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One early spring afternoon in Los Angeles, Irene Lee opened their front-facing camera and began to yap. “In another lifetime, I’d love to be straight, married to a good Christian man, live on a farm, have three kids, two dogs, [and] go to church every Sunday,” Lee said in the TikTok. “But for this lifetime, I think I’m a little too homosexual, and a little too young and turnt for that. I love being young.”
Over the subsequent sixty seconds, the 21-year-old TikToker spoke on everything from Roth IRAs to bathtub childbirth. It was just her second reel, but Lee’s style — a concoction of transcendent innuendo (“soaking is so chill, and I bet Mormons do crazy numbers during earthquakes”) and blisteringly online braggadocio (“pronouns she/her, but I’m really Him”) — arrived fully formed. Within a few days, that initial cruise through Lee’s mind tallied more than a million views. A yap legend had been born.
Despite some clues here and there, it’s tough to fathom from her videos that Lee once dreamed of becoming an accountant. “Growing up, it was like if I got money, I’m good,” she recalls. “I would see my mom’s rich CPA friend ball out, so I was like, I want to be a CPA, because I know they make bread.” Lee even went to two years of community college in pursuit of the profession. But it wasn’t meant to be. “I forgot everything immediately,” she grins. “So, now I don’t know jack shit.”
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Nowadays, the lifelong Angelo spends her time sitting in the sun, reading Sylvia Plath, and sharing regular dispatches from her “young and turnt” life to a combined Instagram and TikTok audience of nearly 500 thousand followers. In addition, she works as an events coordinator at Usal, an East LA-based organization that offers both goods and curated outdoor experiences.
Earlier this week, I met up with Lee at the aptly ran-through venue of the Silver Lake Erewhon to discuss headass philosophy, flirting tips for bisexual girlies, and why, sometimes, you just have to call gay shit for what it is.
To start things, off, Irene Lee, who are you?
Fuck if I know? I am a girl. I’m 21. I live in Los Angeles, born and raised. I’m Korean, South Korean. I like tomatoes, I like to read, and I like to just chill. In other regards, I don’t think I’ll ever fully know who I am, because life is changing, and therefore so am I. Not to sound like a cornball, but I don’t think I’ll ever completely figure it out.
When do you feel most L.A.?
I feel L.A. as fuck when I feel the sun still peaking through on a winter day. I’d rather suffer a winter here than in New York, because at least I’m not stepping in puddles of shit and ice.
Was there one video that made you skyrocket, or was it more of a gradual thing?
Well, I started posting on TikTok, and then I just, you know, started dipping both my balls in it. Man, honestly, the world is lucky I don’t have a dick, because there'd be semen everywhere. What was the original question? Oh yeah, the first video popped off. It got over a million views, which was really surprising. So I was like, Okay, let me keep doing this shit. It’s always felt like a way to get my feelings out, kind of like a talking diary.
How would you define “yapping”?
It’s just talking.
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Many of our greatest thinkers have themes they return to throughout their life. Sappho had passion. Foucault had power. What theme do find yourself coming back to so far in your work?
I don’t if I’d call it work, but in a lot of my thoughts I suppose a prevalent theme would be love. Because I believe a lot of things in life tie back into love. I like knowing I can find love everywhere. Even kids are fucking great, because they are a concrete piece of evidence that love existed and continues to exist. Love and perhaps closure. Closure is something I can provide myself, and everything is internal.
What would you say is your biggest fear?
I mean, put me in a room with 100 tarantulas, I’d probably shit my pants. Off the dome, though, I don’t really have any. My first thought was death, but I’m not really afraid. Shit, my time is my time, and I might as well fucking enjoy it. The other thing may be heights, but that’s not true because recently I went skydiving.
Um?
Yeah, I was high as fuck and booked a ticket, and that shit is non-refundable.
When was the last time you were starstruck?
I met this Butoh artist named Yoko. Do you know what Butoh is?
Yeah.
