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Steve Kim is a successful entrepreneur with an interesting side career. He happens to also be a dancer, model and entertainer who spent 6 years as a member of one of the most prominent male dance revues in the world, the Chippendales.
He has a very interesting story as he went from the tech industry to an exotic dancer and entertainer.
Steve also manages to run a very successful web design and development company, Media One Pro, while still dancing on a freelance basis.
We caught up with Steve to learn more about his life and experiences.
Please note that HalfKorean.com comments/questions are in BOLD.
Background: The Basics on Steve Kim
Let’s start by getting some background on you. Where and when were you born, raised and currently reside?
I was born on August 5th and raised in Portland, Oregon. I graduated high school in 1991 and went to college at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. My classmates happened to be professional basketball player Steve Nash and singer Enrique Iglesias while I attended Santa Clara. From 1994 to 1996, I went to school in Japan as an exchange student. I worked in California until 1998 and then moved back to Oregon in 1999. I lived in Bellevue, Washington for about a year and then back to Oregon in 2000. I then went to Denver, Colorado for a couple years. In 2003, I moved to Las Vegas and have been here ever since.
How did your parents meet?
My mom moved from Seoul, Korea to Denver, Colorado. She was poor and was working as a beautician in Korea. Her family was very poor and grew up on a farm. She wanted a better life so she came to America and got a job as a waitress at a bar. That is where she met my dad. She also saved up enough money to bring her family over including my uncle, my aunt and my grandparents.
You go by “Steve Kim” so I’m assuming that “Kim” is your mother’s maiden name?
Yeah, my dad wasn’t really in the picture. My mom divorced my dad when I was about one. She raised me so I’m pretty much raised Korean. My dad is Italian so I was born Steven Kim Pumpelly. I later became Steven Michael Kim.
Do you have any siblings?
I do have a half brother and half sister on my dad’s side but we’ve kind of drifted apart. My mom had remarried later in life so my stepdad is the only real father figure I’ve had. He’s a great guy. Because of him, I have a step brother and step sister.
Are you fluent in Korean?
I know a lot of cuss words. My mom would cuss at me when she was mad. I know how to say “I’m hungry” or kimchi. Stuff like that. Since I grew up in Oregon and places that were predominantly white and there weren’t very many Asians, she didn’t want me to feel left out so she wanted me to speak English to fit in. I wish now that she would have taught me Korean when I was younger and I think she now wishes she did too. I do speak Japanese though. I was fluent in 1994 and right now I’m proficient. I can get away with a little conversation but it’s hard because it has been a long time. By the way, I wanted to go to Korea (as an exchange student) but there was no program at that time. Since they didn’t offer anything in Korea, I decided on Japan. I did go visit Korea that same year and visited family.
So you mentioned that you had been to Korea in 1994. Have you been back since?
I’ve only been once (in 1994). I want to go back. I’m going to try to go later this year.
What is your favorite Korean food?
Kimchi jigae, Dol Sot Bibimbap, Kalbi, Kimchi.
Did you grow up around other half/mixed Koreans or people of mixed heritage?
No. The problem when I was growing up was that I was half Korean and I didn’t really have a race to identify with. I would go to school where it was mostly White with some Black and Latin, but not much Asian. I looked more Asian when I was a kid and I would get picked on. They used to call me “kung fu boy”, “kimchi boy”, “yellow boy” and whatever names you can think of. When I went to Korean church, because I am half Korean, I didn’t really fit in with the full Koreans. The full Koreans would be speaking Korean and I’m half Korean and don’t speak Korean and I just didn’t really feel as if I fit anywhere. So, at times, it was kind of hard growing up being half Korean.
Did you have any identity issues while growing up?
Yeah. I kind of felt like a loner for a long time. It wasn’t until junior high when my mom forced me to play sports. She was sick of me for staying at home reading comic books and being out of shape. I was a chubby kid up until junior high and didn’t really do anything. So, when she forced me to play sports I ended up loving it. I became more outgoing, made friends and got fit. I was varsity in track, football and basketball. I was offered a track scholarship at the University of Puget Sound but I chose to play football at Santa Clara University.
