Luxurious LifeStyle – Contained in the lives of the Los Angeles billionaires who star within the Netflix actuality present Bling Empire
A bunch of wildly rich Asian and Asian American socialites in Los Angeles are bringing the drama whereas displaying off their lavish way of life on Netflix‘s new actuality collection Bling Empire.
Dubbed a cross between the 2018 movie Loopy Wealthy Asians and Retaining Up With the Kardashians, the present follows the glamorous lives of Kane Lim, the son of a Singaporean billionaire, and his pals.
‘Once I noticed Loopy Wealthy Asians, I assumed it was a pleasant fantasy, however then the primary particular person I met in LA was Kane,’ Kevin Taejin Kreider narrates at the beginning of the collection, which was launched on January 15.
Kevin, who was born in Korea however was adopted as a child by a middle-class household from Philadelphia, explains that Kane and his pals have utterly modified his perspective.
‘They’ve the entire world at their disposal, and I am similar to, “Oh my god, that is actual,”‘ he remembers. ‘I’ve by no means really met a billionaire in my life till I met Kane.’
However simply how actual is the wealth proven on display screen? And the place does it come from? Right here, FEMAIL appears into the true lives of the present’s over-the-top stars, and the way they rose to the highest of certainly one of LA’s most elite crowds.
Loopy wealthy: Netflix‘s new actuality present Bling Empire follows a bunch of wildly rich Asian and Asian American socialites in Los Angeles
See it? The present has been dubbed a cross between the 2018 movie Loopy Wealthy Asians and Retaining Up With the Kardashians
Dwelling the excessive life: Many of the Blind Empire’s stars are both millionaires or billionaires
Kane Lim
The 30-year-old inheritor grew up in Singapore the place his household made their cash in oil, transport, tanking, and actual property, however his true ardour is for trend.
Kane’s Instagram web page is full of photographs of him modeling designer garments and equipment, which has helped him earn greater than 183,000 followers.
It is revealed on the present that he has a complete wall of cabinets devoted to showcasing his assortment of Christian Louboutins in his front room. His over-the-top shoe assortment is reportedly worth greater than $365,000.
Whereas he grew up with unimaginable wealth, he insisted in a 2019 interview with VoyageLA that his father refused to spoil him and would even have him take a public bus to high school.
‘He by no means offered chauffeurs for us or the luxuries in life however simply the requirements comparable to the perfect schooling, meals, and journey,’ he defined.
Huge cash: Kane Lim, the son of a Singaporean billionaire, showcases his assortment of Christian Louboutins in his front room. His exhibits are reportedly worth greater than $365,000
Historical past: The 30-year-old inheritor grew up in Singapore the place his household made their cash in oil, transport, tanking, and actual property. He moved to Los Angeles 9 years in the past
When Kane moved to LA from Singapore 9 years in the past, he was centered on growing his household’s investments after taking an curiosity in it as a teen.
He informed VoyageLA that he was simply 17 years outdated when he took a ‘small loan’ from his father and began investing. Not solely did he pay his dad again in only a few months, however he made his first million by the point he was 20. His web worth is now a reported $20 million.
Kane’s greatest pal Kevin notes within the present that the fashion-forward inheritor ‘owns the purchasing malls you go into in South East Asia.’ He additionally dabbles in business actual property and philanthropy.
In keeping with Kane, he is aware of everybody who’s anybody within the Asian group within the Metropolis of Angels, and for good cause.
‘There’s solely so many loopy, wealthy Asians in Los Angeles,’ he explains on the present. ‘I principally know everybody.’
Trendy: Kane began investing with a ‘small loan’ from his father when he was 17 and made his first million by the point he was 20, however his true ardour is trend
Common: ‘There’s solely so many loopy, wealthy Asians in Los Angeles,’ Kane says on the present. ‘I principally know everybody’
Anna Shay
The present’s matriarch, who’s half Japanese and half Russian, is the one daughter of the late billionaire businessman Edward Shay and Japanese-American Ai-San.
The 60-year-old’s father based Pacific Architects and Engineers (PAE), a protection and authorities companies contractor that labored with the U.S. authorities and the United Nations.
