Category: 2016 Hotties

Saksham Ghai is a model and actor who recently won the 2015 Mr. India Galaxy pageant in Los Angeles. Not only did he win, but he was given additional awards for Most Photogenic Face and the People’s Choice Award. It was the first time in the pageant’s 23-year history that a contestant took home 3 awards.

The up-and-comer has walked the runway for multiple Fashion Weeks, and he says he rarely sees other South Asian American male models. He himself debated going into a field like business, before some girls he met in high school suggested that he should model. Once he started booking gigs, he never looked back.

He recently acted in the short comedy film Indian Caste System, and next summer, he’s headed to Romania to shoot his first Bollywood feature film, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi.

But what will really make your heart melt is a video on his website where Ghai talks about the sacrifices his father made for his family — and why he recently decided to take the earnings he made modeling and surprise his dad with a brand new car for his birthday.

Respect for your hard-working parents? Hot.

What’s it like to be
The year’s hottest man in the
Entire galaxy?

Saksham:
As being a normal guy.
It is just the same
Not a difference.

You also won Most
Photogenic Face. Is that
A skill or good genes?

Saksham:
It’s definitely
Good genes. All the credit goes
To my family.

What is the coolest
Thing you’ve worn while walking the
Fashion Week runway?

Saksham:
I most loved wearing
A classic golden blazer –
UK designer

Top Photo: Rob Timko Photography

Main Photo (Blue Suit): Sean Franzen

Who doesn’t love a hottie who can prepare you a delicious meal? Easy on the eyes and easy on the stomach.

Pham, the winner of 2011 Food & Wine Magazine’s Best New Chef and three-time James Beard Foundation semifinalist, is the owner of the restaurant Forage in Salt Lake City and will soon launch a new restaurant ember + ash. Random trivia: he’s also the consulting chef at Beer Bar, a Salt Lake City bar co-owned by Modern Family’s Ty Burrell, who remembers eating at Forage and called it one of the best meals he’d ever had.

Pham is also a Food Network regular, making appearances on Food Network Star and Extreme Chef. But he might be best known for defeating Bobby Flay on the cooking competition Iron Chef America: Battle Ground Meat. Pham prepared created dishes such as soft-scrambled egg with sausage served inside an egg shell; lamb sausage and a riff on beef borscht; prawns and halibut soaked in hamburger-infused whey; and the surprisingly tasty beef fat ice cream with cherries — just try not to drool thinking about it.

As a master chef,
Tell us the ingredients
That make a hot man.

Viet:
One part passion, one
Part finesse, great sneaker game,
And must add fish sauce!

Hotter: Iron Chef
Win, or your own reflection
In the frying pan?

Viet:
Iron Chef, because
My proud parents were watching
From the stadium.

What would you cook if
Taking on the ultimate
Seduction challenge?

Viet:
Catch fish and rabbit
Roast over fire I make with
Wood I chop myself.

Photo by Cedric Angeles

You may remember him from Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, where he discussed important topics such as spelling bees and Indian Americans on TV on a segment called The KondaBulletin with Hari Kondabolu.

His album Waiting for 2042, which hit number one on the iTunes comedy album chart, is a must-listen, and he’s been on The Late Show with David Letterman and Conan.

He has a Masters in Human Rights from the London School of Economics.

And if you can’t wait for more Hari Kondabolu, he’s currently working on a new album which will be released in 2016, and he will be touring soon if you want to watch him perform live. Check out his website for updated info. Or follow him on Twitter, where he tweets like 10 jokes a minute. It’s insanity.

Speaking of Twitter, he once posted a photo with the caption: “I was at my peak hotness in 2009. RIP PEAK HOTNESS.” Not true, Hari Kondabolu. You’re hotter than ever before.

Did you start stand-up
To show the world you’re more than
Just a sexy rogue?

Hari:
Or does laughter turn
You on. Because laughter turns
Me on hahaha.

Your luscious long locks
Silky, smooth, envied by all.
Trick to soft tresses?

Hari:
Coconut oil, yes
You smell like a macaroon
Sexy macaroon.

What turns you on more?
Clever Twitter digs, jokes with
Subversive punchlines?

Hari:
Or deconstruction?
Deconstruct my body. Start
With my Che T-shirt.

Photo by Katy Porter

Though he may most be known for his hotness, Eugene Lee Yang is an actor and producer for Buzzfeed videos. He is part of The Try Guys, who (like the title implies) try everything. Favorite examples: “The Try Guys Try Labor Pain Simulation,” “The Try Guys Try Magic Mike Stripping,” and “The Try Guys Try Drag for the First Time.”

He makes videos that make Asian Americans laugh and cry. like “Asian Moms and Their Kids Imitate Each Other” and “If Asians Said The Stuff White People Say.”

And he’s also done numerous videos introducing American Buzzfeed readers to K-pop, so for his Haikus with Hotties calendar photo shoot, we decided to transform him into a entire K-pop band. Because what’s better than Eugene Lee Yang? 5 Eugene Lee Yangs. All singing and dancing their hearts out.

