You’ve probably seen Aki and Koichi Kim — an effortlessly stylish Japanese American couple in their 70s — while scrolling, and marveled at the chic outfits and undeniable charm that made them unexpected fashion icons. But their story runs deeper than style. With help from their daughter, Yuri Kim, the two have turned their viral fame into a heartfelt, multigenerational family project that redefines aging and caregiving. (For the full interview, watch the video above.)
Aki and Koichi’s outfit-of-the-day videos have evolved into a global comfort watch, earning them more than 1 million Instagram followers and over 17 million TikTok likes.
“Everywhere we go, young guys and young girls come up to us [and say], ‘Thank you so much. We are so much encouraged by your daily outfit,’” Koichi, 74, says. “It’s not only fashion, but they said that, ‘Your smile and your energy we feel.’”
Perhaps it’s the decades-long love story behind it all that conjures that energy. Aki and Koichi met nearly 40 years ago in Los Angeles through Koichi’s martial arts instructor. But not long after, Koichi moved to Iowa to study medicine. It would be nearly a decade before they saw each other again.
Instead, they wrote each other letters to stay in touch. “That time, no internet and anything, just writing,” says Aki, who’s now 72.
Still, Koichi never forgot the impression she left on him. She was a “very bright” and “strong girl,” he recalls. “After I finished my studies and then came back to Los Angeles again, I met her — and at that time, I thought, she is the one to get married.”
Their internet fame is, at heart, a family project. Their daughter now manages their content while their son handles finances. “We were always a tight-knit family,” Yuri explains, later adding, “But traveling together, working together — it’s brought us even closer.”
Their strengthened bond resonates even more deeply when it comes to caregiving. In many Asian households, caregiving is an unspoken expectation — one often rooted in deep cultural values of filial piety. Asian American caregivers are also more likely than other caregivers to feel obligated to provide care on their own, often without seeking outside support.
Yuri is intentional about challenging that expectation — redefining caregiving not as a silent duty, but as a meaningful choice she embraces on her own terms.
“We’re Korean and Japanese, and in both cultures, you respect your elders,” she says. “I think being a caregiver now and taking care of them, it is sort of seamless. It’s not that I have to care for them — I want to.”
During the pandemic, Yuri moved back to Los Angeles from New York. Her parents, who had been living in Hawaii for several years, also returned to California — a move that brought the family under one roof for the first time in decades. Reunited, they found themselves cooking together, taking walks, rebuilding a rhythm they hadn’t had in years. What emerged from that time wasn’t just content, but connection. “[The social media account] Aki and Koichi became just the outcome, or the result, of us working on our relationship with each other,” says Yuri.
That sense of closeness — the ability to navigate generational shifts together — made them the perfect fit for partnerships with brands such as Lyft. This month, they joined forces with Lyft Silver, a new offering to make ridesharing more accessible for older adults. By 2030, 1 in 5 Americans will have reached retirement age, underscoring the need for more age-inclusive transportation.
“They’ve been through a lot,” their daughter says. “Life hasn’t always been rainbows and butterflies. They were always a good reminder that no matter what, to just embrace joy ... and show it to other people.”
Koichi offered a metaphor that captures their outlook: “As long as [we] wake up each morning and get energy, we just follow the flow. I surfed in Hawaii for seven years ... Sometimes you get the beautiful wave and surf to the shore. That’s the feeling I have now.”