She and her youthful brother Allen offered PAE to Lockheed Martin in an all-cash, $1.2 billion deal in 2006. Whereas she is well-known in LA, the socialite has saved herself out of the general public eye.
‘Anna Shay is a extremely reclusive particular person,’ Kane explains within the first episode. ‘Typically you see a glimpse of her, typically you do not.
Anna’s life is full of designer garments, non-public jets, and lavish getaways as cash is not any concern for the heiress. With a reported web worth of $600 million, she is by far the richest solid member.
On the premiere, she flies Kelly Mi Li to Paris for her birthday and buys her a ‘friendship ring’ from the posh jeweler Boucheron
Severely wealthy: Anna Shay, 60, is the daughter of the late billionaire businessman Edward Shay and Japanese-American Ai-San
Mega tens of millions: The half Japanese, half Russian heiress is worth an estimated $600 million, however Kane stated she could be ‘reclusive’ at instances
‘I wager Anna goes to Paris extra instances in a yr than she goes to Silverlake,’ Kelly says in the course of the episode.
The heiress is so wealthy that she admitted to OprahMag.com that she did not know what to do with the funds she acquired for starring on the Netflix collection.
‘It was so complicated after I acquired the checks. I did not know what to do with them,’ she stated. ‘I did not cash them, then I acquired in bother for not cashing them. I’ve them in a financial savings account. I might prefer to have a celebration a while. I do not suppose the cash belongs to me. I feel it belongs to the crew that needed to put up with me.’
Anna’s 27-year-old son Kenny Kemp additionally seems on the present. He made a reputation for himself as a ‘passionate stoner’ in 2015 after giving BuzzFeed a tour of his assortment of bongs worth half one million {dollars}.
The glass pipes have been saved in a vault in his mom’s Beverly Hills mansion that was initially designed to be a wine cellar. Final month, Anna listed the sprawling Spanish Revival compound for $16 million.
Rich: Anna’s life is full of designer garments, non-public jets, and lavish getaways as cash is not any concern for her
For actual? Anna is so wealthy that she admitted she had no thought what to do with the checks she acquired from Netflix for the present, saying she acquired in bother for not cashing them
Christine Alexandra Chiu
The 37-year-old, who’s a self-described ‘philanthropist, investor, and couture collector,’ was born in Taiwan, however now the heiress lives in ritzy Bel-Air together with her household.
Christine has been married to superstar plastic surgeon Dr. Gabriel Chiu for 14 years, however she is not a stay-at-home spouse. When the couple stated ‘I do’ in 2008, additionally they opened Beverly Hills Plastic Surgical procedure Inc.
Whereas her husband performs the surgical procedures, the Pepperdine College grad serves because the medispa’s managing director. The couple is worth a reported $80 million, and so they even have royal ties.
Dr. Chiu is a direct descendant of the Tune dynasty in China, one thing she brags about on the present.
‘In China, my husband’s father can be an emperor, and Child G can be slightly prince,’ she explains.
Declare to fame: Christine Alexandra Chiu, 37, is a self-described ‘philanthropist, investor, and couture collector’
Household: Christine has been married to superstar plastic surgeon Dr. Gabriel Chiu for 14 years. They’ve a two-year-old son, Gabriel Chiu III, whom she calls ‘Child G’
Exhausting to withstand: Christine is obsessed with shopping for high fashion, however she as soon as griped about designers loaning the one-of-a-kind items to actresses
As one of many few LA residents who’s invited to take action, Christine has a ardour for attending high fashion trend exhibits and shopping for at the least one robe at every occasion.
‘It is secure to say that $100,000 is the typical price of a gown,’ she informed The Hollywood Reporter in 2016, ‘however nobody ever asks about price.’
In the course of the interview, she griped about celebrities being loaned the identical couture robes that she bought to put on on the purple carpet, saying: ‘I do not need the sloppy seconds.’
Christine can be a philanthropist who likes to throw events. She and her husband collaborated with Prince Charles in opening a well being and wellness heart in Scotland.
And when the Chius’ son Gabriel Chiu III a.ok.a. ‘Child G’ turned one in 2019, they threw him a celebration at Cayton Youngsters’s Museum in Santa Monica and donated $1 million to the museum on his behalf.
The birthday bash is featured on the present together with footage from Christine’s Chinese language New Yr celebration for which she remodeled Rodeo Drive into Chinatown.
