Author: Amanda Lui

2020 has been a little different, to say the least. So in Haiku with Hotties style, we thought we’d check in with actor Chen Tang, to see how he’s been doing with a haiku Q&A!

Hope you’re staying safe.
As we shelter in place, what
have you been up to?

I’ve been keeping myself busy working on my craft… I’m always working on some kind of role.  It’s been quite a productive time, and thankfully I’ve stayed healthy through it.

Social distancing
can be lonely and tiring.
What motivates you?

Honestly, I love what I do so much that it never feels like work.  It’s a ton of effort, but never a grind kind of work.  So I’m always motivated by what I love to do.  Do what you love, and you never work a day in your life, right?  Working for the future, that always motivates me.

What is next for you?
What do you hope to achieve
in year ’21?

I’m a simple dude, I’m just hoping to get back to normal auditioning soon enough.  It’s been such a crazy year, and the industry’s been hit pretty hard.  But I have a good feeling something is on the horizon.  I’d love to do a really great character driven drama soon. 

We know that it can be tough being away from family and friends, so together with the Hotties, we hope we can make video calls a little more fun with a virtual background!

Share your photos with us by posting on socials with #ZoomWithHotties. Enjoy and stay safe!

Cover Photo: Ben Draper
Virtual Background Photo: Heather Koepp

2020 has been a little different, to say the least. So in Haiku with Hotties style, we thought we’d check in with David Sakurai, actor and our August 2019 Hottie, to see how he’s been doing with a haiku Q&A!

Hope you’re staying safe.
As we shelter in place, what
have you been up to?

Adjusting, learning, listening. Travelled back to Denmark after the summer, started work on a new TV series, ‘White Sands’, just wrapped recently. A challenge to film during a pandemic, to say the least, but we made it work and I’m looking very much forward to updating more on this show in the new year.

Social distancing
can be lonely and tiring.
What motivates you?

Kristina, my significant other, the light of my day, every single day! Keeping me motivated, inspired, grounded and sane. Working in Denmark the last couple of months has been good for us, as both our families are based here and this is where we grew up. We feel very fortunate to be able to be close to loved ones during this time. On another note, our company Bonnavedda Entertainment has been slowly but surely moving forward on some really cool projects. We’ve been prepping as much as we can – and creating new ones at the same time. Our “film essay” LIONESSE just premiered here in Denmark, as part of an art exhibition, which opened up for new artistic inspirations for us – and the productions we have in mind for the future.

What is next for you?
What do you hope to achieve
in year ’21?

Right now we’re just looking forward, moving forward with a positive mind set, staying close to family, staying safe. On the artistic side, writing and preparing our own projects – and of course staying ready for what might come next! ‘Cause we’re gonna get through this!

We know that it can be tough being away from family and friends, especially during the holidays, so together with the Hotties, we hope we can make video calls a little more fun with a virtual background!

Share your photos with us by posting on socials with #ZoomWithHotties. Enjoy and stay safe!

Cover Photo: Daniel Urhoj

2020 has been a little different, to say the least. So in Haiku with Hotties style, we thought we’d check in with Michael Tow, actor and our July 2019 Hottie, to see how he’s been doing with a haiku Q&A!

Hope you’re staying safe.
As we shelter in place, what
have you been up to?

Cong Yang on Blacklist
Lucky Grandma makes premiere
Next, Sound of Metal

Social distancing
can be lonely and tiring.
What motivates you?

Continually
Working to improve my craft
Acting is my life

What is next for you?
What do you hope to achieve
in year ’21?

Maybe a movie
With J Law, Leonardo
or maybe Meryl

We know that it can be tough being away from family and friends, especially during the holidays, so together with the Hotties, we hope we can make video calls a little more fun with a virtual background!

Share your photos with us by posting on socials with #ZoomWithHotties. Enjoy and stay safe!

2020 has been a little different, to say the least. So in Haiku with Hotties style, we thought we’d check in with Stephen Lin, actor and our September 2019 Hottie, to see how he’s been doing with a haiku Q&A!

