SWAG. It’s an indescribable quality, but when you see it, you know it.
It’s important to note that different guys have have different swag. Some guys have funny-man swag. Some have smooth swag (think James Bond) . Some have style swag (think Kanye West / P Diddy). Some guys have female attraction swag (Russell Brand).
And it’s not a popularity contest. While Ken Jeong, Aziz Ansari, and Jackie Chan might be funny and famous, those guys aren’t the type of guy we’re looking for. We’re looking for masculine role models that have traits that Asian guys should aspire to have.
We also tried to keep this list as varied as possible. We included several guys from overseas as well as Asian American guys.
And while this is not some comprehensive or definitive list, we think that it’s a pretty good list compiled by several different editors on Amped Asia.
So here they are – ordered by least swag to most swag.
20) Lee Byung Hun
Lee Byung Hun is making a name for himself around the world as a top-notch actor. In Korea, he’s already in the A-list, but his fame is reaching Hollywood as well. He recently starred in Red 2 and GI Joe: Retaliation.
This guy was already a top A-lister in Korea, but his succesful forays into the American market have raised his swag level off the charts.
What you can learn from him: Find success by working hard.
19) Dennis O’ Neil
Dennis O’ Neil is one of the hunkiest Asian men in the world. Although only half-Korean, he’s got a considerable fanbase in Korea as well as in many parts of the world. Even though he’s handsome, he’s still got a ways to go before he becomes a household name in Hollywood. At the same time, with those killer good looks, it’s only a matter of time.
What you can learn from him: Work on your body & the swag will come.
18) Aj Rafael
AJ Rafael rose to fame as a YouTube singer. His first big hit was Juicebox, by Wong Fu Productions. Now he makes all the girls swoon with his silky smooth vocals and cute looks.
What you can learn from him: Girls love guys who can sing. Artists have major swag.
17) Godfrey Gao
Godfrey Gao is the first Asian male model to model for Louis Vuitton. Recently he played Magnus Bane in the movie, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, based off the hit book series. He didn’t originally want to be a model. He took a risk and attended a casting call and ended up being chosen. This launched a successful modeling career.
What you can learn from him: Take risks. Don’t play it safe.
16) Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
If you ever watched Mortal Kombat or Johnny Tsunami as a kid, then you know how much of a badass this guy is. Although he’s pretty old now, he’s probably one of the most swaggiest Asian seniors there is.
What you can learn from him: Gain wisdom every day.
15) Jeremy Lin
Jeremy Lin’s swag was off the charts in New York, but he lost a little bit of it in his first year as a Houston Rocket. He’s doing pretty well this year, so things are looking up for him. His skills come from his faith in himself & in his religion, and he ended up being one of the greatest sports stories of this generation.
What you can learn from him: Follow your dreams and never give up.
14) John Cho
John Cho has played some non-swaggy roles like Harold in Harold and Kumar, but lately he’s been making a name for himself as Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek. No longer is this guy relegated to the nerdy Asian roles like he once was and is becoming a hunky mainstream Hollywood actor.
What you can learn from him: Asian guys can become mainstream actors too.
13) Timothy De La Ghetto
Timothy De La Ghetto has that urban swag that very few Asian guys can pull off. This guy does it extremely well. Not particularly good looking, De La Ghetto entices his audience with his quick wit and humor.
What you can learn from him: Be funny, be spontaneous, and be adventurous.
12) Ben Baller
Ben Baller is the jeweler to the stars and quickly has made a name for himself as one of the swaggiest Asian dudes in LA. When he’s not showing off his pimped out rides, he’s posting up sick jewelry pieces on Instagram. The coolest part about this guy though might be his dedication to his gorgeous family.
What you can learn from him: Money matters, but stay classy. Confidence is key.
11) Daniel Henney
Daniel Henney is one of the best looking Asian guys on the planet, and he’s become a great actor as well. Although he’s primarily well known in Korea as a leading man, he’s also acted in a few American movies such as X-men Origins: Wolverine, where he played Agent Zero.
What you can learn from him: Be born looking like a supermodel.
10) Sung Kang
He’s one of the few Asian guys that scores with the hot White girl. Sung Kang gets the girl in Fast and Furious, the gorgeous Gal Godot. Sung’s relationship with director Justin Lin has paid off, as Justin has become a well sought after director and has placed Kang into great positive roles for Asian American men.
