Who Is Steven Yeun Wife
Steven Yeun’s wife is Joana Pak, a Korean American photographer who was raised in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She runs her own freelance photography business, Jo Pakka Photography, and is known for her nature and portrait work. Steven Yeun is a Golden Globe– and Emmy-winning actor, best known for playing Glenn Rhee on The Walking Dead and for his Oscar-nominated role in Minari.
While Yeun has built a major career in Hollywood, his wife has chosen to stay largely out of the spotlight. This article covers everything known about Joana Pak — her background, career, love story with Steven Yeun, their wedding, family life, and more.
Who Is Joana Pak?
Joana Pak is a Korean American photographer originally from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Her exact date of birth has not been made public, though reports from 2025 place her age at around 38, suggesting she was born in the mid-1980s. Pak grew up in Arkansas before moving to Chicago, Illinois, to pursue her education.
She attended Columbia College Chicago, a school known for its strong arts and media programs. It was during her time as a student there that she crossed paths with her future husband, Steven Yeun, who was then working at Chicago’s famous Second City comedy theater. According to interviews, the two were introduced by a mutual friend around 2008, though they did not begin dating right away.
Pak has generally kept details of her early life private. Unlike her husband, who has discussed his upbringing and immigrant family background publicly, Joana rarely gives interviews and maintains a low profile on social media. What is known about her comes mostly from her own photography accounts and the occasional joint interview she has done with Yeun.
Joana Pak’s Career & Professional Life
Joana Pak works as a freelance photographer and runs her own studio, Jo Pakka Photography. Her portfolio, visible through her personal photography accounts, leans heavily toward nature photography, candid portraits, and intimate family moments. She has also photographed her husband on multiple occasions, with several of those images shared publicly over the years.
Photography has remained Pak’s primary profession throughout her adult life, even as her husband’s career skyrocketed following his role on The Walking Dead and later his Oscar-nominated performance in Minari. Rather than stepping into the entertainment industry herself, Pak has continued to build her own independent creative business.
There is no publicly confirmed net worth figure for Joana Pak, since she operates a private freelance business and does not disclose her earnings. Steven Yeun’s net worth, by contrast, has been widely reported in the tens of millions of dollars, reflecting his extensive film, television, and voice-acting career, including his role in the animated series Invincible.
How Did Steven Yeun and Joana Pak Meet?
Steven Yeun and Joana Pak first met in Chicago around 2008 through a mutual friend. At the time, Yeun was performing with the Second City comedy troupe, and Pak was a student at Columbia College Chicago. Pak was in another relationship when they first met, so the two did not connect romantically until roughly a year later, after a chance run-in brought them back into each other’s orbit.
Once they began dating, the relationship quickly became serious, but it was tested early on by distance. When Yeun was cast as Glenn Rhee on The Walking Dead, he relocated for filming, splitting time between Atlanta and Los Angeles, while Pak remained in Chicago. In an interview with Martha Stewart Weddings, Pak described the early years of their relationship as long-distance and unpredictable, with the couple based in different cities for extended stretches.
Despite the distance, their relationship endured. In August 2015, Yeun proposed to Pak, marking the next major step in their long relationship before they eventually planned their wedding.
Marriage & Wedding Details
Steven Yeun and Joana Pak got married on December 3, 2016, in a private ceremony at the Paramour Estate in Los Angeles. The wedding was attended by around 220 guests, including several of Yeun’s The Walking Dead castmates, such as Norman Reedus and Andrew Lincoln.
The ceremony blended personal and cultural elements meaningful to the couple. Joana’s cousin, Elliot Chung, officiated the wedding, and Joana wore traditional Korean attire as part of the celebration, honoring her heritage. The event was described as intimate despite its size, with close friends and family gathered to celebrate the couple after years of dating through distance and demanding schedules.
The wedding marked a turning point in the couple’s public visibility, as it was one of the first times details of their relationship were widely reported in entertainment media.
Children & Family Life
Steven Yeun and Joana Pak have two children together. Their first child, a son named Jude Malcolm Yeun, was born in March 2017, less than a year after their wedding. The couple welcomed their second child, a daughter, in 2019.
Despite Steven Yeun’s growing fame, the couple has worked to keep their children’s lives private, rarely sharing photos or details about them publicly. Yeun has spoken about the importance of maintaining a normal, grounded home life for his kids, even as his acting career has taken off with major projects like Beef, Minari, and Invincible.
During his 2024 Golden Globes acceptance speech, Yeun publicly thanked his wife, calling her his “strength” and crediting her support for helping him through his career. The moment offered a rare public glimpse into how central family life remains for the actor.
Joana Pak on Social Media
Joana Pak maintains a limited and largely inactive presence on social media. She has accounts on platforms like Instagram and Flickr, but she rarely posts, and long stretches of time often pass between updates. Her Flickr account is mostly used to showcase her photography work, including nature shots and candid images of her family, rather than personal life updates.
Unlike Steven Yeun, who has a large public following, Pak has intentionally kept a low profile online. This matches her overall approach to fame — staying supportive of her husband’s career while keeping her own life largely private.
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Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Joana Pak |
| Date of Birth | Not publicly confirmed (estimated mid-1980s) |
| Nationality | American (Korean American) |
| Profession | Photographer, owner of Jo Pakka Photography |
| Married to | Steven Yeun |
| Marriage Year | 2016 (December 3, 2016) |
| Children | 2 (son Jude Malcolm, born 2017; daughter, born 2019) |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed |
FAQ Section
Q: What is Steven Yeun’s wife’s name?
A: Steven Yeun’s wife is Joana Pak, a photographer who runs her own business called Jo Pakka Photography. The couple has been married since December 2016.
Q: How old is Joana Pak?
A: Joana Pak’s exact birth date is not publicly known, but reports from 2025 place her age at around 38. This suggests she was born in the mid-1980s.
Q: What does Joana Pak do for a living?
A: Joana Pak is a freelance photographer who specializes in nature and candid portrait photography. She runs her own studio under the name Jo Pakka Photography.
Q: When did Steven Yeun and Joana Pak get married?
A: Steven Yeun and Joana Pak got married on December 3, 2016, at the Paramour Estate in Los Angeles. Around 220 guests attended the private ceremony.
Q: How many kids do Steven Yeun and Joana Pak have?
A: Steven Yeun and Joana Pak have two children together. Their son, Jude Malcolm, was born in 2017, and their daughter was born in 2019.
Conclusion
Joana Pak may not seek the spotlight, but she has played an important role in Steven Yeun’s life and career. As a talented photographer with her own independent business, she has built a life and identity separate from her husband’s fame, while still standing beside him through years of long-distance dating, marriage, and parenthood. Steven Yeun’s wife remains a private but steady presence in his life, and their relationship — built on a decade-plus history dating back to Chicago — continues to be one of the more grounded love stories in Hollywood.