Rising Stars: Meet Vickie Hayley of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vickie Hayley.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story of how I ended up pursuing a comedic and creative career starts just like everyone else’s. It’s so cliché. After college I moved to South Korea for the K-pop and bibimbap, and I just happened to end up on one of the most popular talk shows there: Misuda (Chit Chat of the Beauties). The show helped me overcome a lifetime of stage fright and I began exploring acting and improv in a bilingual expat improv troupe! I also tried stand-up for the first time!

Immersing myself in a completely different culture forced me to look at identity, culture shock, and human behavior through a completely new lens. During my five years there, I did everything from talk shows and travel shows to historical reenactments and even variety shows for the military. And when you don’t fully understand what your co-star is saying, you truly learn the rhythm of comedy.

When I returned to the States, I moved to Chicago and completed the conservatory program at The Second City for writing and improvisation. I went on to do improv, sketch, and stand-up all over town. My favorite troupe I performed with had to be Improvised Jane Austen. La!

Eventually, the West Coast called, and I packed up for Los Angeles to take things to the next level.

LA is an incredible city, but you quickly realize you have to build your own sandbox. I branded my socials as ‘Vickie Comedy’ (@vickiecomedy across the internet). While I started off with digital sketch comedy, I found massive joy and success in streaming on YouTube, recently crossing a major milestone of 99k+ subscribers. The internet has been the perfect testing ground for my hyper-specific, chaotic characters like my fan-favorites: Karen, New York Mom, Crystal Girl, and Uncle Tony.

While the digital space is amazing, my heart has always craved the electricity of a live audience. To keep that live muscle flexing, I produce and host a biweekly comedy show, Punchline Playground, at State Social House right on the Sunset Strip.

And recently, I’ve been taking all of that character work, my Chicago improv roots, and that wild post-college Korean television era, and channeling it back into live theater. I’m currently deep in rehearsals for the world premiere of my solo show, Kimchi Life Crisis, which is debuting this June at the Broadwater Black Box as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Directed by the brilliant Barri Tsavaris, it’s a raw, funny, existential look at identity, fame, and fermented cabbage.

These days, I balance a fast-paced short-form digital production pipeline with live storytelling, always aiming to find the funny.

Perhaps most importantly though, I am a cockatiel momager to my bird Luca.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
To find out all the obstacles that stood in my way in Korea, you’ll have to come see my solo show: Kimchi Life Crisis!

But as for the rest of the journey, it has never been and most likely never will be a smooth road. But, it’s an exciting one.

Navigating the financial and mental realities of self-producing live comedy in Los Angeles while trying to consistently scale a digital audience is a massive balancing act. There are days of pure creative burnout where the algorithm doesn’t cooperate, a venue falls through, and the blank page just taunts you. And then there are days with massive personal wins! It’s part of the process and the journey.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
At the core of everything I do is high-energy, character-driven comedy. Under my online brand ‘Vickie Comedy’ (@vickiecomedy), I specialize in creating chaotic, unhinged characters that are relatable and fun. Whether I’m streaming or creating comedic shorts, I’m always looking to find the fun. Online, I’m best known for fan-favorites like Karen, New York Mom, Crystal Girl, and Uncle Tony.

What sets me apart from other creators is the unique cosmos of my comedic training. My timing was forged on national television shows in South Korea, where performing in a language I didn’t fully speak meant learning the true musical rhythm of comedy, and then sharpened through the writing and improvisation conservatory program at The Second City in Chicago. Because of that background, my digital work isn’t just about chasing trends; it’s about real-time performance and community building.

I am incredibly proud of building an independent digital audience of over 99k+ subscribers on YouTube completely from scratch, wearing every single hat from director to editor. But I’m equally proud of keeping my live stage roots thriving in LA. I produce and host a biweekly comedy show, Punchline Playground, at State Social House on the Sunset Strip, and I’m currently preparing for the project closest to my heart: the world premiere of my solo show, Kimchi Life Crisis, debuting this June at the Broadwater Black Box for the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

What matters most to you?
Making people laugh! Life is hard, and we all deserve to experience light and joy. Hopefully, I can add just a little bit of that to someone’s day

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vickiecomedy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/vickiecomedy
• Other: https://beacons.ai/vickiecomedy

Image Credits
The nice horizontal ones are taken by Al Bahmani