The YouTube videos go crazy. I was really fortunate enough to have the opportunity to learn Butoh from her in New York. It was great. Part of the concept is to just be stupid, and I was. Being stupid is so fucking great.
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We don’t allow ourselves to be stupid enough.
Exactly. Being stupid to me is about popping into your childhood self. Imagine you’re a teenage fuckboy. They’re the horniest, most monstrous creatures on earth. But you know what? Eight out of 10 times, they ask for what they want. Look at Michael Jordan. He said, “Every 100 shots you don’t take…” Or actually, “For every 100 shots you make…” I don’t know the fucking quote, but basically you throw a hundred balls, you’re going to make one. Right?
Period. I think that’s literally the quote.
Exactly. Just get what you want. You got to be really shit to miss 100. I mean…Oh, man. I just caught myself. I was going to be like, Of course, those who aren’t physically able to…But I feel as though I just got to start speaking my truth.
Go in, Irene.
For such a long time, I thought, I can’t ever be famous. Because there’s a fear of sounding so pretentious and up your ass, so I’m really trying to be careful with the diction.
You’ve got to be careful with that diction.
Yo, my diction is kind of spewing everywhere. That shit does numbers. I’m an ethical fuckboy. What can I say?
Yeah?
Not really though. I got no game.
I doubt that.
That’s what people say, but it’s true. I've been wanting to get back on Hinge again. Probably out of boredom, but I’m limiting myself.
Just Hinge?
Yeah, and I’m in this world. Why do you think I’m posted up here? Why do you think I’m at Figaro? Why do you think I’m at Le Labo? Come on now!
Because we’re trying to —
Because we’re trying to get pussy, bro! Let’s be real. There’s nothing wrong with loving beautiful women.
Period.
I’m a lover girl.
Any good dates lately?
A lot of the greatest dates I’ve gone on were just literally at the park talking for four hours, fuck, eight hours.
That’s some sapphic shit.
Yeah, it’s gay as fuck. And honestly, I’m fucking with gay people, right?
Speaking.
No, because you know what? If I see gay, I’m gonna say, “gay.”
Sometimes things are just so gay.
Thank you — a normal fucking person. I was in the car with my friend. We’re going through West Hollywood. I’m like, this shit is so gay. And there was a girl in the back, and she was [giving me this disapproving look]. And I’m like, “Wait, wait. No, I am gay! I am not homophobic.
I'm taking the strap all day, the fuck?
Do you have any tips for newly out bi girlies on flirting with women?
I mean I’m in the same boat with you…I’m trying to be cheeky and try small things, like I’ve been practicing my wink. Keep it on the low, that’s my move. It’s like…[winks]
Oh.
Yeah. You see someone at Trader Joe’s, and you’re like…[winks again].
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That was art. You’ve been called “Gen Z’s Plato,” so I wanted to ask a philosophical question. Do you believe in free will?
I mean, obviously everything has certain boundaries, but I really believe if you want to do something, you can do it. Sure, you might go broke, or people will call you crazy. And sure, if you run naked in the streets, you’ll get a sex offender charge or whatever. But it’s like if you want to, fucking do it. Who’s going to stop you? Not me.
Do you believe in generational connection?
Yeah, I think I do.
What’s it mean to you to be part of Gen Z?
I’ve never really thought about the labeling part besides the jokes — the Boomer jokes, the Millennial jokes, the skibidirizz shit. But I very much do believe in generational connection. I don’t know if it’s about being Gen Z, but the best part of being 21 is that we’re so young. We’re figuring it out. It seems as though there’s this resurgence of not-hating. Gen Z has been really awesome about working together to improve each other. The worst part is I’m never buying a fucking house. But I’m rich in avocados and lattes.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Alive, that’s what. Shit, when I was a kid, I wanted to be an accountant, and I know now I definitely do not want to be doing that…I think youth is a mindset, and I think a lot of what I want, no matter what age I am, is to be youthful and gentle.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