What do people usually think you are (ethnicity) when they see/meet you?
They usually think Asian or Latin sometimes. I don’t really look like most half Koreans because I think my Italian side is a little more predominant. A lot of times they can never guess. I get compared to Keanu Reeves a lot and also Mario Lopez. When I was in Japan in 1994, the movie Speed came out and Keanu Reeves had short hair. I had short hair at that time too. During the time I was there and the movie came out at least 80% of Japan would think I was Keanu Reeves. They would yell at me “Keanu Reeves!” and it would get irritating because I couldn’t go anywhere without getting that. It was crazy.
Career: From Tech Industry to Chippendale Dancer
How did you initially get involved as an exotic dancer/entertainer/stage performer? You went from an engineer in the tech industry to an exotic dancer. How was that transition?
In 2001, I was working as a software engineer for Step Technologies and developing website applications. It was great money. I was making 6 figures and working easy hours. It was a nice job. Then the dot com bust happened and there was a lot of speculation and a lot of investors pulled out and then suddenly all of our clients left. We didn’t have any clients and they couldn’t afford to pay me so a lot of people like me out were out there with no jobs. What was I going to do? I couldn’t find a job. It was either stay in Denver or go back to Oregon.
While in Denver, one of my best friends, Omar, was an exotic dancer. He was going to school and dancing on the side to make money. He told me, “Hey man, you are good looking. Why don’t you try out dancing?” I had just started modeling on the side for fun. I had never exotic danced before. So I tried it out and started doing bachelorette parties, birthday parties and a few male revues like Hardbodies and Bare Assets. That is when one my friends, Joey Wilcox, who was a Chippendales dancer from the USA tour, saw me and told me I had the look and that I should come dance for them. I then got a job at Chippendales in Denver through him. I then traveled the United States for about a little less than a year in 2002 with the USA Chippendales tour. At the end of 2002 the owners of Chippendales, based in New York, saw my picture and told me that they wanted to shoot me for a calendar. So they flew me to Las Vegas and I met the owners of the show here. I thought it was a great production here and very serious. The best of the best male dancers in the world work in Vegas. It is the premier Chippendales troupe. I chose Vegas and started dancing out here.
What did your mom think of your change in career choice?
My mom wasn’t too happy. She thought it was temporary and that I’d eventually get a computer job again. It turned out that I met my ex-girlfriend in 2003, who was a model in Vegas, and we were together for 3 years. Now my mom’s happy I have my business going and that I’m dancing less. I left Chippendales in 2008 after some political drama. In the dancing industry, it is not about being the best performer in the show but often who you’re friends with or who’s butt you kiss. A lot of the times while I was there, I was one of the most popular guys in the show. It wasn’t from trying hard… I’m just a natural on stage and have a personality that shines when I’m up there. I got along with most of the dancers in the show, but a couple of them would hate on my popularity. It was those prima donnas who thought they deserved all of the attention. These guys were envious of me and wanted me out of the show. One of the managers was prejudice and called me racist names behind my back. I found this out later after I left. I’ve been stabbed in the back by a couple people there and have thought about getting back at them, but I realize that karma is a bitch and that the best revenge is to move on and be successful in life. I don’t believe in wasting my time and energy on people who aren’t worth it. And it’s like a license plate I once read that said “If you don’t have any haters, then you aren’t doing anything worthwhile.” True! So when I left the show in 2008, I left on top of my game. I did my best to put on a great show each and every night and I have nothing left to prove.
It seems that you joined the Chippendales fairly quickly after becoming a dancer. Was it a goal of yours to become a Chippendale in Vegas?
Not at all. It was by accident. I didn’t plan to be a Chippendale dancer for the US tour for more than a few months. I just wanted to try it out and say that I did it one day. Something to tell your friends and for my kids to brag about how cool their dad was. You know?
