In the bustling world of Hollywood, where dreams are forged and narratives come to life, Korean American screenwriter William Yu has emerged as a rising force.

Hailing from Philadelphia, Hong Kong, Boston, and New York, and now based in Los Angeles, William has taken the leap from having a successful advertising career into the world of screenwriting, fueled by a desire to create ambitious stories with vibrant and nuanced characters and to challenge the boundaries of Asian American representation.

William writes sharp, biting stories about witty underdogs who rise to upend the systems that they’ve been held back by.

Projects like “Good Boy,” a dramedy exploring the clash between personal dreams and familial expectations, and his feature romantic comedy “It Was You,” recognized by the esteemed Black List, showcase William’s talent and ambition. As an alum of the prestigious Sundance Episodic Labs and the NBCU Launch TV Writers Program, his work not only contributes to the larger conversation on Asian American representation in the entertainment industry but also pushes the boundaries of storytelling.

In an interview with Asian Hustle Network, William gives us a front seat on his journey as a screenwriter. Join us as we delve into his inspiring story.

TRANSITIONING FROM HIS ADVERTISING CAREER TO BECOMING A SCREENWRITER

Before becoming a screenwriter, I worked in advertising as a Creative Strategist for some years. Having this professional background not only gave me the structure and discipline that I’ve carried over to writing but also instilled a self-starter mindset that gets excited by creative ideas that go against the grain.

Two things happened. The first: I hit a quarter-life crisis after finding a list of goals I had written down after I graduated college. I realized that I had accomplished most of these milestones, but was finding my mental health was quickly deteriorating to the point where I had to make a change.

The second: I had recently created a project called #StarringJohnCho that sparked a viral, global conversation about Asian representation in media. Seeing so many communities engage in this movement demonstrated to me that a profound cultural shift was happening. I could either sit on the sidelines in advertising and continue to critique Hollywood from the outside, or I could dive into this world, participate in the craft, and write the stories I wish I knew. So, I took the leap.

CHALLENGES OF BEING A SCREENWRITER FROM AN UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUND

I entered Hollywood because I wanted to expand the definition and labels that have traditionally been assigned to the Asian American community, to go from “good” and “bad” to “awkward” and “messy” and “joyful” and “gut-wrenching.” But as much as I want to create characters and narratives that are rooted in my experience, I need to write stories that are first and foremost–entertaining.

As a screenwriter from an underrepresented group, there is always a well-intentioned instinct to cast our people in a soft, non-offensive glow. But who wants to watch that film or TV series? Part of the representation that I want to add to is demonstrating that as much as we are brave and tenacious, we are also flawed and dangerous, whether that’s in a small indie project or a massive studio tentpole. I believe that the faster we can jump into that conversation, exciting stories are destined to follow.

ABOUT THE DRAMEDY “GOOD BOY”

The short film is a proof of concept for a TV series I’m developing that’s been workshopped through the Sundance Episodic Labs. It’s a personal story that’s loosely based on my time working at Bodega – the world-famous sneaker shop started in Boston – and various conversations and feelings that I’ve had with exes, best friends, my family, and other people that I love.

Streetwear is a world where the clash of cultures is the point. There is no “right answer” – It’s funny and ugly and inspiring. Isn’t that the case for life as well?

‘Good Boy’ was my way of reflecting on moments in my life when I’ve felt cared for, hurt, joyous, and lost. I tried to not just depict what I was feeling, but also reflect on why I felt those feelings. When I first started writing the original pilot script in the Fall of 2019, I was simultaneously embracing my own agency in my life. My hope is that this story might nudge others to also own their journeys moving forward.

MORE OF WILLIAM’S PROJECTS

I’m extremely proud of ‘It Was You,’ my feature romantic comedy that’s like if Nora Ephron’s ‘You’ve Got Mail’ was set in Manhattan Chinatown. The script was voted to the annual Black List – a compilation of the most well-liked unproduced scripts in Hollywood – and ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ director Jon M. Chu is attached as a producer. I’m such a massive fan of those ‘90s-era rom-coms and this story was such a light to write during the pandemic. 

My latest TV project is a political scandal drama called ‘Koreagate’ which is based on the true story set in the 1970s of a charming swindler in Washington D.C. known as “The Asian Gatsby” who was found to be bribing U.S. Congressmen in the name of South Korean interests. It’s a wild, pulpy, fast-paced tale in the vein of The Wolf Of Wall Street and The Post that showcases America at its best and its worst. And it all really happened!

WILLIAM’S CONTRIBUTION TO ASIAN AMERICAN REPRESENTATION IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

My main goal as a storyteller is to create ambitious stories with vibrant and nuanced characters. If I can hold up my end of the equation, I believe the representation conversation will only expand and grow in complexity.