Hope you’re staying safe.
As we shelter in place, what
have you been up to?

Cultivation of
The mind, body, and spirit(s)
Back to the basics

Social distancing
can be lonely and tiring.
What motivates you?

What is a diamond
but a lump of coal that did
well under pressure?

What is next for you?
What do you hope to achieve
in year ’21?

Alignment with the
Instrument of Expression
Started therapy.

We know that it can be tough being away from family and friends, especially during the holidays, so together with the Hotties, we hope we can make video calls a little more fun with a virtual background!

Share your photos with us by posting on socials with #ZoomWithHotties. Enjoy and stay safe!

2020 has been a little different, to say the least. So in Haiku with Hotties style, we thought we’d check in with Kenta Seki, fitness trainer and our 2017 Cover Hottie, to see how he’s been doing with a haiku Q&A!

Hope you’re staying safe.
As we shelter in place, what
have you been up to?

Still working a lot
And working out everyday
Trying to stay sane

Social distancing
can be lonely and tiring.
What motivates you?

Maintain discipline
Staying focused on my goals
Be grateful always

What is next for you?
What do you hope to achieve
in year ’21?

Work even harder
Helping people be healthy
And to enjoy life

We know that it can be tough being away from family and friends, especially during the holidays, so together with the Hotties, we hope we can make video calls a little more fun with a virtual background!

Share your photos with us by posting on socials with #ZoomWithHotties. Enjoy and stay safe!

2020 has been a little different, to say the least. So in Haiku with Hotties style, we thought we’d check in with Gerrard Lobo, actor and our November 2017 Hottie, to see how he’s been doing with a haiku Q&A!

Hope you’re staying safe.
As we shelter in place, what
have you been up to?

Our humble abode
Gratitude is evergreen
Day, Night, In-Between

Social distancing
can be lonely and tiring.
What motivates you?

Watched the sands of time
Just begin and follow through
One grain at a time

What is next for you?
What do you hope to achieve
in year ’21?

2021!
“But illegitimate votes…”
DO NOT COME FOR ME

We know that it can be tough being away from family and friends, especially during the holidays, so together with the Hotties, we hope we can make video calls a little more fun with a virtual background!

Share your photos with us by posting on socials with #ZoomWithHotties. Enjoy and stay safe!

Cover Photo: An Rong Xu
Virtual Background Photo: Alice Mroczkowski

2020 has been a little different, to say the least. So in Haiku with Hotties style, we thought we’d check in with Chris Lam, host/content producer and our March 2019 Hottie, to see how he’s been doing with a haiku Q&A!

Hope you’re staying safe.
As we shelter in place, what
have you been up to?

Like me, a whole lot.
Self-work in the deepest way.
Trying to work ugh.

Social distancing
can be lonely and tiring.
What motivates you?

To build connections.
Whether in laughter or tears.
In person or not.

What is next for you?
What do you hope to achieve
in year ’21?

Perform more and more.
Build community for us.
Screw “influencer.”

We know that it can be tough being away from family and friends, especially during the holidays, so together with the Hotties, we hope we can make video calls a little more fun with a virtual background!

Share your photos with us by posting on socials with #ZoomWithHotties. Enjoy and stay safe!

Cover Photo: Pamela Lin

2020 has been a little different, to say the least. So in Haiku with Hotties style, we thought we’d check in with Ronnie Woo, chef and our January 2017 Hottie, to see how he’s been doing with a haiku Q&A!

Hope you’re staying safe.
As we shelter in place, what
have you been up to?

I have been writing
And recipe testing for
My brand new cookbook.

Social distancing
can be lonely and tiring.
What motivates you?

What motivates me
Is doing my part to slow
The spread of Covid. 

What is next for you?
What do you hope to achieve
in year ’21?

Honestly, I just
Want everyone to get
To year ’21!

We know that it can be tough being away from family and friends, especially during the holidays, so together with the Hotties, we hope we can make video calls a little more fun with a virtual background!

Share your photos with us by posting on socials with #ZoomWithHotties. Enjoy and stay safe!