But, when I came to Vegas to shoot the calendar, I saw how nice it was here and that it was a multi-million dollar production, a true Broadway-style show. I wanted to be a part of the best troupe in the world, which is the Vegas Chippendales. I also met my ex at that same time so that is also why I moved out here. I did plan to do it for about a year or so but as I was doing it I found out that I loved it and that I was good at it. I’ve been good at quite a few things in my life, especially Internet technology and Business Development. But then I found out that I could use my body to get paid, via dancing and modeling. I like going on stage and performing. It was the biggest thrill to have girls screaming. It is hard to not like that.
So would becoming a Chippendale in Las Vegas be considered the peak for a male dancer?
Everyone knows and recognizes the Chippendales and especially in Vegas. So, that is the top of the line for male revues. But, I would say that the best performers were not in Chippendales. Some of the best performers that I’ve seen were in La Bare in Miami or the Hollywood Men based in Los Angeles. Hollywood Men is a male revue show but not like Chippendales with the big theater and lots of guys on stage. It is more of a solo performance. Sometimes you would have 2 or 3 guys on stage but most of the time it is one guy entertaining a group of girls. I think that those guys are better at entertaining, by far. Chippendales is marketed really well and have more marketing money. The guys, individually, are not as strong as Hollywood Men, in my opinion. I could see Hollywood Men guys doing what Chippendales guys do but I cannot see Chippendales guys doing what Hollywood Men do. I’ve done a tour with those guys (Hollywood Men) and I’ve danced in LA too. That was fun. I did that for a while after I left Chippendales.
During your time as a Chippendale, were you the only Asian dancer?
Yeah, I was the only one there. There was a guy before me, Shane Akira. I came to the show after he got hurt and left. I took the “Asian” spot. I was the “Asian Sensation” for all those years until 2008. Right now they do not have an Asian guy in the show.
I don’t think there has been any other guy who has done what I have done. I have danced for La Bare, Chippendales, Hollywood Men, and Men of X. Those are the top male revues out there. I haven’t met anyone who’s starred in more male revues so far.
There really aren’t many male Asian models. Did you find that uniqueness set you apart and helped you out or did it make things more challenging for you?
It’s actually been a blessing… in the modeling world these days, they’re looking for more mixed/ethnic looking guys. I don’t see many attractive 6’2” half Asian/half Italian guys like me so I’m unique in that aspect.
What kind of reaction would you get from the general crowd of women to a non-White dancer?
The girls loved me. They were very supportive. The Korean girls are super supportive. They would come to the shows and give me gifts, bring signs and yell like crazy. I was appreciated by all races. Whites, Blacks, Mexicans, you name it. But the Asian girls were especially cool. There are all kinds of races and ages that come out to the shows. There is never a set demographic. You have 20-year-olds and then you have 60-year-olds. Mostly it is younger girls of course. Sometimes you will see a daughter, a mom and a grandma. All 3 generations at once. That was pretty cool.
It is funny that you bring up the Korean & Asian girls. Could you tell us about your fan club in Koreatown LA?
Well, it has been a little while since I’ve heard from these girls. They used to come to my Chippendales shows all the time and support me. For some reason these girls in Koreatown were talking about me and whenever someone would mention my name in Koreatown and they would say, “Oh yeah, Steve Kim” and this and that. Still to this day I’ve wanted to go to Koreatown and hang out. I plan to do that soon. I’ve never had the chance to actually hang out in Koreatown and really experience it yet and would love to.
I know that KoreAm did an article on you a few years back. Had there been any other press coverage from Korean or Asian media during the time that you were still a Chippendale?
I had a feature done on a magazine. I forget the name of it. It was from China and it showcased all the big acts in Las Vegas and they did a feature on me and my involvement in Chippendales. Most of the PR from Asia would come to the show and would want to interview the Asian guy so I did lots of interviews for various magazines and television shows.
How crazy do some women get at the shows you have performed at?
It depends where you are at. I have been at shows in Europe where the girls are crazy and rush the stage. But, I’ve also had shows where the girls sat on their hands and were relatively quiet. In El Paso, we did shows there and a lot of Mexican girls would cross the border and come to the shows. These girls were so wild. They would try to get on stage and tear your clothes off. Literally I would need to run from the stage to the dressing room and in the middle of that the girls would try to rip my clothes off, kiss me and grab my junk.
