Congratulations are in order for Joel Kim Booster, who has announced his engagement to his long-time boyfriend John-Michael Sudsina.
On 1 September, the Emmy-nominated actor and comedian shared a photo on X/Twitter, in which he can be seen proposing to Sudsina. “Vacation boyfriend —-> Vacation husband,” he captioned the post. “Try to be normal about this.”
He later uploaded a “DUMP” to Instagram from their recent vacation to Jeju Island, South Korea, featuring a plethora of romantic shots and solo snaps, before concluding with a photo of their hands entwined, showing off Sudsina’s gold engagement ring.
“Keep scrolling for a special surprise,” wrote Booster. “Very much in love. Very happy. No matter where I am, he’s my home.”
The actor’s engagement was met with love and support from LGBTQIA+ stars and allies such as Bobby Berk, D’Arcy Carden, Michael Hsu Rosen, Miss Benny, Monét X Change, Nick Adams, Quinta Brunson, Shea Couleé and Sherry Cola.
Sudsina is a video game producer for Riot Games. According to Booster’s interview with Jesse Tyler Ferguson on the Dinner’s On Me podcast, they met in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, aka the “Gay Disneyland”.
“It was the first big party weekend and we met through mutual friends on the first night, and I took him home and we watched the sunrise together on the beach and talked after we hooked up,” Booster told the Modern Family star.
Vacation boyfriend —-> Vacation husband. Try to be normal about this. pic.twitter.com/CtmzhE4aeK
— Joel Kim Booster (@ihatejoelkim) September 1, 2024
“The next day, I saw him again and we both had very much the vibe of like, ‘We know how these weekends work. You don’t have to continue to talk to me. You can find your next conquest. I’m not going to glom onto you. You’re not going to glom onto me.’
“And he was very like, you know, ‘This is not going to be a relationship.’ And I said, ‘That’s fine.’ Meanwhile, I’m talking about him on every podcast that I go on.”
Booster is best known for writing and starring in 2022’s acclaimed rom-com Fire Island. Widely regarded as one of the best LGBTQIA+ films of all time, it earned Booster two Emmy noms: Outstanding Television Movie and Outstanding Writing.
The former GAY TIMES cover star has since garnered praise for his role as Nicholas in Apple TV’s comedy series Loot, also starring Maya Rudolph, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Ron Funches and Nat Faxon. In July, it was renewed for a third season.