Who: Timothy DeLaGhetto

Month: December 2019

Hottie Bio: There’s no better way to spend the holidays that a quiet night with a hot man in leopard slippers holding Champagne Armand de Brignac. Freestyle rapper, comedian, relationship expert, singer, host, style guru, businessman, wedding vlogger, Timothy DeLaGhetto does it all. We can’t wait until he’s the next big movie star.

Twitter @timothydelag, Instagram @timothydelaghetto

 

Haiku: Gina Darling, Youtuber turned streamer! Watch her play games while snacking nonstop. @missginadarling

 

Photo: Marilyn Hue

Who: Vinny Chhibber

Month: November 2019

Hottie Bio: Take a long, hard look at Vinny Chhibber’s jaw-droppingly beautiful face and imagine him whispering in your ear, about his belief in creative activism and our ability to use art to facilitate change in the communities around us. Are you feeling light-headed yet? Well, make sure to check out his production company Chhibber Mann Productions’ upcoming documentary “Lost in America” about youth homelessness, And of course you can see him as Liam Bhatt in the Ava DuVernay and Greg Berlanti produced show “The Red Line.”

Twitter @vchhibber, Instagram @vchhibber

 

Haiku: Chantal Thuy is a Canadian actress born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. Known for “Madam Secretary”, “Pretty Little Liars” and “Matador”. She is recurring as DC Comics’ character Grace Choi on the upcoming CW Network show “Black Lightning”. @chantalthuy

 

Photo: Bret Hartman

Who: Marcus Choi

Month: October 2019

Hottie Bio: Our first Asian American president—aka George Washington in the 2nd US tour of “Hamilton”—reminds us that being truly presidential involves having integrity, being unafraid to show the breadth of one’s emotions, as well as having a beautiful voice and even more beautiful face.

Instagram @marcuschoi11

 

Haiku: Jully Lee is the Artistic Director of Cold Tofu, the nation’s first Asian American improv and comedy group. She’s known for being in “Reach” and “Crazy Ex-girlfriend.” You can find her favorite quote on her Instagram bio. @jullyleeig

 

Photo: Conroe Brooks

Who: Stephen Lin

Month: September 2019

Hottie Bio: You might remember Stephen Lin as the young version of Brian Chang’s father on the Emmy-winning “Parents” episode of “Master of None.” He’s made grown men cry by playing the theremin in “High Maintenance,” and “Mr. Robot” fans are intrigued his elusive Hamburger Man character. But we jump for joy when he’s doing comedy, often with the women of AzN PoP! in New York’s improv scene.

Twitter @mrstephenlin, Instagram @mrstephenlin

 

Haiku: AzN PoP! is a satirical k-pop band & all-asian sketch comedy team. They created and wrote the critically acclaimed concert parody, “AzN PoP! Live in Concert!” which successfully ran at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City. @aznpopcomedy

 

Photo: An Rong Xu

Who: David Sakurai

Month: August 2019

Hottie Bio: Whether he’s a hot henchman in @fantasticbeastsmovie, a hot army officer in @highcastleamazon, or a hot gangster in Angel’s Race, we can’t take our eyes off David Sakurai—cause he’s clearly gonna hog all the pillows at night.

Twitter @davidsakurai, Instagram @davidsakurai

 

Haiku: Kristina Korsholm, known for being the host on the show “Conversations about the Future.” She’s an actress, author, and international model. @kristinakorsholm

 

Photo: Nicholas Sutjongdro

Who: Tow-Arboleda

Month: July 2019

Hottie Bio: Social activism has never been as scalding hot as Michael Tow and Teja Arboleda of Tow-Arboleda Films, as their dangerously subversive films and videos lead the media storm against social injustice and lack of representation.