What’s so exciting is that this is a LARGE conversation, there are so many voices and stories from our community that have yet to come to the forefront. And when we all overlap and intersect and discuss, that’s when the magic happens.

WILLIAM’S ASPIRATIONS LOOKING FORWARD AS A SCREENWRITER

First off, my biggest hope right now is that the WGA strike ends soon and that the studios pay us writers what we deserve.

What excites me is continuing to push my ideas to new heights in terms of scale and wonder. Stories that push the boundaries of the imagination. That wink at you while flipping you off. I’ve been working on a family adventure blockbuster and romance crime drama lately, and have a romantic comedy feature script that takes a surprise turn into a thriller in the works next. Right now, I feel drawn to stories that feel twisted and that showcase characters brushing up against the extremities of who they are.

ADVICE TO THOSE WHO WANT TO START A CAREER IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

I can only really speak for the screenwriting side of things. This industry may seem like it’s an image-driven business, but it’s actually a product-driven one.

Everyone has an idea for a story, so make sure you’re the one that has a script (or scripts!) ready to go when someone asks. Know that there are lots of stories of those who follow the “rules” or those who are “exceptions”, but know that there is no “right way” of making it in this industry. Lastly: Be kind.

CONNECT WITH WILLIAM

Instagram: @its_willyu

Twitter: @its_willyu

Website: itswillyu.com

Stream Good Boy

Good Boy Instagram: @goodboyteevee

Good Boy Twitter: @goodboyteevee

Good Boy Website: goodboytv.com

Mai Hlee’s journey is a testament to the power of resilience and hard work.

Mai’s entrepreneurial spirit comes from her mother, who taught her life-long skills. Mai’s resilience is evident in her journey to paying off her student loans, living frugally, and raising a family of 6. She started her first online business documenting her journey on her blog where she shared savings tips to help others save too

Despite experiencing mental health challenges and social anxiety, she found strength in vulnerability and persevered to become a public figure in her community. Her tenacity and resourcefulness show that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.

THE HUSTLE STARTS EARLY

Born in a refugee camp in Thailand after her family fled the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Mai’s parents and older siblings swam across the Mekong River in the middle of the night to escape to Thailand, where they lived in a refugee camp for seven years. Mai was born in 1984 and when she was 3 years old, Mai and her family were accepted into the United States. Mai became the first in her family to receive a full public school education.

Mai learned to hustle at an early age. Her dad was a machine operator and made $6 an hour while her mother found odd jobs and became a seamstress while taking care of her and her other 8 siblings. Mai had to learn how to use a sewing machine at an early age so that she could help her mom. While she was sewing letters on college sweatshirts and hoodies alongside her mom, other kids her age were playing outside. “Now that I look back, I am so grateful for the life-long skills that my mom taught me. My entrepreneurial spirit comes from her,” Mai said.

TURNING ADVERSITY INTO MOTIVATION

When her parents were able to buy their first personal computer that she had to share with her siblings, she took the opportunity to learn how to code in HTML. And at the age of 12, she secured an internship at Ohio.com.

But despite how hard she worked, she still struggled financially in college. There was a time when she had no more than $5 in her pocket and faced the dilemma of using it to either buy gas or get a slice of pizza. You could say that she starved most days.

During her childhood, church people would knock on their door on weekends and bring giant, clear trash bags filled with donuts. Donuts that no one else wanted. It was one of her best memories as a child because she never got to eat sweets. Only to find out that all those years, she has been eating expired donuts. “I came home one night crying my eyeballs out and telling myself that one day I would never ever be poor again or allow my future children to experience what I did.”

FROM FRUGAL LIVING TO INFLUENCER SUCCESS 

After graduating from the College for Creative Studies with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2007, she already had a full-time job as a Web Designer lined up for her at an advertising agency. She used the money from her job to publish her own cultural Hmong magazine, with 10,000 in circulation at its peak, and eventually, she went to work for a startup company as a Frontend Developer. She took on side jobs, building websites, designing logos, and doing photography.

When she was pregnant with her first daughter in 2011, she still had over $50,000 in student loan debt, and was paying the bare minimum. She wasn’t taught or prepared to manage her own finances and her parents worked so hard to provide for a family of 11 that even they were stretched thin.

She made a promise to herself to pay off all her loans before her daughter started her own educational path. So she started to live as frugally as possible. She sold anything she had that was worth anything, learned how to extreme coupon. She documented her journey, shared deals and saving tips on a blog and on social media. She amassed a 170,000+ following on Facebook and 50,000 on Instagram.

