying open. They talk neighbors becoming “chosen coworkers,” the reality of bad leases, and why reviews can sting even when the work is good. Then it swerves into culture: influencers, the matcha boom, and how trends shape taste. Warm, candid, and very Portland.

Joyce and Han talk parenting a “vampire milk monster,” why DoorDash feels like the dark side, and the small business math that keeps owners up at night. Plus: home, family, and why racists don’t deserve tacos.

Joyce returns one month after the birth of her son Tycho to share the raw, beautiful reality of new motherhood. She and Han talk through the intensity of labor, the support of doulas, and what it’s like to balance parenthood with running a small business. Joyce opens up about “mom brain,” the pressures of keeping Goodies alive, and the exciting but challenging road to opening a second location. They swap stories about community, negative energy, and the strange joys of food events. Plus, Tycho makes his first podcast cameo.

In this episode, Han and Joyce sit outside and get real about what it means to raise a baby and a business at the same time. They unpack the emotional weight of pregnancy, letting go of control, and building a small business with intention. Then, they dive headfirst into the world of elitism in food, the quiet violence of cultural appropriation, Orientalism in antique stores, and why MSG is not your enemy. It’s vulnerable, funny, and full of heart. If you’ve ever felt like the system wasn’t built for you, this one’s for you.

Han and Joyce get brutally honest about the chaos of running small businesses, the hidden economics behind markets and pop-ups, and why accepting a compliment can feel harder than any service rush.They share vulnerable stories of burnout, picking yourself up (again and again), and the scrappy realities no one posts about. From bed-rotting afternoons and chicken therapy to unexpected mentorship moments and learning to surrender, it’s a raw, funny, and unexpectedly comforting look at survival, self-worth, and finding joy on the hardest days.This episode is full of broken windows, truck break downs, and showing up with a smile.

Joyce and Han are back, mid-May, mid-chaos, mid-contemplating mortality. In this episode, they talk through what it means to build something that lasts while still paying the bills. They reflect on burnout, unsolicited advice, running face-forward brands, and how the scariest parts of growth often come with the biggest shifts. Also: Yelp elites, the labubu phenomenon, and whether or not we’re all just “damaged Asians” doing our best.

Joyce and Han get personal in this one. From the chaos of moving a food cart to the slow-burn exhaustion of being visible all the time, they talk dating as small business owners, what it means to be “off-brand” Asian, and how parasocial weirdness can mess with your head. They unpack generational trauma, Korean parent dynamics, therapy taboos, and what it's like to build a life in Portland while still feeling like an outsider. It’s real, funny, and kind of healing.

Joyce and Han get real about what it takes to keep going when the math doesn’t add up, but the mission still matters. From moving carts and pandemic pivots to burned-out bodies and family expectations, this episode is a deep dive into the emotional cost of doing it your way.Han opens up about going broke, and how Kim Jong Grillin brought his life back from the edge. Joyce shares how a failed beverage startup and an underground plant hustle became the prelude to Goodies. Together they talk about what it means to be Asian American, punk, first-gen, and still fighting, not just to survive, but to build something that lasts.Thanks for tuning in, Follow on Instagram @we.all.look.alike

In the debut episode of We All Look Alike, Joyce and Han dive into their journeys as Asian American small business owners in Portland. They share honest reflections about isolation, resilience, generational expectations, perceptions of success, and what it really means to build a business from scratch. From kimchi misunderstandings to navigating social media and forging community bonds, this is a real conversation about finding your place and making it yours. Thanks for tuning in, Follow on Instagram @we.all.look.alike