Michael Tow: Twitter @michaelctow, Instagram @michael.tow
Teja Arboleda: Twitter @TejaArboleda, Instagram @tejaarboleda

 

Haiku: Jenn Fang, founder of Reappropriate.co—the web’s oldest and longest-running Asian American feminism and race advocacy blog. Her writing has also been featured at Change.org, Asian Americans for Obama, Asian Pacific Americans for Progress, The Nerds of Color, and Blog for Arizona. @reappropriate

 

Photo: Tow-Arboleda

Who: Christian Perfas, Neel Ghosh, Chuck Maa, Will Choi

Month: June 2019

Hottie Bio: These sultry and fashionable improvisers (Sherry Cola included) performed as part of Asian AF’s “Autumn Moon Rap Battle,” where they packed LA’s Upright Citizen’s Brigade theater, showing Hollywood that Asian comedy, like Asian hotness, is always in high demand.

Christian Perfas: Twitter @_perfanity, Instagram @soulstuf
Neel Ghosh: Twitter @MrNeelGhosh, Instagram @neel.ghosh
Chuck Maa: Twitter @chuckmaa, Instagram @chuckmaa
Will Choi: Twitter @willschoi, Instagram @willchoi

Haiku: Sherry Cola, Alice on “Good Trouble” coming to freeform in January. A comedian known for “Love Dick” and “Claws.” @shrrycola

Photo: Clay Larsen

Who: Maaz Ali

Month: May 2019

Hottie Bio: In Tesla Boy’s music video “Circles,” they begin by masking Maaz Ali’s good looks by having him play a character with prosthetics and overgrown hair. But, in art and in life, Maaz’s hotness—and dance moves—cannot be contained. And thank goodness. You may recognize Maaz from his roles in “Just One Night” and “Unfair & Ugly,” and he’s also proud of his work in viral videos combating Islamophobia.

Twitter @maazyali, Instagram @maazyali

 

Haiku: Taz Ahmed plays at the intersections of pop and politics through a variety of mediums and actions. Motivated by her Bangladeshi and Muslim upbringing in Southern California, she started her career as an activist by creating a political voice for those most marginalized in the backlash of September 11th. In 2004, she founded South Asian American Voting Youth (SAAVY), a national organization that organizes South Asian American youth to have a political voice and get involved in the electoral process. @tazzystar

 

Photo: Pavithra Meera Ramasubramanian

Who: Osric Chau

Month: April 2019

Hottie Bio: We’re on cloud nine every time we see the “Supernatural”-y stunning Osric Chau, whether he’s playing Kevin Tran or Vogel (“Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency”) on our TV screens, vlogging on his YouTube channel, or providing fan service to admirers on his official app. One thing’s for sure, he’s got a killer smile that we’d definitely walk til the end of the stool for, and we can’t wait to see his first film as star and producer, “Empty By Design.”

Twitter @osricchau, Instagram @osricchau

 

Haiku: Katie Leung—Scottish film, television, and stage actress. She played Cho Chang, the first love interest for lead character Harry Potter in the Harry Potter film series. In 2012, Leung made her stage debut in the play Wild Swans. Leung has an interest in painting and photography and studied art and design at the University of the Arts, London. @_katieleung_

 

Photo: Nicholas Sutjongdro

Who: Chris Lam

Month: March 2019

Hottie Bio: Chris Lam once filmed a vlog about his Grindr experiences where the moral of the story was to never trust hot people. Well, hotness is not found in photogenic sweet-talkers on dating apps that ghost you for no reason. True hotness is found in politically-active anime and video game lovers who advocate for mental illness awareness and know how to rock some freakin’ cute underwear with enviable confidence.

Twitter @onewingedchris, Instagram @onewingedchris

 

Haiku: Laura Sirikul, a Trekkie, Jedi, Whovian, Sherlockian, Hobbit, Sanrio, Comics, I am Soarticus, Warrior Princess, Superhero, nerd. Known for cosplay and writer for Nerd Reactor and Nerds of Color. @lsirikul

 

Photo: Will Alicea

Who: Carlin James

Month: February 2019

Hottie Bio: No one makes a smokin’ hot entrance quite like Carlin James, the versatile actor you might remember from everything from “Better Call Saul” to “How To Get Away With Murder” to “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.” But hey, we might like him the best when he’s spouting some sweet love poetry.

