Podcast Summary: Add to Cart with Kulap Vilaysack & SuChin Pak

Episode: SuChin Pak’s Surgery Journey

Release Date: January 28, 2026
Hosts: Kulap Vilaysack & SuChin Pak

Overview

In this candid, hilarious, and sometimes TMI episode of Add to Cart, SuChin Pak opens up about her recent eye surgery—her “upper bleph” (blepharoplasty)—and the unfiltered reality of cosmetic procedures at midlife. The episode moves between deep friendship banter, reflections on aging, the culture of beauty maintenance, and a refreshingly honest surgical diary documenting what went right, what went wrong, and what it all means. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in beauty culture, aging, and self-acceptance, wrapped in the hosts' signature warmth and wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Heated Rivalry & Hockey as a Modern Salve (02:52–14:22)

• Pop culture as an emotional salve:
  The duo launches into a passionate discussion about the TV series "Heated Rivalry," underscoring how even guilty pleasure entertainment can offer solace amid turbulent times.

  • “These two men are a salve for me in this time of turmoil as my home state of Minnesota ... is being occupied by ice.” – SuChin (03:19)

• The impact on toxic masculinity and femininity:
  The show is praised for challenging gender norms in sports culture.

  • “One of the greatest takeaways ... it's a salve for toxic masculinity.” – Kulap (11:42)
  • “It's a salve for toxic femininity, too.” – SuChin (12:38)

• Hockey culture’s hidden sensuality:
  Hilariously, SuChin, new to watching hockey, is startled by the overt sexuality of pre-game routines:

  • “They like fornicate on the ice. They pump it on the ice like that. ... Welcome to the warm up, bitch.” – SuChin (10:07)

Transition to Surgery Storytelling (14:47–18:17)

• Setting up the time jump:
  Kulap frames the next section as a “time machine” back to SuChin’s post-surgery state, noting this audio was almost exclusive Patreon content because of how unfiltered it is.

The Surgery Journey, Step-by-Step

Decision and Anticipation (18:44–22:11)

• SuChin details years of difficulty physically opening her heavy eyelids, leading to daily forehead and facial tension.
  • “I have been talking about the heaviness of my eyelids ... how difficult it has been for me to open my eyes physically for years.” – SuChin (20:06)
• Planned a minor, in-office procedure (upper blepharoplasty), expecting minimal downtime and a natural, non-dramatic result.

The Procedure: Sucking Pak Emerges (24:37–28:10)

• The “Pronox Adventure”:
  SuChin tries the self-administered laughing gas, describing her paranoia over excessive inhalation.
  • “I sucked on that thing so hard, so fast, so much ... at one point, before anything was happening, I was like—wait, hold on.” – SuChin (26:12)
  • Memorable moment: “You knew that. I’m Suckin Pak and I be a suckin.” – SuChin self-mockingly (31:12)

Unexpected Complications (31:39–38:20)

• Medical anomaly:
  SuChin learns mid-procedure that she’s “a bleeder,” requiring extra lidocaine and enduring extreme bruising and swelling, far beyond the typical experience.
  • “The thing you don’t want to hear from your surgeon as the operation is happening is ‘surprise.’” – SuChin (31:57)
• Emotional impact: She feels like “the outlier in every single physical thing,” describing herself as “the 1%” who reacts atypically.

Recovery & Emotional Aftermath (38:20–50:42)

• Reality Check vs. Social Media:
  SuChin laments the disconnect between her healing journey and the “gorgeous,” unblemished surgical recoveries promoted online.
  • “Nobody’s gonna post this version of plastic surgery. ... Like, what’s the content there?” – SuChin (38:20)
• Coping, Perspective, and Acceptance:
  Gradually, after steroids and lymphatic drainage, her swelling improves. Ultimately, the surgery’s functional benefits matter most.
  • “If I get [relief from forehead tension] from the surgery, 100%. I would do it again. ... It was a success. So that’s all I care about.” – SuChin (50:41)

The One-Year Check-In: What Changed? What Didn’t? (53:26–73:46)

Does She Still Use Her Forehead? (53:26–55:21)

• Ongoing habits:
  SuChin still uses her forehead to some degree to open her eyes but less so than before; the muscle retraining challenge is real.
  • “It’s a year later and everything has mellowed out ... and I am using [my forehead], but I’m using it less.” – SuChin (54:54)

Did It “Work”? Was It Worth It? (58:20–61:59)

• Functional, not dramatic, change:
  Appearance is only slightly changed; the main goal—feeling less fatigue and tension—was met.
  • “The only thing that I wanted was ... to feel less tension, to feel lighter in my eyes. And all of those things are true.” – SuChin (58:56)
• No regrets, but wishes she'd done it younger:
  Healing is longer at 50, and results are less pronounced.
  • “The only regret I have is that I didn’t do it in my 30s.” – SuChin (59:57)

Thoughts on Cosmetic Procedures, Aging, and Self-Acceptance (61:59–73:46)

• Small tweaks vs. big changes:
  • “These small tweaks are ... not gonna have that life-changing, life-affirming effect you think it is. And so then after that you wonder, well, what is all this for?” – SuChin (68:29)
• Aging gracefully, with a sense of humor:
  • “There’s no plastic surgery for great skin.” – SuChin (72:23)
  • “If I wasn’t a bleeder, I would be in Korea having my face stapled to the back of my head. ... Thus, I must serum. Thus, I must Gua Sha, 24/7.” – SuChin (72:29)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On social expectations vs. reality:
  “I wish I could post this. I wish I could post and be like, hey, also, this is also a plastic surgery journey ... never one misstep—never one hair out of place. And I know that we all know social media is fake, but ... at some point, we start to buy into it.” – SuChin (36:05)
• On surgery expectations:
  “She was very straightforward ... ‘You’re going to look exactly the same, only it’s going to feel lighter. I can’t give you that in more bold, underlined, and typed.’” – SuChin relaying her doctor’s words (44:27)
• On laughing gas:
  “The sucking noises you were offering ... using your words, how much you were sucking, sucking so much. All that is true.” – SuChin (56:12)
• On aging in the public eye:
  “Where am I going in kitten heels and a button up pant? ... In the same way that I do, you look at your wardrobe, like, what is the life that you’re living?” – SuChin (63:09)

Episode Timeline

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|---------------------------| | 02:52–14:22 | Heated Rivalry, pop culture solace, hockey and masculinity | | 14:47–18:17 | Setting up the surgery time jump | | 18:44–22:11 | Why SuChin chose eyelid surgery | | 24:37–28:10 | The Pronox (laughing gas) saga and procedure nerves | | 31:39–38:20 | Complications: learning she’s “a bleeder” and recovery challenges | | 38:20–50:42 | Recovery, regrets, perspective on aging and beauty culture | | 53:26–55:21 | One-year post-op check-in: outcome, muscle retraining | | 58:20–61:59 | Did it work? Regrets about not doing it earlier | | 61:59–73:46 | Beauty procedures, self-image, and acceptance with aging |

Tone & Takeaways

• The conversation is raw, self-deprecating, and filled with warm humor and friendship.
• Listeners receive a uniquely honest perspective on cosmetic procedures—far from influencer perfection, this is real, vulnerable, and empowering.
• The “cart” motif serves as a lived metaphor for the things we buy, both literal and metaphorical, and what we choose to accept, let go of, and embrace as we grow older.

For Further Interaction

• Listeners are encouraged to share their own “additions” and deletions from life’s metaphoric cart, especially relating to aging and self-image.
• The episode underscores that aging is a privilege, and that true self-acceptance comes with laughter, community, and the occasional “suckin Pak” detour.