What you can learn from him: Make strong connections with people that will help you become better.
9) Harry Shum Jr.
Harry Shum Jr. is the Asian heartthrob on the hit TV show Glee. Besides being sexy on TV, Shum is also a talented dancer, as evidenced by his role on movies such as Step Up 3D. Lately, he’s also been doing tons of collaborations with Wong Fu Productions.
What you can learn from him: Dancers have swag. A lot of it.
8) Daniel Dae Kim
Daniel Dae Kim is one of the few leading guys on American TV that is considered a hunk. Becoming well known on Lost, Daniel Dae Kim now is one of the main characters on Hawaii Five-O. With a killer body and sexy smile, Daniel Dae Kim is making waves into the American entertainment industry.
What you can learn from him: Become the hunk that women dream about. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Korean guy with tiny eyes.
7) Bruno Mars
Did you even know this guy was Asian? Bruno Mars is indeed half Filipino on his mother’s side. He’s become the object of many girl’s fantasies with his romantic lyrics, which paint him as a seriously sensitive & romantic guy, but his troubles with the law also paint him as a badboy. A deadly combination.
What you can learn from him: Girls love romantic badboys.
6) Rain (bi)
He’d be ranked higher on this list if he wasn’t stuck doing military duty.
The super sexy Rain has been making girls panties drop for years. He’s taken now, though, by none other than the gorgeous Kim Tae Hee, just one of the most pretty and in-demand actresses in Korea.
When he first started, no one thought he had a chance because they deemed him “too ugly” because of his small eyes. Instead of backing down he kept working on his skills and finally broke through. Now he’s one of hte most sought after men in Korea.
What you can learn from him: Don’t let other people’s negative opinions bring you down. Rise above them.
5) TOP
The first member of Big Bang on the list.
TOP is one of the three most popular members of Big Bang, so it’s fitting to see him in your top 5. TOP has made major contributions to the fashion world. His wacky fashion and weird hairstyles take guts to pull off, and he does it very well.
What you can learn from him: Don’t be afraid to experiment with yourself, especially in style.
4) Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen has been blowing up as of late, and that’s because he’s got an intensity that other action stars don’t have.
Jackie Chan is too busy making a fool of himself in his movies, and while that’s not a bad thing for entertainment purposes, it doesn’t make him seem like a tough guy. He’s more of a innocent fool who knows how to fight really well.
Donnie Yen, on the other hand, is a badass.
What you can learn from him: Don’t be weak. Know how to stand up for yourself. Be a tougher, more masculine you.
3) Tae Yang
The 2nd member of Big Bang makes the list because damn, this little guy has swag.
Standing only 5’ 3”, this K-pop star has girls swooning over him. True, it might be hard to tell how short he is on TV, but still, this little guy is having no problems with the ladies.
Besides that, like other members of Big Bang, Tae Yang been an extremely influential force in fashion, entertainment, and music.
What you can learn from him: Don’t let things like height slow you down.
2) G-Dragon
Although definitely flamboyant, you have to respect G-dragon’s hustle.
This guy has major swag, and it’s evident with the way he’s influenced fashion, not only in Korea, but around the world.
Big Bang is also blowing up as one of the biggest Asian boy bands in Korea, and it’s slowly making it’s way into the mainstream American media as well. G-Dragon, being the leader, has led their group into being major influencers in the world of music, fashion, and entertainment.
What you can learn from him: Haters gonna hate, but you have to be better than them.
Find out who is #1
1) Bruce Lee
All you need to do is watch the following video to understand the sheer amount of swagger Bruce Lee possessed.
Not only was Bruce one of the first internationally recognized Asians, he might possibly be the most well known Asian name in the world.
Although some might say he plays to the Asian stereotype of the “kung fu master,” Lee transcended that. He was a masculine role model for Asian men in a time when there were no Asian men in Hollywood media.
With a ripped body, amazing discipline, and a ridiculous work ethic, Lee dominated the martial arts entertainment industry with his movies.
What you can learn from him: Bruce Lee has the whole package. Charisma, looks, and skills. Having swag ultimately is about having all of these traits. It’s a holistic self-improvement process that will make you into a better man. A man who is attractive to women, confident in his abilities, and a leader amongst other men.
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Written by Editorial Staff