When I'm in need of a life change, I get a hair cut, maybe some new layers. When Helie Lee does it, she shaves her head and stuffs her underwear with a sock.

In "Macho Like Me," a gender-bending documentary and one-woman show currently playing in Los Angeles, Helie wants to prove to the world just how easy it is to be a man.

So, naturally, she decides to become one. In a matter of weeks, the gorgeous Helie transforms into the awkwardly ambiguous and "unattractive" Harry (who eventually becomes Henry, then finally, H), and culminates her ascent into manhood by passing as a male at a local gay bar. But it's not just flannel shirts and basketball games for Harry as she quickly realizes that men do not exactly live on easy street.

During her six-month journey, which includes a trip to the Playboy Mansion, a part-time job with a retired architect and a friendly-but-violent game of basketball, Helie learns that men don't suffer like women at all. No. In fact, they have it worse. Men live in a world where they can't be vulnerable, where they must censor their emotions, and where making extended eye contact only means, "I'm gay for you" or "I'm going to beat your ass."

After I saw her incredible show last week, I had the privilege of speaking to Helie about her experience.

Jen Kim: After nearly 40 years as a woman, why become a man?

Helie Lee: To understand men, but also to be the martyr that I thought I was. So I could say: "Aha! It's true, the reason that I'm not as successful or that I didn't become president is because I had been cheated. If I had been born a male, perhaps, instead of starting on step three, I would have started on step seven and I would have been closer to whatever success I could have had."

And another reason why I did it was I needed an escape from reality. I had come back from the escape mission from North Korea and it had been so traumatizing, I needed something fun and light to do. And then I ended up thinking: "My God! It's harder being a man than rescuing relatives from North Korea!"

JK: That's funny. In your show, you mention that one of the hardest aspects of being a man is not being able to express your true feelings. Was there anything easy about being a man?

HL: The easy part was the clothes and the preparation of getting ready-- and how simple it was. Clothes are sort of a symbol of the few choices they have compared to women.  But after a while, that ease, that simplicity wasn't a benefit-- it was actually hindering of who I was, because I didn't have these choices. I missed the choices I had as a woman. Sometimes, as a woman, I look in my closet, and I say, "Oh Lord, there are too many fucking choices here-- too many sizes, different colors-- it just gets too confusing, but then I missed it, because I had the option of having colors and sizes and glitter and not glitter... and I liked the freedom to make a choice.

JK: Was there anything enjoyable about it? Your hair perhaps?

HL: Yeah. Long pause. [laughter] The hair and the baseball cap. But even the baseball cap became a constraint, because as a woman, I'm used to looking up and down, left and right-- I want to see the whole parameter, but the baseball cap actually limited my view, and it only took me from point A to point B and I thought, "Wow, that's how men think. They don't dilly-dally-- they don't window shop. They go from point A to point B. Granted they probably get there faster than me, but I like the dilly-dally.  I like to stop at some windows and say, "I'm going to stop here and have a different experience." The baseball cap was so appealing in the beginning, but I realized that it restricted my options yet again.

JK: So you survived six months as a man. I don't think most people could do a fraction of that. What's your proudest moment thus far regarding your experience?

HL: I'm very proud of the show because it's something I never thought I'd do. I didn't think I had the courage to do it, much less the talent. But whenever I think I can't do something, I always ask myself, "Why not? At least try," and since I've tried, I've been rewarded with the show becoming this weird, unexpected, surprise hit. But it wouldn't have been a hit if I didn't have my family behind me-- if I didn't have my parents stealing the show. They really are the stars of the show, not me. They're the ones who give me stories. If I didn't come from such a colorful background, I don't think I'd be the type of writer or the success that I think I am.

JK: Tell me about this "colorful background." And how did you ever manage to avoid becoming a doctor or a lawyer?

HL: How I became an artist and this sort of artist, is that I don't think I was very smart, growing up. I came to the states when I was five years old and I sort of got lost in the school system, so I really didn't learn Korean that well. And I didn't really learn English that well. And my parents weren't capable of tutoring me or monitoring my studies because they were so busy working and trying to pay the mortgage. So I always felt very uncomfortable in school. I thought: "Wow, I'm just barely getting by, but this is a secret that I only knew."

I think it wasn't until my second book where they [my parents] realized, "Oh she is actually capable of supporting herself as a career doing this." Myself, too. I wasn't sure I could support myself being a writer, but now, that I'm here-- it wasn't an easy journey, but I got here. I'm so glad my life was not cookie-cutter-- that I have forged my own path, especially in the Korean American community. I think people sometimes look at me as an oddity, and that's okay. It's very bizarre that young ladies who are single in their 30s or late 20s use me as an example to their parents: "Don't worry, she got married when she was older and she did pretty well for herself... And don't worry, she didn't become a doctor or a lawyer and she did okay for herself."

JK: So do you recommend taking the path less beaten?

HL: I've always believed, when you have the courage to walk through a door that has been placed in front of you, that's saying: "Here's an opportunity, here's an experience"-- I've always been the first one to walk through that door. And if it's slightly stuck, then I always kick it open.

Sometimes, when I kick it open, I go through it, and I think, "What the hell did I do?" But I'm always-even in those situations, I'm glad that I had that experience. Because I am of the belief that everything leads to the next journey. That everything is of an experience that will change my life and improve my life no matter how good or bad, and that's how I live my life.

JK: What kinds of obstacles have you encountered in your career?

HL: My biggest obstacle is sometimes myself. And my doubts. I think everybody has this: "Can I do this? Will I be a success? Will I shame myself, my family, my community, all of that stuff..."

I hate to say it, and I try to tell people when I encourage them to write: "You don't need to have drama in your life to write. In fact, don't use that as a crutch." But unfortunately, for myself, it seems to work very well. When I have something traumatic happen in my life, that's when I stay focused.

Because writing is the greatest therapy for myself. It's a way to work out issues or confusion and clean my spirit and the quicker I write, the more healed I become.

JK: I definitely consider writing my own therapy. What is it about writing that makes us feel so powerful?

HL: I always knew the power of words. It's changed the way I speak. The words that I say, because I know they carry a lot of spirit, power good and bad, so I try not to say words that are mean or hurtful, because I know they have the ability to affect people and myself.

JK: I noticed a therapist actually recommended your show for relationship counseling. What's the feedback been like?