Twitter @carlinjames, Instagram @iamcarlinjames

 

Haiku: Mary Grant, a Filipino-American that loves to share her culture through funny videos and social media. This comedian is known for every Filipina internet video ever. @marygranttv

 

Photo: Nicholas Sutjongdro

Who: Steve Terada

Month:  January 2019

Hottie Bio: It’s exhilarating watching Steve Terada perform, whether he’s winning “America’s Best Dance Crew” with Quest Crew or doing martial arts like a world champion tricker. But he can also send our hearts aflutter in moments of quiet stillness as we contemplate how hard work can lead to harder abs.

Twitter @steveterada, Instagram @steveterada

 

Haiku: Michelle E. Waterson is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She is the former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion. Fight Matrix ranks her the #10 women’s strawweight fighter in the world. Between 2013-2014 she was ranked #1 women’s atomweight fighter in the world. @karatehottiemma

 

Photo: Feng

Who: Yoshi and Peter Sudarso

Month: Cover 2019

Hottie Bio: Our forever favorites who have been with us since the beginning. Always down to frolic in icy cold water with floaties, get splattered with paint, or recreate a silly half-naked Vanity Fair cover shoot, Yoshi and Peter Sudarso are already superstars in our hearts. This year, they’re sharing part of their souls by sporting Indonesian batik shirts. Please look out for Yoshi in “Buffalo Boys,” Singapore’s submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, when it comes to US theaters Jan 2019.Watch Peter Sudarso in “Power Rangers Ninja Steel” and “Power Rangers Hyper Force.” And look out for updates on “The Paper Tigers,” which they’re both starring in. We couldn’t be prouder of them!

Yoshi Sudarso: Twitter @yoshi_sudarso, Instagram @yoshi_sudarso
Peter Sudarso: @petersadrian, Instagram @petersadrian

 

Haiku: Ada Tseng—Entertainment Editor of TimesOC, host of the Saturday School podcast and Mischief Maker behind Haikus With Hotties. @adatseng88

 

Photo: Nicholas Sutjongdro

The Haikus With Hotties x Dream Panel: Image Of The Asian American Man held at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, November 29, 2017. Panelists include Yoshi Sudarso, Peter Sudarso, Chris Pang, Ilram Choi, D’Lo, Saagar Shaikh, Jake Choi, Mike Bow, and Simu Liu. Moderated by Sean Miura.

Check out photos from the panel by Sthanlee B. Mirador/Sipa USA in our Facebook album 

These guys were part of a viral video called “Asian Men: Undateable?” in response to that time Steve Harvey caused some controversy by joking about how Asian men were undateable. The video was popular, most likely cause they’re all dancers and they danced to Ginuwine’s “Pony” in it. OVER 7 MILLION VIEWS on Asian Crush.

The video was made by Geo and Chuck, who call themselves SeventhGrade because they met in seventh grade and eventually were part of the dance crew Instant Noodles Crew, which competed on America’s Best Dance Crew. “The best Taiwanese American dance crew,” they jokingly called themselves at the time because they were the only Taiwanese American dance crew. (Hopefully now there are more!)

Now Geo and Chuck are regulars at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre – Los Angeles’s Asian AF show, and they make fun videos that you can watch on their Facebook page.

 

 

PHOTOS BY LEO WU

 

 

 

Who: Keone Madrid

Month: December 2018

Hottie Bio: Dancer, choreographer, and one-half of the beautiful married duo (with Mari) we rooted for on “The World of Dance.”

Keone Madrid: Twitter @keonemadrid, Instagram @keonemadrid
Mari Madrid: Twitter @_marimadrid, Instagram @_marimadrid

 

Photo: Leo Cabal

Who: Jason & Justin Rodjanapanyakul

Month: November 2018

Hottie Bio: These crush-worthy singers are melting our hearts, one note at a time.

Twitter @jrodtwins, Instagram @jrodtwins

 

Photo: Jason & Justin Rodjanapanyakul

Who: Simu Liu

Month: October 2018

Hottie Bio: This “Kim’s Convenience” star has made it on the “Canada’s Most Beautiful” list more times than you have.