A collaboration with Buzzfeed Video (with style by Sarah Kinsumba, hair/wigs by Karen Park, and makeup by Jessica Chu), the music video can be seen below: “1 Man Transformed Into A K-Pop Group.”

A full explanation of K-pop archetypes + access to before/after transformations + gifs can be found in the Buzzfeed post.

If Eugene is cloned
To create a K-pop band,
What’s each member like?

Ko-gi (Visual):
“What’s your greatest fear?”
Eugene replied, “More of me.”
So we tortured him.

Du-bu (Maknae):
Which member would you
Netflix and chill with – Eugene
Said, “Ew none gross blegh!”

Kim-chi (Leader):
People sometimes claim
K-pop members look alike –
This isn’t helping.

Bop (Rapper):
Eugene’s mom saw this
And said, “Too skinny, weird hair,
Why you wear makeup?”

Jji-gae (Dancer):
Wanna play a game?
Which Eugene’s the evil twin?
Answer: all of them.

K-pop Photo by Craig Stubing, Unwrittenfilms.com.

Top Photo by Macey J. Foronda

Eugene Lee Yang K-pop fashion credits:

Main Vocalist
1st Look – Music video
Blazer GGIO 2 www.ggio2.com
Tank top LE BEAU www.lebeau.co
Skinny Jeans JOE’S JEANS www.joesjeans.com
Earring ZELLE COUTURE www.zellhaus.com
Shoes COLE HAAN at OFF BROADWAY SHOES www.offbroadwayshoes.com

2nd Look – Video white background
Blazer GV www.gvclothingco.com
Shirt AKA CLOTHING www.thisaka.com
Skinny Jeans JOE’S JEANS www.joesjeans.com
Shoes COLE HAAN AT OFF BROADWAY SHOES www.offbroadwayshoes.com

Maknae
1st Look – Music video
Sweater AZUL BY MOUSSY www.azul-by-moussy.com
Shirt AKA CLOTHING www.thisaka.com
Skinny Jeans JOE’S JEANS www.joesjeans.com
Shoes SCHOLL at OFF BROADWAY SHOES www.offbroadwayshoes.com

2nd Look – Video white background
Sweater off white AZUL BY MOUSSY www.azul-by-moussy.com
Shirt AKA CLOTHING www.thisaka.com
Skinny Jeans JOE’S JEANS www.joesjeans.com
Shoes SCHOLL at OFF BROADWAY SHOES www.offbroadwayshoes.com

B-boy Dancer
1st Look – Music video
Sleeveless top MATIERE www.matiere.com
Chains Stylist’s own
Cap LEEF PARIS www.leef-paris.com/en/
Skinny Jeans JOE’S JEANS www.joesjeans.com
Shoes OFF BROADWAY SHOES www.offbroadwayshoes.com

2nd Look – Video white background
Tank top A.THING.THING. www.thingthing.co.nz
Skinny Jeans JOE’S JEANS www.joesjeans.com
Shoes OFF BROADWAY SHOES www.offbroadwayshoes.com

Visual
1st Look – Music video
Leather Jacket COCKPIT
Shirt AKA CLOTHING www.thisaka.com
Skinny Jeans JOE’S JEANS www.joesjeans.com
Shoes JEFFREY TYLER at OFF BROADWAY SHOES www.offbroadwayshoes.com

2nd Look – Video white background
Bomber jacket AZUL BY MOUSSY
Shirt KENNINGTON
Skinny Jeans JOE’S JEANS www.joesjeans.com
Shoes JEFFREY TYLER at OFF BROADWAY SHOES www.offbroadwayshoes.com

High fashion Dancer
1st Look – Music video
Coat A THING THING www.thingthing.co.nz
Faux Fur Stylist’s own
Printed Shirt AKA CLOTHING www.thisaka.com
Skinny Jeans JOE’S JEANS www.joesjeans.com
Shoes JEFFREY TYLER at OFF BROADWAY SHOES www.offbroadwayshoes.com
Hat ASOS www.asos.com

2nd Look – Video white background
Coat CONTROL SECTOR www.control-sector.myshopify.com
Shirt AKA CLOTHING www.thisaka.com
Skinny Jeans JOE’S JEANS www.joesjeans.com
Shoes JEFFREY TYLER at OFF BROADWAY SHOES www.offbroadwayshoes.com
Hat ASOS www.asos.com

For those of you who appreciate hot Asian men, Daniel Henney needs no introduction. When he debuted in the Korean drama My Lovely Sam Soon in 2005, he became an instant star. Since then, he’s acted in films such as My Father, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Shanghai Calling, and Big Hero 6. In 2016, he can be seen in the American television show Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.

But let’s talk about Mango.

