FOUNDER
Founder / Executive Director
HEOAK LEE
"I am very excited to announce the 8th annual KoreaFest 2025 on March 29, 2025. Thank you for your continued support."
Heoak Lee was born in South Korea and immigrated to the United States at the young age of nine. While moving away from her friends, school, and extended family, she only had her culture to hold onto. Heoak started taking traditional Korean dance lessons at six years old and it became her life's passion. When she first arrived in the states, she was the only Korean-American in her class, Heoak was surrounded by uncertainty and longed for comfort in the form of familiarity.
After a few years, Heoak was able to continue her dance lessons with a Korean dance company in Northern Virginia. Ever since then, she has honed her skills and even formed her own traditional Korean dance group called 'Imperial Jewel.' Heoak has lived in Raleigh, North Carolina since 1989 and her first involvement in the community was participating at The International Festival of Raleigh. She has represented Korea on the main stage, young people’s matinee, sidewalk cafe, cultural booth and as the Korean ethnic chairperson. She has publicly been involved in spreading Korean culture through The International Festival for 31 years and spreading traditional dance through 'Imperial Jewel' 24 years. She's choreographed and taught all the dances in English, mostly to non Koreans who shared the love for Korean dance.
Her deep rooted passion for sharing Korean culture gave birth to the idea of hosting KoreaFest. After 36 years of representing the Korean community, she has learned to overcome many obstacles and obstructions. She has established herself as the face of the Korean community in the greater Raleigh area and has put Raleigh, NC on the K-Wave map with NC KoreaFest being dubbed ‘K-Con of the South’.
BOARD
Board Member
Sherry D
AKA Sherry Baby Cakes
“I’ve been a part of Inwave for years now, and I will always cherish the connections and experiences.” Sherry has a diverse background of talent; as a retired dancer, she has been involved in competitions and performances. She is a writer, vocalist, music producer, photographer and visual director. Her love for Korean art and culture led her to Inwave’s 1st KoreaFest, and like many others, she found her place.
Board Member
Audreyanne Covarrubias
Audreyanne Covarrubias started studying ballet at age 4 and eventually became a professional dancer, a career which took her to perform overseas in Korea where she developed a passion for Korean traditional drumming.
MEET THE TEAM
Hedy Choo
As someone who has competed and attended Koreafest since 2018, I am excited to be part of the team. Growing up, K-Pop was a huge part of my life and I remember seeing 'Oh' by SNSD for the first time on my cousin's new Samsung phone and was immediately obsessed. I also enjoy gaming, cosplaying, some modeling, and several entertainments like K-dramas of course. I am optimistic for this opportunity to grow with InWave!
Jessica Romero
I am a graphic designer student and self taught video editor. I am also a Social Media manager for a few local companies in Raleigh. I got involved in the Korean culture in High School when I got introduced to the music and then fell in love with the dancing aspect of it all. Since then I’ve attended just about all of the InWave events, I hope my perspective and marketing experience can help grow this community and make it an even better experience for everyone!
Emmeline Osuyah
I am currently studying graphic design and marketing. I have a strong passion for all things design related and enjoy working with others to collaborate in order make some amazing experiences for everyone!
Kristen M.
"I am currently studying my Master’s degree in Business Law and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Business Entrepreneurship! I have always enjoyed the arts and marketing and I hope to use my business background to create memorable works to make a positive impact in my community. I also write and produce my own music as a small solo artist. I have always enjoyed singing but I was inspired to be a part of the music industry by K-pop and KR&B artists. I look forward to being a part of InWave and sharing Korean culture and music with you all! :)"
Jared Spector aka rusty
Jared is a music producer, audio engineer, and DJ. Jared started Red Crown to begin hosting music events curated to fans' tastes, beginning with K-Pop Bash, a monthly K-pop club night.
Co-CEO/Founder of SutchiLee Productions
preshus lee
SutchiLee Productions LLC is a brand media and management company Co-Founded by PreShus Lee and Andrea Vargas Moreno. We specialize in live streaming, film, and entertainment.
