Netflix’s Bling Empire has been a fan favorite since its premiere in January 2021. The series chronicles the lives of obscenely wealthy Asians and Asian Americans living in one of the most opulent cities in the world, Los Angeles. At its best, the show offers a refreshing exploration of Asian American culture, albeit with heavy servings of ostentatious displays of wealth and petty squabbles.
Owing to the show’s popularity, Netflix recently made good on its plans to develop a spinoff centered in the Big Apple. The new series, Bling Empire: New York, made its streaming debut on January 20, and is well on its way to becoming just as popular as its predecessor. The spinoff series stars Bling Empire’s Dorothy Wang alongside some of the Big Apple’s wealthiest Asian Americans, including Hudson Medical’s Richard Chang and renowned fashion influencer Tina Leung.
From their ostentatious lifestyles, its quite evident that Bling Empire: New York’s cast members were already living larger than life before they attained reality TV fame. So, what was the cast really doing before they became part of Netflix’s Bling Empire? Read on to find out.
8 Dorothy Wang Was Already A Reality TV Star
Dorothy Wang, who joined Bling Empire’s Los Angeles iteration in season two, is part of Bling Empire: New York’s main cast. While her time on Bling Empire has certainly garnered her tremendous popularity, this is not her first stint on reality TV.
Between 2014 and 2016, Wang starred on Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, yet another reality TV show centered on ostentatious displays of wealth, which aired on the E! Network for four seasons. Apart from reality TV, Wang has also launched multiple entrepreneurial ventures, including a travel blog, a jewelry business, and a sparkling wine line.
7 Blake Abbie Is A Well Known Fashion Editor
Like his cast mates, Bling Empire: New York’s Blake Abbie had already achieved massive success before landing a spot on the show. Following a brief stint as a photography assistant, Abbie switched paths to journalism, ultimately becoming editor-at-large of the indie fashion magazine, A Magazine Curate By.
From his bold, vibrant outfits, its quite apparent that Abbie also dabbles in fashion. The 32-year-old is a regular at high fashion events, and was recently spotted at New York Fashion Week walking the runway for Peter Do’s Spring 2023 collection. Abbie has also tried his hand at acting, having earned a supporting role in the Chinese series, The Meteor Garden, which made its global streaming debut on Netflix in August 2018.
6 Lynn Ban Has made A Fortune As A Jeweler
Bling Empire: New York’s Lynn Ban has made a fortune as New York’s most exclusive jeweler. Ban’s jewelry brand, which launched its first collection over a decade ago, is renowned for being on the cutting edge of jewelry design.
As credit to her brand, Ban’s designs have been prominently featured in pop culture, and even caught the eyes of Hollywood A-listers like Rihanna, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Kate Moss, and Lorde. Bling Empire: New York’s upcoming episodes will showcase the re-launch of Ban’s brand, which recently shifted its focus to customized commissions.
5 Tina Leung Is A High Profile Fashion Stylist
High fashion stylist Tina Leung is also part of Bling Empire: New York’s main cast, acting as Dorothy Wang's gateway into New York’s high society.
Known for her bold, yet elegant fashion style, Leung has been a world-renowned fashion powerhouse for many years, having worked with big brands like Valentino, Chanel, and Prada, and earned the rare privilege of being a front-row guest in some of the most exclusive fashion shows of the last decade. Leung hopes to leverage her newfound reality TV fame to showcase Asian American and Pacific Islander designers like Haoran Li, Siying Qu, and Private Policy.
4 Richard Chang Works At Hudson Medical
Despite being a reality TV newbie, Richard Chang is already making waves on Bling Empire: New York, having been involved in several petty squabbles with cast mates like Dorothy Wang and Tina Leung. Despite his peculiar antics on the show, Chang had also established a rather impressive career before landing a spot on Bling Empire: New York.
The finance and marketing graduate has held several senior executive positions in his lifetime, including senior vice president at The Sleep Spa, director at Hästens Beds, and director of merchandise and planning at Calvin Klein. Chang is currently juggling his reality TV career with the hefty demands of being Hudson Medical’s Chief Growth Officer.
3 Vika Abbyaeva Is A Professional Model
Richard Chang’s girlfriend, Vika Abbyaeva, is one of the more enigmatic members of the Bling Empire: New York cast.
Originally from Russia, the 27-year-old reportedly works as a high fashion model, and frequently posts snapshots of herself donning designer items from luxury brands like Dion Lee and Rat and Boa. Like her partner, Abbyaeva is a jet-setter, often posting about her escapades in some of the most luxurious destinations in the world on her Instagram.
2 Stephen Hung Is A Millionaire Businessman
Stephen Hung is arguably one of the more ostentatious members of the Bling Empire: New York cast, known for his unbridled attachment to fast cars and flamboyant fashion sense. The 64-year-old has made a fortune at the helm of SH Capital Group, a private investment firm dealing in luxury industries like real estate and hospitality.
Hung also holds key positions in several investment companies, including The 13 Holdings Limited, The Taipan Investment Group, and Rio Entertainment. It is, therefore, no surprise that Hung is the wealthiest member of the Bling Empire: New York cast, with a net worth estimated at a staggering $400 million.
1 Deborah Valdez-Hung Owns A Modeling Agency
Married to millionaire businessman Stephen Hung, Deborah Valdez-Hung has been living at the height of opulence for most of her life. Originally from Mexico, the 39-year-old met Stephen Hung while on a brief vacation to Hong Kong shortly after completing her law degree in Mexico.
The former model was immediately captivated by Hung’s charm and charisma, and the two tied the knot at the Hong Kong Ritz-Carlton’s exquisite Diamond Ballroom in 2012. Following the marriage, Deborah launched Dreamodels, an Asian-European modeling agency.