Giving again: The rich mother spent a whopping $1 million on her son’s first party in 2019. She donated the cash to a youngsters’s museum the place she threw the bash
Teamwork: Christine and her husband opened Beverly Hills Plastic Surgical procedure Inc. in 2008. Whereas he performs the surgical procedures, she works because the managing director
Jaime Xie
The 23-year-old heiress is the present’s youngest solid member in addition to a rising trend blogger and social media influencer.
Jaime is the daughter of Ken Xie, a Beijing-born billionaire who made his fortune in cybersecurity know-how in Silicon Valley. He based the corporate Fortinet in 2000 and has an estimated web worth of round $four billion.
The previous equestrian grew up using horses and is pals with Eve Jobs, Steve Jobs’ daughter. On the present, she reveals she misplaced a luxe barn to Eve, who can be an equestrian.
The Chanel-loving influencer has a reported web worth of $50 million, however most of that’s belief fund cash.
Child: Jaime Xie, 23, is the truth present’s youngest solid member. She is the daughter of Ken Xie, a Beijing-born billionaire who made his fortune in cybersecurity know-how
Working: The previous equestrian is a rising trend blogger and social media influencer
Inherited wealth: The Chanel-loving influencer has a reported web worth of $50 million, however most of that’s belief fund cash
Whereas she has a whopping $300,000 Instagram followers, she solely makes about $50,000 per yr as an influencer, in keeping with The Cinemaholic.
The wage does not even pay for her luxurious penthouse condominium, which prices $19,000 monthly.
‘I’m not the principle character of the collection, however the focus of my position is centered round trend,’ she not too long ago informed Harper’s Bazaar Singapore.
‘I assumed it’d be an excellent alternative to showcase my fashion and love for trend, contemplating how massive of a platform Netflix is. Once I was approached for the collection, I knew I couldn’t flip it down.’
Kim Lee
The 32-year-old was raised by her Vietnamese mom and French stepfather in California and is now a global DJ and famend producer.
Kim began touring across the US and Asia after commencement and has labored with the likes of Steve Aoki, Diplo, and Cardi B. On the present, she is dubbed ‘Asia’s Calvin Harris.’
Huge enterprise: Kim Lee, 32, is profitable DJ and producer who has toured the US and Asia
Home: Kim was raised by her Vietnamese mom and French stepfather in California
Strike a pose: Kim can be a model and has appeared in plenty of publications, together with L’Officiel
She’s additionally a model, showing in plenty of worldwide publications, together with GQ Italia and Esquire Singapore.
Kim brings the drama on the present after she and fellow solid member Man Tong discover a penis pump in Anna’s bathe whereas snooping. So as to add insult to damage, she convinces Man to toss the intercourse toy out the window.
‘I feel I actually did misjudge what I considered her, that I made a mistake,’ Anna says after the incident. ‘Kim does not belong in my world.’
Kevin Taejin Kreider
The 33-year-old model is the one one on the present who is not really rich.
Kevin was adopted from Korea by a German-Irish household when he was three years outdated and grew up in middle-class Philadelphia.
He moved to Los Angeles to turn into a model and have become greatest pals with Kane, who launched him to his buddies, who’re worth tens of millions on the very least.
Right down to earth: Kevin Taejin Kreider, 33, is the one one on the present who is not extremely wealthy
Recollections: Kevin was adopted from Korea by a German-Irish household when he was three years outdated and grew up in middle-class Philadelphia
Activism: Kevin, who loves flashing his abs, is obsessed with altering the notion of Asian males within the US
Kevin has posed for Males’s Well being, Peloton, Gillette, amongst different firms, and he flashes his chiseled abs at any time when he can. He is additionally an activist who’s obsessed with altering the notion of Asian males within the US.
Not like his wealthy pals, he pays simply $1,000 in lease for his room. ‘That is lower than a pair of footwear!’ Jaime tells him.
Nonetheless, his friendship with a few of Los Angeles’ wealthiest residents has include its fair proportion of perks.
Not solely does he get invites to among the most unique and lavish events within the metropolis, however he additionally receives costly items from his rich pals, together with a pair of Dior sneakers that Anna bought for him as a token of her affection.