Co-CEO/Founder of SutchiLee Productions
andrea vargas moreno
SutchiLee Productions LLC is a brand media and management company Co-Founded by PreShus Lee and Andrea Vargas Moreno. We specialize in live streaming, film, and entertainment.
Director of Korean Cultural Arts
Sun-mi Shin
My name is Sun-Mi Shin the representative of NC Korean Dace Group. I majored in Korean dance in Korea, taught Korean dance in the Raleigh region, and practiced towel dancing in Korea. I have performed many times in the US and Korea every year. As Korean culture is becoming widely known around the world, I hope that traditional Korean culture, which is its root, will also be inherited. I have been leading this initiative with Heoak for the past 20 years. In the future, I will lead the way with InWave so that the beauty and style of Korean dance can be known not only in the US but also around the world!
VOLUNTEER SENIOR INTERN TEAM
VOLUNTEER INTERN TEAM
Cam Norris
I'm a senior at ODU majoring in Graphic Design and minoring in Marketing. I'm a fan of K-pop and it's been a huge part of my life. My goals are to create designs helpful to others both visually and conceptually. I'm excited to be on the team!
Isabelle K
I am a student, thespian, Jr. photographer/graphic designer, and figure skater. I've been interested in Korean culture since late 2021. I've been attending NC KoreaFest since 2022. I'm so excited to be on the team at InWave! KoreaFest and InWave have given me many opportunities, experiences, and friendships that I will never forget.
Jin Jeong
I am a high school student, and I have been immersed in Korean culture since I was born. Every summer, I take a trip to Seoul, South Korea, to visit family and friends. I love it there and have been dedicated to spreading this beautiful culture so everyone can enjoy it. I also look forward to working with the amazing team at InWave. I have been attending and helping Korea Fest since I was in 5th grade and have fallen in love with it too! I look forward to helping Korea Fest and everyone in the NC area!
Brooke West
I started listening to Kpop in 2020 after graduating high school and have been listening ever since. Music has always been inspirational to me and my life, and I get to share the moments of the community brought together through images that last forever.
jimin fan
I am a 29 year old software engineer in the health insurance industry. My passion is traveling, new technologies, building computers!
aj achas
I'm just here to have fun, create content, and do whatever I can! I'm really excited for this opportunity and I hope I can help this community keep growing :)
kennedy cooper
I am currently a student at East Carolina University studying Computer Science with the intention of becoming a Graphic Designer. I've been interested in Korean culture since 2019 when I first learned about K-pop and started making dance covers which I still take part in. I've been attending KoreaFest since 2020 and competing since KoreaFest 2021 and I am so excited to be working on the InWave team! I can't wait to bring the community even more together to take on new opportunities and experiences!
kathryn poulsen
Hello there! My name is Kathryn and I am currently working towards a Master’s degree in International Studies at NC State! After getting into K-Pop and Korean culture in 2020 and studying abroad in Seoul in 2022, now I want to continue to share my passion for Korean culture. With a background in communications and event planning, I am excited to bring my expertise to the InWave team. I can’t wait for everyone to have the best time ever at all of our events!
dylyn parker
My name is dylyn! i am now a college student majoring in Special Education: ESL. i plan on traveling the world after college, and i was involved within the korean culture via the music and food! i am a proud member of the team and hope to give you all a fun experience here at Inwave.
Dae terbush
I am currently a Master's Student at the University of North Carolina Greensboro studying History with a concentration in Museum Studies. My field of research is in Korean history, but more specifically the Joseon era, which lasted from 1392-1910. I have done extensive research on British, Chinese, and Japanese imperialism and how it led to the rapid modernization and Westernization of Korea. I was first introduced to Korean culture back in 2012 when Block B released "Nillili Mambo", but I got really into Korean media when I started reading Korean Manhwa's in late 2018 and have gotten into all sorts of Korean media since! I look forward to sharing Korean culture and history through InWave and KoreaFest!
hailey greaves
I am Film & Television student minoring in International Studies + Fandom Culture. Asian pop culture has always been a part of my life since childhood and Korean culture specifically became a main area of interest since the pandemic. After vendoring at NC KoreaFest 2024, I knew that I wanted to join this amazing team! I also run a small business named “Hailey House Imnida” for the K-pop community.
