@Jefo: 20-year-old internet sensation’s quick rise
Jun Yang, known as Jefo by most, has taken the internet by storm in the last several months. He currently has a following of nearly 3 million on Instagram, as well as a YouTube channel that reaches hundreds of thousands of viewers every week. In addition, Jefo has served as a key influencer for various companies including Bang Energy and Dollar Shave Club. Even though he likes to refer to himself as a “ordinary 20-year-old Asian kid,” it goes without saying that Jefo’s success is matched by few others. Nonetheless, few people actually know that Jefo was not always the star-studded entertainer he is today.
Growing up in Sydney, Australia, Jefo’s upbringing was defined by the outgoing nature of his personality. Throughout his childhood, Jefo was extremely outgoing, and always sought to make others laugh through his actions. In high school, Jefo’s eccentricity made it difficult for him to find friends. That said, the influencer never gave up on his dream to entertain audiences for a living. Instead of limiting himself to class halls and cafeteria tables, Jefo decided to let himself loose on the internet.
Instead of following the traditional route of attending college, Jefo decided to pursue his dreams full-time, and begin making videos from scratch. Even when he was forced to spend months on end surfing the couches of friends, Jefo never ceased to produce content that drew in his eventual audience.
Throughout his most arduous struggles, Jefo never refused to pursue his passion. Without any connections or resources to produce content, he took to the streets in order to produce some of his first projects. Most notably, his “public challenges,” were born out of this initial experience. In these videos, Jefo puts his comedic personality on display as he asks strangers to perform random, often quirky tasks or activities. Examples of these videos include Jefo’s “Kiss or Slap Challenge” and his “Would you touch my potato?” video.
With his early videos gaining traction, Jefo’s name recognition within the entertainment sphere skyrocketed. He was able to partner with Syft, a Los Angeles based management agency that works primarily with internet influencers. Working with Syft, Jefo has collaborated with a number of YouTube stars including Josh Paler Lin and Emily Ghoul. In addition to these big names, Jefo has worked with Monster Products, and the dating app EastMeetsWest.
Along with the success he’s already experienced, Jefo has high hopes when it comes to big-picture impact of his content. As somebody who speaks both Chinese and English, Jefo hopes to lead the effort to bridge the gap between American and Chinese social media platforms. With the Chinese government blocking American platforms like Facebook and Instagram, there is a significant divide between Eastern and Western digital spheres. Given his mass following, Jefo believes he has the potential to “take over the world,” and serve as a change agent to the current situation.
It’s undeniable that Jefo’s story is an inspiration to aspiring comedians and content creators around the globe. As he continues to light up the social media world, there’s no denying that Jefo’s career as an entertainer and influencer is just beginning.