Recognizing Young Innovators in Entertainment and Sports
Loh Kean Yew may not have secured the medal he hoped for at the recent SEA Games in Hanoi, but his achievements have earned him a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. At just 24 years old, Loh is the only athlete from Singapore recognized in the Entertainment & Sports category this year, celebrated for being “the first Singaporean to be crowned badminton world champion.”
Joining Loh on the prestigious list is rapper Yung Raja, who gained prominence after appearing on The Tonight Show last year. Born Rajid Ahamed, Yung Raja captured attention when he signed with the U.S. label Alamo Records.
This year’s list features 300 young “entrepreneurs, leaders, and trailblazers” from the Asia-Pacific region, with 30 honorees across ten categories, including The Arts, Entertainment & Sports, Finance & Venture Capital, Media, Marketing & Advertising, Retail & Ecommerce, Industry, Manufacturing & Energy, Healthcare & Science, and Social Impact.
“Entrepreneurs and innovators on this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list are working towards reconnecting Asia after the disruption and isolation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Rana Wehbe Watson, editor of Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia.
Loh is the reigning singles world champion, having clinched the title at the 2021 BWF World Championships held in Huelva, Spain, last December. His remarkable journey included a victory over world No. 1 and Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen, whose training camp Loh attended just months prior. Originally from Malaysia, Loh became a Singapore citizen and proudly served as the country’s flag bearer at the Tokyo Olympics’ opening ceremony. He is currently ranked No. 10 in the BWF world rankings, according to his Forbes profile.
Forbes highlighted that rapper Yung Raja has expressed gratitude for the opportunity to support his parents while contributing to Singapore’s burgeoning rap scene. As a first-generation Singaporean son of Indian parents, he resonates with the Tamil diaspora through his rapid-fire lyrics and cultural references.
Notable figures in the Entertainment & Sports category include Eileen Gu, the Chinese Olympic gold medalist, and Jin Young Ko, the world’s number one female golfer. Topping the list is Hoyeon, renowned for her breakthrough role in Netflix’s Squid Game. The South Korean actress won the Best Actress award in a drama series at this year’s Screen Actors Guild Awards and is set to lead in Alfonso Cuarón’s upcoming project, Disclaimer. Hoyeon, who has nearly 24 million Instagram followers, became a brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton last year.
The complete Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for Entertainment & Sports can be found in the link below.