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janice jeong
Greetings! My name is Janice Jeong, and I am currently a 8th grader going into high school. I have been going to South Korea every summer break since I can remember. The Korean culture is a bit part of my family and who I am as a person. I have been preforming Korean Traditional dance at the Korean Festivals since 2nd grade. I am happy to finally be apart of the team that makes such an amazing festival happen! I hope to learn a lot more and help everyone who might need it!
caniya daye
Hi, fellow viewers! I am a transfer junior student at UNC Charlotte majoring in Health Systems Management with a minor in Women's and Gender Studies. I got into K-pop thanks to my best friend in high school, and it's a been a whirlwind of a journey ever since! I attended my first KoreaFest just this year (2024), and I got interested in learning more about the behind-the-scenes of the event, so I am now working with the InWave team with planning the next one! I'm very excited to gain the experience of working with other members and sharing Korean culture with everyone!
alexis hamilton
I started out as a vendor at Koreafest in 2024 and fell in love with the whole festival. I’m currently attending college to get my bachelors degree in East Asian Studies and I’m a mom of 2 beautiful boys. I’m very happy and excited to be working with Inwave, and hope to continue working with them for the next few years! I look forward to meeting everyone who attends Koreafest and anyone who loves Korean Culture like I do!
Christopher Valiente
I’m currently a college student at Wake Tech finishing my Associates in Engineering then hopefully transfer to NC State in Fall of 2024 to pursue my bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering. I first started listening to K-pop way back in 2016 but I started becoming more interested in Korean culture in 2019. I’ve been in love with it ever since and it ended up becoming a big part of my life. I also enjoy playing video games, composing music, and finding way to improve my fashion. I’m really excited about this opportunity and I look forward to working with everyone in InWave and being part of the team!
hannah bolton
Hi! I’m currently studying ASL. I have an Cochlear implant. I’ve had a love for different styles of music all my life. I spent 8 years learning and singing music in all kinds of different languages. I have been into Kpop since 2018! I first found out about KoreaFest last year and loved everything about it.
I’m so excited to be working with the InWave team to help plan this years!
melissa spano
Hi~! My name is Melissa and I’m currently working as a Spanish speaking legal assistant at a law firm in Durham, NC. I hope to finish my studies at Wake Tech then hopefully in the future transfer to North Carolina Central University majoring in Criminal Justice. I enjoy listening to music, reading books, watching anime and spending time with my cats. I’ve been listening to Kpop since 2011 (7 years old) and have immersed myself in learning the culture ever since. My first time attending Koreafest was 2024 and I fell in love with the festival and am so excited to be able to be apart of this process and growing team! :)
hunter roberts
Hello, everyone! My name is Hunter. I have been living in Seoul, South Korea for almost 4 years, first arriving as an English teacher and then transitioning into content creating and modeling. I love everything K-beauty, including makeup and skincare. My motto is "beauty is for all," and I champion brands and products that follow inclusive beauty practices. I am also a LOVER of Korean food, my favorite dish being kimchi fried rice (김치볶음밥). I will be moving back to NC later this year, and I am looking forward to working with the InWave Team to organize the upcoming KoreaFest. Excited to see y'all there!
jasmin burton
Hello, everyone. My name is Jasmin Burton and I’m thrilled to join the InWave’s internship team. Originally from Colorado, I first learned of Korean culture in college, which included my first introduction to k-pop, and I was hooked. Currently I am teaching English in South Korea, which I suppose is my way of giving back and saying thank you for the kindness and encouragement I’ve received from Korean music and culture. I’m excited to show you what it’s like to live in Seoul, South Korea. Take care, everyone!