Welcome to Made in Asia, Lifestyle Asia’s new podcast series that aims to connect cultural dots and communities across Southeast Asia through the power of voices and storytelling.
In the sixth episode of Made in Asia, we sit down with the ‘boyfriend’ William Seng — a multi-hyphenate Gen Z figure who’s redefining what it means to influence with heart.
While many recognise William for his charismatic online persona, cooking content and cinematic transitions, this conversation reveals layers beyond the boy-next-door façade. Listeners will discover an introspective side of the 24-year-old, who quietly balances content creation with humanitarian work and a pursuit of meaning — not metrics.
“This was never a part of my plan… I grew up in a place that didn’t have phones!” he confides as he recalls his formative teenage years in a Buddhist school in The States. But he is someone who believes in the values in his content and the weight that each of his actions carry.
Though now a household name among Gen Z audiences, William’s beginnings were far from what we see today. He unveils: “There was a time when I really didn’t like the camera. I never had a good picture taken of me because I was always making ugly faces when the camera was on me.” And then came the chapter where he was simply trying to ‘impress a girl’ (now girlfriend). Since then, he has not stopped picking up the camera and making content in his own way.
The ‘Boyfriend-Next-Door’ Persona
One aspect of William’s public image that fans resonate with is the authenticity in his relationship. It resonates when it feels real. While some might see this curated online love life as performative, it is part of the ebbs and flows of being a public figure. For William, he chooses to share moments that feel honest.
Still, the influencer life isn’t always rosy. People assume it’s an easy job. But content creation can be exhausting. You’re constantly feeding an algorithm that doesn’t sleep. Asked if he still creates to chase trends, William pauses. “I used to. But now, I’m more intentional.”
In fact, William has never openly celebrated his wins even when his platform hits one million followers. His proudest moment? “When someone DM’d me to say my videos helped them through a tough time. That’s when I realised — this goes beyond views.”
Quiet Kindness
While much of William’s online content revolves around cooking videos and travel diaries, there’s a lesser-known chapter to his story. The episode delves into his volunteer work — offering free haircuts to elderly folks in underprivileged communities.
“It’s something I picked up in school because haircuts in America were expensive. I started by giving my classmates haircuts,” he recollects. But a personal encounter and the loss of his grandmother beckon his calling to start giving back to the elderly folks.
From there, it has become a quiet routine. No cameras. No clout. Just clippers and conversations. Also in this episode, he opens up about how the movement has grown into something bigger and how the experience has also taught him to never take anything – especially time – for granted.
As he turns 25 this year, William continues to be critical of himself. He is still his biggest critic. He is no longer someone who chases the next milestone but someone who learns that he doesn’t have to be everything for everyone. He remains humble, saying: “I don’t like attention because I was taught to not get attention. But as a content creator, I do it not for attention but more so, whether I can help these people who are watching me.”
Hosted by Martin Teo, Editor-in-Chief of Lifestyle Asia KL & SG, Made in Asia headlines the theme of “Community” for its pilot season. Stay tuned as we bring you fresh, bi-weekly conversations with some of the brightest voices in Malaysia and Singapore.
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YouTube: @LSAMadeInAsia