But, most of the time, I would dance at big shows and people would buy tickets just to be there to watch the show. In Vegas, girls conduct themselves a little better. They are there to have fun but they also paid $75 for a ticket and aren’t going to be as crazy.
Have you had any experiences, good or bad, with your fans?
I’ve had a few stalkers in my life, unfortunately. There have been people who pretend to be other people to try to get a hold of me and get with me. I had a guy in LA pretend to be a girl. He even had a girl call me up and talk with me on the phone. It was just so fake and he was trying to get close to me and it was very scary. I’ve had a girl break into my house and steal my clothing and stuff. On the web, there are a lot of fans who get too obsessive in trying to send me stuff and get a hold of me. Those kind of fans I have to be careful with. I try to keep my family and private life to myself. None of that should be out there. Some people are just a little too crazy.
But, there are also good fans too. I have some really cool fans that are awesome so it kind of balances out.
You overcame some severe illnesses in the late 1990s. Have you been able to fully overcome them?
In 1999 and 2000 I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and spinal stenosis. Ulcerative colitis is also called inflammatory bowel disease. It is like irritable bowel syndrome but to the 100th power. It made me miserable for about 2 years. I was in so much pain. My stomach hurt and I had to go to the bathroom all the time. It was the worst condition I ever had in my life.
At the same time I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis due to my spinal canal being too narrow in my lower back. They wanted me to have surgery and cut my disks out and fuse bones together.
When I heard this and how it was going to stop me from having an active lifestyle, I was freaked out. I wouldn’t accept it and there was no way I was going to take that diagnosis. So, one day I was listening to the radio and it was Howard Stern. He had mentioned this book and I went out and got this book. It was the best book I have read in my life. It is called The Mind-Body Connection by Dr. John Sarno. Basically, this book talks about how your mind is very powerful and that it can influence your body and create conditions that don’t exist. I read this book and began believing how powerful my mind was and how it could take over and do these things. By 2002, a couple years later, I was cured! I don’t suffer from any of those two conditions anymore.
What’s great is that I learned how powerful the mind really is. It’s because of this that I have super stamina and am in such great shape after all these years. I haven’t had a cold or been sick since 2004 and I owe that to my inner strength.
To have danced for the past eight years when I was supposed to have all of these severe surgeries that would’ve limited me athletically, it’s like I’m a true miracle and I want to share this valuable discovery with the rest of the world.
Did you have a background in dancing?
Well, actually, I didn’t really have a dance background. I did a little break dancing for fun as a kid. I also did martial arts. Those two and also sports made me pretty agile. The first time I was taught some choreography at the 2002 Chippendales USA tour, I found out that I learn choreography super fast. I’m one of those guys that just “gets it.” You don’t have to tell me twice. You tell me one move and I’m like “next.” Choreography is not a problem for me. It is one of the best gifts that I have. Since I can pick up things so fast, I was able to dance better and better. I’ve always been analytical and a fast learner. I analyzed the dance moves and figured out how to pull off the different moves. I was fortunate to be taught by many professional choreographers during the last eight years as well.
Since you have traveled worldwide, has there ever been a random instance where you were recognized?
In Vegas, it was like that for quite a while. The people here are local and they know me. So, here in Vegas if I go to any nightclub, most girls working there will recognize me. If I go to a dentist office, the receptionist might remember me from the show.
I have fans in different cities and when they know I’m coming to town they usually come out.
What are some of your most favorite locations worldwide to perform?
Destin, Florida is one of the most beautiful places I’ve performed at. I wouldn’t say that the club was great, but the location is beautiful. It is like a vacation going there.
The largest crowd I’ve performed at was in Latvia, near Russia. That was in 2004. I performed for over 5,000 girls. I did a solo performance on stage and to have 5,000 girls screaming while you are dancing alone is something I could never describe. It was the most amazing feeling.
The most beautiful girls I’ve seen were in Brasov, Romania. There were around 1,800 girls in the club and 80% of them were like supermodels. I lost my mind in that place. I couldn’t take it. They were all after the show trying to grab on us. That was an experience.