Kelly Mi Li
The 35-year-old was born in Kunming, China, however moved to Chicago when her physician mom acquired a job on the College of Illinois.
She was raised by her mom after her father was pressured to return to China as a result of he was unable to seek out work within the US.
The drama in Kelly’s life started lengthy earlier than she signed as much as do the present. In her 20s, she was married to a Chinese language man and lived a lifetime of luxurious with 4 homes and 7 automobiles.
‘We lived in a privileged, outrageous way of life,’ she explains on the present’s premiere. ‘I feel on the time we have been spending, like, 400ok a month on our black [American Express card].’
Childhood: Kelly Mi Li, 35, was born in Kunming, China, however was raised by her physician mom in Chicago
Devastating: Kelly life fell aside when her now ex-husband was arrested for ‘working one of many largest cyber scams in American historical past’
Transferring on: The TV producer has since rebuilt her life and wealth as an entrepreneur, which has helped her ‘take energy again’
Her world got here crashing down round her when he was arrested for a criminal offense she had no thought he had dedicated.
‘I didn’t understand it on the time, however he was working one of many largest cyber scams in American historical past,’ she says on the present. ‘All of our property have been frozen, and we gave the federal government, I feel it was, like, $168 million. Yeah. I didn’t even know who I used to be sleeping subsequent to.’
She has since rebuilt her life and wealth as an entrepreneur, which has helped her ‘take energy again.’ She has produced TV exhibits and flicks whereas in Los Angeles and can be a rising influencer with 100,000 Instagram followers.
Kelly has discovered love with actor Andrew Grey, who additionally seems on the present.
Cherie Chan
The denim empire heiress grew up in Los Angeles with ‘hardcore Chinese language values.’
Cherie was as soon as signed with Sony Music Japan and was on her solution to turning into a pop star, however she gave up her goals due to her mom’s disapproval.
Regardless of her strict upbringing, she broke conventional Chinese language norms by beginning a household together with her boyfriend Jessey Lee with out being married.
Strict upbringing: Cherie Chan, a denim empire heiress, grew up in Los Angeles with ‘hardcore Chinese language values.’
Trendy household: She broke conventional Chinese language norms by beginning a household together with her boyfriend Jessey Lee with out being married. The couple has an estimated web worth of $200 million
Letting go: Cherie was as soon as signed with Sony Music Japan and was on her solution to turning into a pop star, however she gave up her goals due to her mom’s disapproval
Jessey is being groomed to run his household’s furnishings empire and collectively they’ve an estimated web worth of $200 million.
The Chinese language-American couple welcomed their daughter, Jadore, in 2017, whereas their son, Jevon, was born in 2019.
Cherie’s being pregnant and postpartum struggles are chronicled on the present.
Man Tang
The 39-year-old superstar hairstylist discovered fame in Los Angeles lengthy earlier than he ever appeared on Bling Empire.
Man, who has labored with Mariah Carey, has greater than 2.5 million subscribers to his YouTube channel and calls his viewers his ‘hair besties.’
He additionally boasts 2.1 million followers on his Instagram web page, which is a mixture of his hair coloring methods, footage from his music movies, and private photographs.
Hair guru: Man Tang, 39, is a star hairstylist and YouTube star with greater than 2.25 million subscribers
Singer: The hairstylist can be an aspiring musician. He launched his debut album in January 2020 and his follow-up this October
Common posts: Man’s Instagram web page is a mixture of his hair coloring methods, footage from his music movies, and private photographs
Man is understood for his intricate rainbow highlights, which might take upwards of 12 hours to create and price over $1,000, in keeping with Racked.
He’s additionally an aspiring musician, and he launched his EP Multi Perspective in October. The EP was a follow-up to his debut album #More2Me, which dropped in January 2020.
Whereas Man does not have as a lot display screen time as a few of his co-stars, he performs an essential position within the penis-pump combat between Kim and Anna.
He and Kim uncover the intercourse toy in Anna’s bathe, however he appears to be extra involved about her hair merchandise.
‘My curiosity is: What shampoo is she utilizing in her bathe? As a result of her hair’s a large number and if she’s not utilizing the correct product, perhaps that is the issue together with her,’ he says in his testimonial.