Before the term Influencer even became popular, she was already working with brands like Nestle, Pampers, Kellogg’s, Walmart, and Sam’s Club. She was able to make multiple six-figures in passive income from Amazon, Google Adsense, and other sources. Eventually, she was able to pay off the full amount of her student loan, and even took her kids to Disney World twice.

Just last year, Mai received two scholarships and a fellowship to attend Harvard University and Michigan State University to further enhance her public speaking and leadership skills. This year, she became an honorary Ambassador and was chosen to travel to Japan to learn about the culture, economy and its people.

FINDING STRENGTH IN VULNERABILITY

Despite her digital and online success, she was diagnosed with PTSD due to a harrowing situation that caused her to have social anxiety and mental health problems, including self-doubt. “Meeting my husband saved me. While others pointed their fingers and laughed at me, he was my protector and my biggest supporter.”

While Mai was in college, she entered a Hmong pageant and became the Miss Lao-Hmong Wisconsin in 2004 without any experience or formal training. The pageant became a platform for Mai to advocate for her community while bringing awareness to the Hmong genocide in Laos. She joined two more pageants after that but shortly after the last pageant and in the summer of 2008, Mai became the victim of a cyber stalker.

Her perpetrator used social media to harass, terrorize and sabotage her life. He had spent weeks gathering images of her, from creating a fake social media account to friending her, lifting and gathering photos of her, and making video collages with explicit messages to taunt her. 

Mai couldn’t trust anyone around her because she had no idea who it was. She just knew it had to be someone who had been watching her for a long time. She reached out to the police but they were unable to identify the cyberstalker.

One night, she decided to use her technical background in Web Design to track her cyber stalker, and the perpetrator was eventually found and arraigned. However, Mai faced backlash from her community when they found out her cyber stalker was a Hmong man. Relatives that supported her initially turned against her, and the woman she had interviewed for her magazine’s front cover dropped out. Mai’s parents were pressured by the Hmong elders to drop the case. Traditionally, Hmong girls are taught to be quiet, timid, and domesticated at an early age.

But Mai was their daughter, so they supported her. Mai had to face her stalker in court and be judged, after a year of waiting for her case to be brought to a trial because the cyberstalker did not budge or take a plea.

The case lasted one week, and the jury found the stalker guilty.

THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

After a decade of healing and overcoming her anxiety and fear of being around people, she was voted by the people to be a public figure in her community. Mai now oversees a more than a billion dollar annual budget, attends conferences, public events and is proud to share her experiences with others.

Overcoming PTSD and her mental health challenges made Mai a more resilient person. After the cyberstalking, becoming an outcast in her community, and facing a grueling trial, she looked back on her life and what she went through and realized that she came out as a stronger person. There was nothing anyone could say or do that would hurt her. She had been at the lowest of the low and now, there was nowhere else to go, but up.

During the trial, Mai met her now husband, Adam. Although he knew what happened to Mai, his kindness and support for her never wavered. While everyone was quick to judge her and cast her away, he protected her.

Mai’s parents didn’t live long enough to see her success, and her husband lost his parents when he was younger, so raising their family has been challenging.

But despite all the hardships she has been through, Mai has overcome adversity and continues to thrive in her personal and professional life through hard work and determination.

“When my darkest clouds lifted, I saw just how beautiful the sunlight really was. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.” -Mai

TIPS ON PASSIVE INCOME

1. Define your niche. Usually, it’s what you love to do or what you’re very interested in. For me, it was personal finance.
2. Be consistent. Just like a full-time job, show up on time and schedule your tasks and get them done, consistently  
3. Show up as your true self and you’ll build the right audience –people who are eager to know you and be in your circle
4. Pitch to brands that you’re passionate about. I would look at things I already have in my house and look up the brand’s story, the founders, and identify what I can bring to the table to make them even better
5. Automate or outsource anything that you don’t like to do so that you can focus on the things that spark your passion

ADVICE FROM ONE HUSTLER TO ANOTHER

Don’t ever let people tell you that you can’t do it. Don’t let people define your future. Listen to your intuition, that inside voice that is telling you what feels right. When you get rejected by clients or hiring managers, ask them what you can do to be better next time and the kind of person they’re looking for. 

Forge a different path: when people are “Zig-ing” –you “Zag.”  

CONNECT WITH MAI

Facebook: Mai Hlee

Instagram: @maihleex

Website: maihleex.com

The world of home decor is a place where creativity and self-expression know no bounds. It’s a space where artists and makers come together to craft unique and meaningful designs that add a personal touch to people’s homes.

