Sesame Street Has Its First Asian-American Muppet

There’s a new neighbor on Sesame Street. Ji-Young is the long-running children’s program’s first Asian American muppet. The seven-year-old Korean American is a fan of the electric guitar and skateboarding.

“In Korean tradition the two syllables they each mean something different and Ji means, like, smart or wise. And Young means, like, brave or courageous and strong,” explained Ji-Young.


You can see Ji-Young in See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special. Simu Liu, Padma Lakshmi and Naomi Osaka are among the celebrities appearing in the special, airing on Thanksgiving Day on HBO Max, Sesame Street social media platforms and on local PBS stations.

What do you think about Sesame Street getting their first Asian American muppet?