Mango is a golden retriever that often steals the spotlight from her famous owner, even when he is wearing white polo shirts that showcase his “luxury brand body,” like the Korean websites like to say.

She has modeled for Elle Korea and GQ Korea. And she was both fashionable and supportive when Daniel dumped ice water on himself for charity in 2014.

If you want to see more photos of Mango (with Daniel), check out Henney’s Instagram.

If you’d rather see more photos of Daniel, check out this recent “Oh No They Didn’t” blog post titled “Daniel Henney looking all kinds of fine for Arena Magazine.”

Mango and Daniel pen deeply personal haikus below, in the most romantic of all the 2016 Haikus with Hotties Calendar exchanges.

Mango:
My dearest Daniel
Do you recall how we first
Met and fell in love?

Daniel:
Winter in Seoul years ago . . .
This girl needs a home
Then our life began.

Mango:
You weren’t yet a star
What did I teach you about
Acting and hotness?

Daniel:
Act like you don’t care
Hotness comes second to food
Eyes down, nose up, food.

Mango:
Will you thank me when
You win an Oscar playing
A sad, ugly man?

Daniel:
On the walks we take,
I find my inspiration.
Thank you, my sweet girl.

Who’s that hottie on the cover of our calendar? It’s Shannon Kook, the South African-born, Canada-raised hottie Shannon Kook, which you may recognize from the popular television series, Degrassi: The Next Generation. From 2010-11, he played Zane Park, the cute, openly gay jock with the wild, spiky hair.

The way he made viewers feel can only be properly expressed through a fan video:

He also plays Drew in the hit supernatural thriller The Conjuring, directed by James Wan, Trey in Dark Places, and Theo on the web series Carmilla. He’s currently shooting The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist, scheduled for a Summer 2016 release.

What’s it like to be
The very first Haikus with
Hotties cover boy?

Shannon:
If you can guess what
I’m thinking on that cover –
That would sum it up.

Is it offensive
To stare a little too long
At your six-pack abs?

Shannon:
I’m sprawled across a chaise lounge –
Stare till it feels wrong.
“Wrong” is our theme song.

What did you learn from
Your research? Does sex appeal
Affect poetry?

Shannon:
Your beauty lies not
In the reflection of eyes
But the voice inside.

Photo by Lane Dorsey

For more info, check out his interview with Audrey Magazine online!

This article was originally published in the Fall 2015 issue of Audrey Magazine.

Photos by Craig Stubing, Unwrittenfilms.com

The latest hottie in our insightfully mediocre poetry series knows how to rock the white button-down shirt, skinny tie and khakis. It’s the dreamy, bespectacled Chris Dinh, who has captured hearts of YouTube fans everywhere as a writer and actor for the popular Asian American channel Wong Fu Productions.

Continue reading Chris Dinh

The latest hottie in our insightfully mediocre poetry series is Randall Park, an actor who’s been working in the entertainment industry for over two decades. You might recognize him as Lt. Danny Chung in Veep, “Asian Jim” in The Office, father Martin Fukanaga in Nickelodeon’s Supah Ninjas or Chris Park, a “Dog Daycare Owner” in the Chase Ink business card commercials.

Continue reading Randall Park

Our latest Haikus with Hotties poet is the Taiwanese American piano prodigy turned American Ninja Warrior competitor Yen Chen. He’s part of an esteemed group of athletes on the hit NBC obstacle course competition show, based on the Japanese sports entertainment television special Sasuke.

Continue reading Yen Chen

We’re excited for our latest haiku exchange with Filipino American hottie Dante Basco, not only because we know him from characters including Rufio from Hook, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation from Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, Ben Mercado from The Debut, breakdancer Ramos in Take the Lead, “Dante Basco” in Hang Loose with KevJumba, and an evil version of himself in the upcoming web series Awesome Asian Bad Guys (AABG) — which you can read more about it here — but also because it’s the first time we’ve had a real poet for Haikus With Hotties.

Continue reading Dante Basco

After last issue’s inaugural haiku exchange with our ultimate Smoking Hot Asian Guy (SHAG) Godfrey Gao, who could possibly follow but über-popular YouTube star, filmmaker and former competitive gamer Freddie Wong, otherwise known as FreddieW?

Continue reading Freddie Wong

In our very first haiku exchange, model and actor Godfrey Gao (The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones) gamely responds to our lyrical inquiries through Japanese haiku.

In Asian TV dramas, the male protagonist is often a young, arrogant, rich kid who’s about to have his world turned upside down by the wholesome, down-to-earth female who finally makes him want to be a better person. To set this up, there’s often an obligatory scene where a crowd of girls lunges themselves at the leading man, causing your average feminist viewer to roll her eyes.

But when Godfrey Gao, dressed in an all-white suit, makes girls’ hearts go aflutter in the first episode of the 2010 Taiwanese drama Volleyball Lover, it seems quite realistic. Or perhaps, your eyes are too stunned to roll.

Continue reading Godfrey Gao