In the heart of San Diego, California is France Malvar. Her story is one of hope, passion, and self-discovery. After 14 years as an early childhood educator, France took a leap of faith and pivoted her career to become a natural dye artist and create Lu France Interiors, a home decor brand for intentional design. For the past two years, she’s been pouring her heart and soul into her work, crafting pieces that are as beautiful as they are sustainable.

France carefully chooses the businesses and artisans that her brand partners with. Her previous collections were made in collaboration with small businesses all over the world, mostly in the Philippines, to support the local weavers and artisans in her homeland.

I HOLD FOND MEMORIES GROWING UP IN THE PHILIPPINES

I’m pretty blessed to have had a childhood full of memorable experiences and surrounded by people who have in one way or another shaped me.

I grew up in my Papa’s ancestral house in the Philippines before my parents eventually built their own, which became our home, and I have nothing but good memories of both. Summers and Christmas breaks were spent with my cousins and we would spend weeks at our Lola’s house, or at our Tita and Tito’s home, or somewhere exploring a new place together.

As my parents got settled in their respective careers, we progressed to traveling more or going out — driving up to Tagaytay, spending Sundays at the park, exploring all sorts of shops and markets, or eating out. They also gave us the opportunity to explore different sorts of activities and I took a special interest in ballet, starting classes at the age of 3 and then continuing through the start of high school before moving to other forms of dance through college. A lot of my memories involve recitals and shows and having my family there to support me. 

I don’t know what defines a typical childhood. But I do know that I hold fond memories growing up in the Philippines. Even to this day, there are moments that I get so nostalgic for every time, and I am grateful for all of them.

TRANSITIONS CAN BE SCARY, PIVOTS AT LEAST TO ME ARE TERRIFYING

Much of my young adulthood has always been about pivots.

Growing up, a career in medicine is what I’ve always been exposed to. A lot of times I’d tag along with my sisters to our Papa’s clinic or I’d wait for Mama in hospital break rooms and offices. Whether those instances were by design or simply out of necessity, I always thought I’d just follow along and take a science course to eventually pursue a career in medicine in one form or another.

So I studied Sports Science in college. During an Adapted Physical Education class, I realized that I liked teaching children. It gave me so much joy seeing how even the smallest actions you make and the lessons you share, impact their days and eventually their lives. After graduation, I applied for teaching jobs with a focus on music and movement, and fitness for young children. I figured I could take my Sports Science degree, my love for dance and movement, and use it to pivot to a career teaching children.

My first job offer out of college was from a school in Singapore, but I chose to stay in the Philippines and worked for a year there before moving to the US. I eventually took a certificate in early childhood education and spent 14 years in that industry working both in the US and the Philippines. It was a career I loved (and honestly actually miss). While I continued to teach, I also kept dabbling in the different art forms I’ve taken a liking to. I took design workshops to relieve my stress – styling, floral arrangement, natural dyes, etc.

When the pandemic happened and schools shut down, I enrolled in Interior Design online and started honing my love for all things design, leaving a career I’ve known for 14 years and taking my love for natural dyes and design a step further by launching my business.

Transitions can be scary, pivots at least to me are terrifying. I’m the type of person who is constantly planning. I need to know where I will be, and what I will do at certain points in my life. When changes happen and I need to adjust, that throws me off and my anxiety kicks in. But I think for the most part it is exactly because I am a planner and because I willingly chose these pivots from Sports Science to early childhood to now, a natural dye artist and small business owner, there was more excitement than anxiety as I took every transition. 

LU FRANCE INTERIORS IS AN EXTENSION OF MYSELF

Much of who I am as a designer and artist are rooted deeply in my being Filipino and more specifically, my experiences and memories I have growing up in the Philippines. That’s true for the things that catch my eye whether it be handcrafted wood pieces, ceramics, or the spaces I gravitate to, I crave rooms and spaces that are “maaliwalas,” full of warmth with a lived-in look, calming, and organic.

The stories that shape my collections are all stories from home. The candle scents I have in collaboration with Terra, a Filipino-American brand, are inspired by my life growing up in the Philippines. Every single scent has a story, a distinct memory attached to it.

The stories that guide and serve as the foundation for my naturally dyed pieces are all inspired by memories from the Philippines too. Sometimes a moment from years ago inspires me or a Filipino word that resonates with me moves me to make a tangible piece of art. Or sometimes an event back in the Philippines moves me to create a whole collection of naturally dyed textiles. I previously dropped a whole collection inspired by the campaign of former Vice President Leni Robredo! What I can’t articulate, I translate in the form of my naturally dyed textiles, always hoping to share a piece of my being Filipino with others. 