You spent a considerable time with the Chippendales. Would you ever consider re-joining them?
I think that chapter’s finished since a few of the people in charge of the show don’t like me. They were two-faced. That really seals the deal. I’m a good guy and I like to keep it real. I’ve never been a faker. I’m a genuine nice guy and always will be. For someone to be nice to me but then to lie or talk trash behind my back, I don’t want to be around that any more. They are a few people over there that I’m still very close to and consider family. Chippendales was my extended family for almost seven years. It was a shame the way I was treated on the way out but that’s what happens when certain people in control get jealous or hate on someone else’s success. Chippendales was fun while it lasted but it’s in the past now.
I understand that you are currently freelance dancing and also modeling. Do you plan to expand into any other entertainment fields?
Here’s some news… I have a dancer friend in town that’s pretty well known and he has an investor and they want to produce a show in Vegas. This is a great opportunity for me to be involved in producing my own show. I’ve always thought for years that I know what it takes to put on the best show possible and finally I’ll be able to do that and get the credit I deserve.
Another thing I want to do is bring an Asian male revue into LA. I know some great Asian guys that are dancers. One is half Japanese, one is a Filipino mix, one is Thai and there is myself. There are four guys total I have now. If I can find one more stud Asian mix, we can have 5 guys do a show in LA. That would be the first Asian male revue of its kind that I know of.
I’m also competing in two male fitness model contests, at Olympia in September and Fitness American in November.
I’ve done some gigs here in Vegas. I’ve modeled and have done some commercials and TV shows. My goal is to make a lot of money with my company so I’ll be able to visit LA more often. In fact, I might start working for Hollywood Men on the weekends again. So, I’ll be in LA every weekend. That would give me a chance to go over there and pursue some castings and roles. I want to go for it but don’t want to go to LA without money to support me. I don’t want to be broke. My business of mine here in Vegas is taking off and really doing well. That will allow me the flexibility to pursue opportunities in LA.
Is there any other media (print, commercial, etc.) outside of the exotic dancing world that you have been featured?
I’ve done some national television commercials, starred in Passions and True Hollywood Stories. I’ve been in nine calendars. Also I have been on the cover of Mens Exercise and featured in magazines like Cosmopolitan, Vegas, 944 and KoreAm.
What are some common misconceptions of male exotic dancers?
A lot of people assume that exotic dancers are just dumb strippers. When I was with Chippendales, more than half the guys had day jobs. They were very successful, made a lot of money and just danced for fun. I always wanted to just dance for fun and didn’t want it to be my main job. A lot of us have an education and careers.
Also, the whole male dancer being “gay” is just what guys tell their girlfriends before they go to a show. Why would we be gay and doing this? That is a misconception. I dance for girls because that’s what turns me on.
I know that most girls just think we are dumb strippers. That is part of the reason why I wanted to get out of dancing. I was dancing for Men of X earlier this year but I left to focus more on my company. The reason I left these shows is because it’s hard for me to meet a girl. They have this misconception that I’m this dirty guy who sleeps around and doesn’t have an education. I’m a good guy and I’m trying to find the right one. It is tough. What can I do?
If someone was to ask you how to become a dancer, what advice would you give them?
Be realistic. Go after jobs that you really think you have what it takes. Being on stage is something that has to be natural. I’ve seen a lot of guys who look great but have no stage presence. They freeze up, get scared and can’t do it. There has to be something inside of you that likes to perform because you are wide open and vulnerable. When you are naked there is nothing there except for you. We are not completely naked but we look like it at times.
It is not a career. Have fun for a while and get out because it will suck you in and you will be distracted. I was distracted and lived the wild life because of the lifestyle. I had to get out of that lifestyle. I like to dance right now on weekends and do tours but I don’t want to do it every night. That is why I have my own company and the business is growing fast. I’m happy for that. That’s where my focus is right now.
You have quite a few different websites and businesses. Which one is your main business?
