Netflix’s Bling Empire has taken reality TV junkies by storm. The show depicts the lives of wealthy Asians and Asian-American friends and families living in the Los Angeles area. Model Kevin Kreider acts as the show’s middleman. He’s newer to Los Angeles and didn’t grow up with the same wealth that his new friends are accustomed to. He’s just as in shock as viewers are while watching his friends splash their cash.
From $19,000-a-month apartments to full-blown estates, this group of friends knows how to live it up. But how did they earn their money? Some of the cast were born into riches while others made their own.
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Kevin Kreider: $10 Million
Kevin Kreider grew up in Philadelphia with a loving family who adopted him. When he grew up, Kevin eventually moved from the East Coast to the West Coast and became a successful model. On the show, Kevin is constantly in awe by the things his friends spend their money on (and how much money they have) but Kevin is wealthier than he lets on.
According to The Tab, Kevin is worth $10 million! (This makes us question his $1,000-a-month apartment with roommates). He was the subject of a 2019 documentary called The Ugly Model, has his own company entertainment company called Taejin Entertainment LLC, and he is a life coach on top of being a successful model!
Christine Chiu & Dr. Gabriel Chiu: $80 Million
Christine Chiu is a philanthropist who has given back in more ways than one on Empire Bling, but she also goes head-to-head against another successful businesswoman, socialite, and philanthropist, Anna Shay. Nevertheless, Christine and her husband, plastic surgeon Dr. Gabriel Chiu, seem to have it all. Dr. Chiu has his own clinic in Beverly Hills where Christine is also the director, according to Cosmopolitan.
Not much is known about Christine’s past but it’s been well documented on the show that their $80 million combined wealth comes from more than just Dr. Chiu’s clinic. Dr. Chiu is a 24th direct descendant of the Song Dynasty. His family is well off and basically royalty.
Kane Lim: $20 Million
Kane Lim is a source of comfort and humor on Empire Bling. He quickly became one of Kevin’s closest new friends in Los Angeles and introduced him to this crazy world of wealth (and his iconic shoe and clothing collection).
Hailing from Singapore, Kane’s family is involved in real estate, shipping, and oil. Kane took lessons from his family and got into real estate himself and soon became an investor and developer. By the time Kane was 20, he paid his family back the money they loaned him to start his own business and was already a millionaire. Today, he has a net worth of $20 million.
Anna Shay: $600 Million
Anna Shay is the oldest and wisest in the group. She’s also one of the richest. Shay came from big-time bucks with a father who sold legal weapons and defense technology. But it wasn’t just her father who was successful, her mother was also an aristocrat in Japan. She told the cameras that her father never wanted her to work a day in her life and set her up with a very comfortable lifestyle. According to TV Overmind, Shay is worth a whopping $600 million.
Anna is a very private woman who doesn’t trust many people. She gives everyone a chance but the minute they cross her, they’re off her list. Being on Anna Shay’s list is not a place someone wants to be if they’re trying to climb the social ladder.
Andrew Gray: $2 Million
If the name Andrew Gray sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because of his time on Power Rangers as the Red Ranger. On Empire Bling, he’s in an on-and-off relationship with Kelly Mi Li and can’t seem to move on from their toxic relationship.
He and Kelly brought cameras along on their road to a better relationship but it seems more problematic than happy. Aside from their relationship, Gray is still acting, modeling, and is now managing different recording artists as well. He has a net worth of $2 million.
Kelly Mi Li: $5 Million
Kelly Mi Li’s personal life was a huge topic of conversation on Empire Bling. She told cameras that she was once happily married but soon found out that she didn’t know the man she was sleeping next to. According to her, he was “running one of the largest cyber scams in American history.”
The two got divorced and Mi Li got into various industries in California. Distractify notes that she bought her own restaurant before selling it and becoming an investor. She’s now involved in production and TV. Due to her many hats, she has a net worth of around $5 million.
Kim Lee: $10 Million
DJ Kim Lee is unlike the rest of her co-stars because of her career as a professional DJ. According to her friend Kane, she’s one of the hottest DJs in Asia and is self-made. She’s the host of Yo! MTV Rap on MTV Asia and has done acting and modeling in the past. DJ Kim Lee is the whole package.
On Empire Bling, Lee was inspired by Kevin and went on a hunt to find her biological father who left the family when she was 8 years old. Doing this showed a softer side to the outgoing DJ. According to The Cinemaholic, Lee is worth $10 million in 2021.
Cherie Chan & Jessey Lee: $200 Million
Cherie Chan and Jessey Lee had such a sweet connection on Empire Bling. They had been together for over five years and had two babies together; however, they were not married. Chan longed to be married to Lee but he was hesitant. But it wasn’t just Chan’s relationship that she was open about, she was also very open about the loss of her mother and the ups and downs of motherhood.
Kane Lim was friends with both Cherie and Jessey and told cameras that they both came from prestigious backgrounds. Cherie came from a denim fortune whereas Jessey came from a furniture empire. Together, Nicki Swift claims they have a combined net worth of $200 million.
Jaime Xie: $50 Million
Jaime Xie is by far one of the richest castmates on Empire Bling; she’s also one of the youngest. Her father is a businessman worth billions and is most known for working in cybersecurity in Silicon Valley.
On the show, Jaime admitted that she makes money from being a fashion blogger, model, and influencer, but she also lives off a trust created by her family. She Kevin that her one apartment was $19,000 a month. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jaime is worth $50 million.