Brunei : Wu Chun
Brunei Darussalam, with its strict adherence to traditional Islamic principles and small population, lacks a significant entertainment industry. Still, this nation’s jack-of-all-trades superstar has earned the envy of many as a successful actor, singer, model, businessman, and philanthropist. His name is Wu Chun, and he rose to fame after debuting in 2005 in the four-member Taiwanese boy band Fahrenheit. In addition to his singing career, he has also starred in TV series and films in Taiwan and Shanghai.
Cambodia : Mann VannDa
More recently, Cambodian hip-hop artist Mann VannDa has become a fast-rising star. At just 26 years old, he has already set new standards for the nation’s pop music industry. His hit single, “Time to Rise,” became the first Cambodian song to reach 100 million views on YouTube, and won the Best Video Award at the 2021 LiFTED Asia. His music videos are notable for having introduced global audiences to a stylish fusion of contemporary and classic Cambodian melodies.
Indonesia : Dita Karang
There is also Indonesia’s leading star Dita Karang, who is a member of the Korean girl group Secret Number. Dita is the first Indonesian K-pop singer to debut in Korea. She loved K-pop so much that while attending a dance school during her studies in New York, she passed an audition and began performing after just two years of training. Thanks to Dita, the music video of Secret Number’s debut song “Who Dis?” surpassed 5 million views on the third day of release, and 10 million views on the tenth day of release. The video’s success is attributed to viewers from Dita’s home country of Indonesia, which has the fourth-largest population in the world, and is well-known for its love of K-pop.
Lao PDR : Annita
Although long overshadowed by its neighbor Thailand, in recent years Lao pop stars have begun emerging with great success. Thivaphone Chanthrasomboune, known publically as Annita, first rose to fame as an R&B singer, and later won the Best New Female Pop Artist at the 2011 Lao Music Awards. Since then, she has been active in modeling, and has also appeared on the covers of magazines and in advertisements for famous global brands, including Coca-Cola and Johnnie Walker. Anita is also a brand ambassador of Huawei Technologies for Lao PDR, which holds a large share of the Lao market.
Malaysia : Michelle Yeoh
Malaysia’s best-known celebrity is Michelle Yeoh, a Hollywood actress who is also known as Yang Ja-gyeong in Korea. Since she became Miss Malaysia in 1983, Yeoh starred in numerous Hong Kong martial arts films. She became even more famous when she was featured in the American James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997, where she was cast as the second Asian Bond girl. More recently, she has been cast as Dr. Karina Mogue in the Avatar sequel.
Myanmar : Aung La Nsang
Hailing from Myanmar is the world-champion mixed martial artist Aung La Nsang. His great fighting skills and rugged masculinity have helped raise the country’s profile internationally, making him a popular—almost heroic—figure at home, much like Korea’s star soccer player Son Heung-min. Born in 1985 in northern Myanmar, he went on to study agricultural science in the United States. After his first debut as a professional MMA fighter in 2005, he was soon recognized for his talent, and later went on to win the titles of Middleweight World Champion in 2017 and Light Heavyweight World Champion in 2018.
※ Reference : Why Did I Fall in Love with Myanmar (Heo Eun-hui, 2020)
Philippine : Hidailyn Diaz
At the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, yet another ASEAN hero was born when female weightlifter Hidailyn Diaz won the first gold medal in the 100-year history of the Philippine’s participation in the Games. At the time, her touching life history also became a topic of interest. She lived in a house with no water and had to collect ten gallons (40 liters) of water every day from a public pump. She often thought about how to lift the bucket more easily and with less movement, which contributed to her interest in weightlifting.
Singapore : Yip Pin Xiu
Another star athlete is Yip Pin Xiu, a 2020 Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist from Singapore. She won a total of five gold medals at the Paralympics, including two gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in the 100m and 50m backstrokes. She has been suffering from Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease since she first developed symptoms at two years old, which has caused nerve damage to her arms and legs. She received the inaugural President’s Award in February 2022 in recognition of her world-record-winning perseverance and commitment to sports despite her physical disabilities, as well as for her contribution to society.
Thailand : Lalisa Manobal
From Thailand, there is also Lalisa Manobal, who is a member of the globally popular girl group Black Pink. Known for her, choreography Lalisa has even won the recognition of professional dancers thanks to her excellent dancing skills. Her solo album Lalisa, released in 2021, was a pivotal moment in her career as a K-pop solo artist. Lisa (as she’s known on stage) is fluent in both Korean and English, as well as some Japanese, and has amazing rap and vocal skills.
Viet Nam : Ho Ngoc Ha
Finally, from Viet Nam, there is HồNgọc Hà, a famous singer, actress, and model dubbed the “Queen of Entertainment.” In 1999, she started outas a model by winning first prize at the Vietnam Super model contest, and in 2004, she released her first album, 24/7, to launch her career as a singer. The success of this album led to her performance at the Asian Song Festival held in Korea in 2009. At the time, she was introduced as “Son Dambi of Viet Nam.”
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