That would be Media One Pro. We develop websites and do internet marketing. We are doing pretty well and, in fact, we are actually ranked in the top three here in Vegas for search engine optimization. Media One Pro is going to be my retirement so I can pursue different opportunities. It has been around since 1998. It became a real business in 2006 when it became incorporated.
I also have a modeling website, you can check it out at www.stevekim.us.
Obviously, you keep yourself in great shape. How often do you work out?
Well, I’m training for those two contests so I’ve been training five times a week, two times a day. If it wasn’t for the contests I would be training three times a week, once a day.
Any tips for anybody out there to get in or stay in shape?
First thing is diet. Eat right and make it simple. I eat brown rice and fish every day. Have healthy foods around you at all times. Train within your limitations. If you can’t train for more than 30 minutes a day, that is fine. If you only have time for 10 minutes a day, then do 10 minutes a day. That is better than nothing. Do whatever you can when you can.
What are some personal goals for yourself and your career within the next 5 years or so?
To continue to build my company to a point where it can go public and be bought out by Google or something like that and then retire. That would be nice.
I’d love to be in a movie one day. I’d love to be the hero in an action flick. With all of these superhero movies, I don’t care if I’m the good guy or bad guy. Make me the bad guy, I’d love to have Jet Li kick my ass on screen!
I would want my family to be taken care of. I want them all to have nice houses and go on vacations. So I have ambitions to make a lot of money to take care of my family.
And then I want to have my own family, of course. Have 2-3 kids and go on trips. Those are my dreams.
Other random info on Steve
What is your current relationship status and what do you look for in terms of relationships?
I’m currently single. I’m biased towards half Asians. I like half Asian mixes and exotic girls. They have to have a nice body and take care of themselves since I’m very much into fitness. Someone that is funny because I’m a dork. They can’t be too serious.
Do you have any hobbies or interests that you do to relax?
I work on my house. I like to do home improvement and that is relaxing. I like to go on road trips and get out of town. I love watching movies and love Netflix.
Anybody you respect/look up to or see as role models?
I think of someone that you see in public like Clint Eastwood who is an amazing actor, has had a hell of a career and is a just a good guy. They go out and donate and help people. I would love to have a lot of money and be able to help people out. People that are philanthropists, who work hard, make a lot of money and share that money and help people out. That is who I’d like to be like.
Do you drink and/or like soju?
Oh my God, I had some last night and I have the biggest hangover. We did karaoke last night and I, like others, can’t do it sober. So my friends and I had all this beer and soju. Soju is the bomb but I have to be careful with that stuff.
Do you get on the Internet often and, if so, what are some of your favorite websites?
I like Facebook since it is the easiest way to keep in touch with friends. I also like Google, YouTube and MSNBC. I check out the basics.
How did you find out about HalfKorean.com and what did you think about HalfKorean.com when you first saw it?
I found out about it from my friend, Jennifer Field. She called me up and told me about the Ktown show she is doing. She was telling me how she was sorry that she forgot to mention me when they were casting and that I would have been perfect for the job. She didn’t think about it until after the casting was done but said that she did pass on my information to the producers so maybe I would be featured in an episode if they came to Vegas. They were looking for people that are active and popular and have a crazy lifestyle and I’m like “Hello?!”
So, she told me about the show and then told me, “By the way, you should be on HalfKorean.com.” She told me to contact you and let you know about myself, so I checked it out and thought it was pretty cool.
Any final words that you would like to pass on to the community?
Being half Korean is something to be very proud of. We get to have that Korean background in our life but we also get that other part of our descent. With me, it is Italian. It lets you explore two different worlds.
I’m very proud of our Korean heritage. We are one of the hardest working people out there. We’ve had our country taken over many times and now we’re proud to be independent and have our own identity. We are a very ambitious, hard working people and we’re about respect. That is something I love about Koreans. I couldn’t pick a better race to be a part of.
Thank you to Steve for his time and good luck to him in all his current and future endeavors. To learn more about Steve you can check out SteveKim.us, his Official Facebook or his company Media One Pro.
Interview by: David Lee Sanders
Posted: 9/10/2010
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