Twitter @simuliu, Instagram @simuliu

 

Photo: Hoyin Siu

Who: Desmond Chiam

Month: September 2018

Hottie Bio: “The Shannara Chronicles” villain is plotting something really hot for us, and we can’t wait to see what it is.

Twitter @deschiam, Instagram @deschiam

 

Photo: Nicholas Sutjongdro

Who: Dominic Rains, Asif Ali, & Sunkrish Bala

Month: August 2018

Hottie Bio: The universe requests that you cast these “Chee and T” stars for any film, TV show or web series where attractive men are needed.

Dominic Rains: Twitter @dominicrains, Instagram @domrains
Asif Ali: Twitter @alicomedy, Instagram @alicomedy
Sunkrish Bala: Twitter @sunkrishbala, Instagram @sunkrishbala

 

Photo: Yash Dillon

Who: Chris Pang

Month: July 2018

Hottie Bio: Chris Pang an actor most known for his roles in Marco Polo and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny. Unless you’re from Australia, then you know him from Tomorrow, When The War Began, the biggest Australian movie of 2010, where he plays the Lee Takkam, the romantic lead in a crazy action-adventure war drama!

But when he was a kid, while his friends wanted to be firemen and police officers, he wanted to be James Bond. True story. From his WordPress blog that has not been updated since 2011.

#AsianBond. Look it up. It’s a hashtag that showcases how nice your favorite Asian/Asian American male actors look in suits.

Oh yea, he’s also going to be playing Colin Khoo in a little upcoming film called CRAZY RICH ASIANS.

Twitter @pangerz, Instagram @pangeerz

 

Photo: Bobby Vu

Who: Daniel K. Issac

Month: May 2018

Hottie Bio: Daniel K. Isaac is an actor/writer that is currently most known for his role as Ben Kim in the Showtime TV series, Billions.

But we’re most excited about his award-winning pilot According To My Mother (trailer in the comments), which started out as Daniel posting funny conversations he’s had with his “ultra-conservative, uber-Christian Korean American single mother,” who didn’t quite approve of his homosexuality. It played at film festivals like Outfest and CAAMfest earlier this year.

Also, billions of fans swoon as this “Billions” star takes off his shirt. I mean, it’s written on a magazine cover so it must be true.

Twitter @danielkisaac, Instagram @danielkisaac

 

Photo: An Rong Xu

Who: D’lo

Month: May 2018

Hottie Bio: Something sexy and something sweet, this comedian shows off his true colors.

Twitter @dlocokid, Instagram @dlocokid

 

Photo: An Rong Xu

Who: Kevin Wang

Month: April 2018

Hottie Bio: It’s this dapper GQ Taiwan fashion editor’s time to shin in front of the camera.

Instagram @thatmrwang

 

Photo: An Rong Xu

Who: Saagar Shaikh

Month: March 2018

Hottie Bio: This extremely reasonable & beautiful actor plays against type in his dramedy series “Unfair & Ugly,” when he’s not recording his hit “Bollywood Boys” podcast.

Twitter @sawgrrr, Instagram @sawgrrr

 

Photo: Lina Khatib

Who: Ilram Choi

Month: February 2018

Hottie Bio: From stuntman to fight choreography, Ilram Choi is the real amazing Spider-Man.

Instagram @ilramchoi

 

Photo: Nicholas Sutjongdro

Who: Lewis Tan

Month: January 2018

Hottie Bio: Keep your eye on this “Iron Fist” villain, who will soon be heading “Into the Badlands.

Twitter @TheLewisTan, Instagram @lewistanofficial

 

Photo: Michael Blank

Who: Yoshi & Peter Sudarso and Anna Akana

Month: Cover 2018

Hottie Bio:
Yoshi as Keira
Peter: Scarlett Johansson
Anna is Tom Ford

Yoshi Sudarso: Twitter @yoshi_sudarso, Instagram @yoshi_sudarso
Peter Sudarso: Twitter @petersadrian, Instagram @petersadrian
Anna Akana: Twitter @annaakana, Instagram @annaakana

 

Photo: Nicholas Sutjongdro