Yoong ’22

When we first met Yoong, he was already a member of Hong Kong’s Youth Arts Foundation and was regularly cast in their theater productions. He was the lead singer in a school Pop Rock band, actor in the annual 48-hour Film Festival, and dancer in the school’s K-pop dance group.

Yoong had previously attended Michigan’s world-renowned Interlocken Center for the Arts, where he was surprised to discover he was the only Asian student in their Summer Theater Program. Nonetheless, he joined the program with confidence, deciding to be “just like the other kids.” That earned him a small 16-second solo. We encouraged Yoong to return to Interlocken the following summer and be himself. During a dance rehearsal, he showcased his K-pop talents, and the directors cast him as one of the leads in Sweeney Todd.

Yoong was unable to return to the USA in 2021 due to COVID travel restrictions and missed the opportunity to visit colleges. We introduced him to online research tools to investigate programs that matched his interests. We coached him for his Zoom auditions, reminding him to continue being himself as he performed from his bedroom. We also encouraged Yoong to remain engaged at school and were delighted when he sent a video of a dance he choreographed for a holiday recital. We advised him to send it to the universities to which he was applying.

In the end, Yoong was accepted to NYU, USC, and UCLA, the three most prestigious theater programs in the country. He always dreamed of living in New York City, the theater capital of the world, and will be enrolling at NYU this fall.