My values also play an important role in the people I choose to work with. I have a collaboration collection with Anthill, a social enterprise based in Cebu, Philippines. My thrust for love of community, sustainability, amplifying the work of Filipino artisans, and sharing their stories are some of the values I found in Anthill too. 

And while I proudly work with non-Filipino makers too and curate pieces from artisans and businesses around the globe, the same design influences from my life in the Philippines and the same values guide me in choosing what to pick and who to work with no matter where they come from. I say this often, Lu France Interiors is an extension of myself. It’s me in brand form and while I do not constantly scream about my being Filipino, I think if you browse through my website or follow me on social media, you’ll see why I don’t have to — it’s just naturally, constantly, permanently, and beautifully a part of my identity. 

ALLOWING MYSELF TO ASK FOR HELP FROM OTHERS HELPED ME TO RIDE THE HICCUPS THAT USED TO KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT

As with any other small business, I think the financial uncertainty that comes with building and running a brand is the most challenging part of building a business. The design process comes easily to me (at least thankfully, for the most part, it does!).

My years of teaching children and dealing with difficult parents have also helped me in dealing with customers and suppliers. But navigating slow seasons, courier mishaps, and other unexpected issues that affect cash flow were challenges that really kept me up for nights at some point since I launched my brand. But I’m really lucky to have the constant support of family who all go above and beyond in helping me pursue and monetize this passion, the support of friends, and the support of a very loyal audience who all continue to spread the word about my brand. 

I also found comfort and strength in knowing that I am not the only small business owner who has had to deal with the hardships post-pandemic and I’ve learned much from my fellow makers, artists, and owners. I pivoted to pushing for more wholesale opportunities for my natural dye work so that they are stocked in more retail stores, I joined more pop-up markets to introduce my brand to audiences that social media doesn’t reach, and I adjusted in terms of collection batches and when and how I launch and restock pieces.

The brand is a continuous work in progress for sure as much as I am too as a person and I think changing my perspective on how I view these challenges and using them as learning curves and allowing myself to ask for help from others helped me to ride the hiccups that used to keep me up at night. It’s okay to ask for help and to admit when you need it! 

THE PHILIPPINES IS AND WILL ALWAYS BE MY HOME

That’s not to say that America isn’t because it is too and I’m super grateful for that. But I think wherever I go and whatever I do, the foundation on which my identity is anchored is firmly rooted in calling the Philippines my home. I feel like it has always been my comfort zone, most of my friends are there and I feel like I navigate everyday life more confidently over there.

I’m an introvert and I think that has been magnified so much more here in the US. But you know how situations force you to adjust and adapt? I think I’ve become much braver living here, I push myself to do things I wouldn’t have tried back in the Philippines. I know it sounds cliche but America has really opened doors for me in terms of providing an environment for me to explore and create opportunities for myself and for others. Moving here has been a journey of self-discovery and it still is. This adoptive country of mine has taught me that I am more than one thing and that it isn’t too late to try something else.

If you told me while living in the Philippines that I’d one day call myself a natural dye artist, own a home decor brand, have pop-ups at stores like Madewell, join markets and art exhibits at galleries, and connect with strangers turned customers turned friends through social media, I would have laughed and said you are crazy. Yet here I am surprising myself every single day, bravely going out of my comfort zone, opening myself up to people, and rediscovering a deep sense of love and immense gratitude for 2 countries that I proudly call home. 

CHANGING CAREERS SHOULDN’T BE TAKEN LIGHTLY

I’ll probably raise a few eyebrows in saying this but I don’t believe in the “Do what you love, love what you do” statement or advice. I think that doing a pivot and considering a major career change entails not only sacrifice but careful planning and much… so much patience.

Every situation is different, we all come from different paths and I recognize that it is a privilege to be able to pivot to a new career and explore a whole new industry without worrying about what to eat the next day or where to sleep. So I think before you make that leap you should thoroughly, carefully, consider your situation, your needs, and your goals. 

If you need to stick to doing something that you don’t love at the moment so that it gives you a little more cushion for the pivot you are planning then hang in there for a little bit longer and use your dream as your motivation. Changing careers, especially leaving a stable job with a stable, monthly income shouldn’t be taken lightly. But when you do, if you are able to, give it your all. Do it wholeheartedly, give it 110% of your time and effort, and stick to it. Stick to it long enough for as long as it makes you happy, for as long as the joy you get from it outweighs the sacrifices you make to make it work. And do not ever forget your WHY. Let your WHY guide you always.

CONNECT WITH FRANCE

Instagram: @lufranceinteriors

Website lufranceinteriors.com

Facebook @lufranceinteriors