Former Dollywood Splash Country host makes network TV debut in Dolly Parton’s “Mountain Magic Christmas”

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Joseph Yang once wanted to be a dentist but now he is in a Christmas movie with Dolly Parton that debuts Thursday night. (Dollywood Photo/Wes Ramey)

When Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas debuts on NBC Thursday at 8 p.m., one face on the screen will find his Dollywood story come full circle.
 
Hollywood literally came to Dollywood for the production of Mountain Magic Christmas, as the entire movie was filmed at Dollywood Parks & Resorts properties. Joseph Yang plays Woody in the upcoming movie, but it isn’t the first time the Clarksville, Tenn., native has spent time working at Dollywood. In 2013, while in college at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Yang worked at the front gate of Dollywood’s Splash Country, welcoming guests to the award-winning water park.

Yang was part of the Discipleship Focus program which has a number of students who work at Dollywood properties during the summer.
 
“I was supposed to be a lifeguard, but I had to get shoulder surgery a few weeks before I started, so that wasn’t going to work,” Yang said with a laugh. “I ended up working at the turnstiles, which was perfect because I’m an extrovert. I was able to be the first person guests were able to see. I had my shirt and my name tag with the logo; it was fun to suit up every morning. The best part is that I would take photos for guests at the large Dollywood’s Splash Country sign when they would come in.”
 
While working at Splash Country, Yang was diligently following a career path that would lead him into the medical field. However, interactions with his parents and his Dollywood co-workers, combined with a passion developed in high school, caused a detour Yang now relishes.
 
“I found my love for the performing arts and theater in high school,” Yang said. “I love the stage; I love the performance. It was the cool thing to do at my high school. But when I went to college, I was studying to be a dentist.
 
“I worked with Ted and Vicky at the front gate; it is the people that make Dollywood great. This was their retirement job, and at that time in my life, I questioned whether I wanted to be a dentist or something else. (Dollywood) is where I found my self-discovery, and they (Ted and Vicky) helped give me discernment. Ted worked in construction for years, and he would tell me how much easier and how much more fun his job at Dollywood was compared to doing drywall.”
 
When Yang returned to school he switched majors and graduated with a degree in communications. He worked for a time in Chattanooga, but still felt something was missing. During a visit, his parents told him he didn’t look happy, and his mom asked about the last time he had a deep passion.
 
“I told my parents I didn’t know my path,” he admitted. “I didn’t know what God had for me. When my mom asked me about my passion, I remembered back to high school and the performing arts. I contacted my high school theater teacher and found my way back. I didn’t have all the answers, but I found a great agent and a great manager and I’m now working across the country.”
 
Yang moved to Atlanta to pursue his acting career. He may be most recognized for his recent appearance in DMZ, a streaming miniseries on HBO Max starring Rosario Dawson and Benjamin Bratt. He also does theater and improv in the Atlanta area. However, the next time he is on screen may be the role that means the most to him. Yang never imagined his current world would collide with his time at Dollywood.
 
“I couldn’t even audition for this movie originally,” Yang said. “I was on a flight from LA, but there wasn’t enough time to get back for the audition. They extended auditions a day, so I made a fun tape and got really creative with it. The next thing I know, I get a call from my agent saying I got it. I didn’t check my schedule to see if I was free.
 
“I didn’t tell the casting director on the movie that I had worked at Dollywood. It has been almost 10 years since I worked there, and it has come full circle. When I was at Dollywood, I was still focused on dentistry. It was all God. My parents emigrated from Korea. They know Elvis Presley, Dolly, Tom Cruise, and Angelina Jolie. So, me trying to be professional about it, I didn’t tell them until after the movie.

“They were like, ‘Yeah, we will believe it when we see it.’ I think Christmas will be very special because it means a lot to me personally, but I feel like I got to do it for my family.”
 
While starring with Dolly Parton would be career-making for any actor, Yang made it a point to remain professional on set as well.
 
“I try not to get star-struck,” he said. “We are all people. But I’m talking with (Director) Joe Lazarov on the set, the next thing you know, Mrs. Dolly Parton walks up wearing this elegant dress, because of course she is! I bet she wakes up looking like that. We do a rehearsal, then a couple of takes. After we finish, she said, ‘Thank you Joseph, I’ve had fun working with you.’ Then, I told her it was good to be back and that 10 years ago I worked at Dollywood. The next thing you know we took a photo together.
 
“Dolly Parton loves people, and I think she would stand and talk all day. She is so endearing. She is exactly as she is portrayed in media.”
 
When asked about his career aspirations, Yang’s goals are crystal clear.
 
“It is important to see diversity on screen,” he said. “I love that they were looking to see if someone could act and get the job done on this movie. We are getting better at representations. I think my purpose is to advocate for the Asian-American stories. I love story-telling and I want to make theater; I want to make stage presence; I want to make movies.

“For me, as an actor, I don’t want people to come see me, I want them to see a reflection of themselves. That is my main goal. It is cool that I get to be part of sharing a story that people can talk about with their friends and families. The best part of film, television and books is to discuss it with your peers; what you struggle with, what you succeed at, where you can get better, where I can get better.”
 
Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas airs Thursday at 8 p.m. on NBC. Dolly stars in the movie which features special guests Jimmy Fallon, Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jimmie Allen, Zach Williams, and Miley Cyrus.

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