9 handsome and hunky hawkers in Asia we love

At Wisma Atria’s Food Republic, queues began forming at Peranakan stall Nya Nya — but not just for the nyonya laksa or nasi kunyit. Videos of the hunky hawkers began circulating online, with customers openly admitting they were stopping by just to catch a glimpse. 

Across Asia, similar stories have unfolded. From Singapore to Seoul, Malaysia and Taiwan, these handsome hawkers are drawing eyes not just for what they cook, but for how they look. 

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the food isn’t equally tantilising. These talented Asian hawkers cook up everything from chicken rice to Ipoh hor fun and cold brews.  We round up 9 of our favourite handsome and hunky hawkers. 

Daryl and Damian Lim of Nya Nya, Singapore

Of course, we must first bring up Singapore’s latest viral sensations — the Lim brothers at Nya Nya. 

Standing at over 1.8m tall with muscular, gym-honed physiques, Daryl, 27, and Damian, 21, have become a mini attraction in their own right. Customers have been known to snap photos and send them to their friends, sometimes without even ordering!

Both brothers maintain intense fitness routines too. Damian hits the gym at 1am almost daily, while Daryl squeezes in 90-minute sessions after dinner. And yes, this is while managing the demands of a busy F&B operation. 

Of course, the food is impressive too. Expect a range of dishes such as ayam tempra, nasi kunyit, nonya laksa and kueh. We’ve heard that the mee siam is particularly tasty as well. 

Norris Wong of The Daily Sip, Singapore

After earning a diploma in logistics management from Ngee Ann Polytechnic and a business management degree from RMIT, Norris Wong, 36, spent a decade as a personal trainer before moving into finance as a financial planner.

His pivot to hawker life in Singapore came in May last year when his father fell ill and decided to stop selling chicken rice. Having grown up helping at his father’s stall, Norris returned to familiar ground — but with a modern twist. 

At The Daily Sip in Holland Drive, he now works alongside his dad, serving traditional kopi alongside Arabica cold brews and homemade bakes. While no longer a full-time trainer, he still keeps in shape — which explains his fit physique. 

Kalvin Ng of OnlyMee, Singapore

At 40, this former air steward maintains his undeniably youthful and dashing looks. When Jetstar Asia shut down, Kalvin Ng found himself at a crossroads. He had spent close to a decade in aviation, but ultimately decided not to join another airline. 

Instead, he moved to hawkering, opening OnlyMee in Ubi — a stall inspired by his family’s Ipoh noodle heritage. Cooking had always been a passion of his, but Kalvin took things seriously when it came to setting up his own business. He returned to Ipoh for a two-week apprenticeship under his parents (who owned a Ipoh curry noodle stall) to refine his craft. The result is a tightly curated menu of Ipoh hor fun and curry mee. 

Soki Wu of Katong Mei Wei, Singapore 

Soki Wu, 35, once dreamed of becoming an actor. A graduate of NAFA with a diploma in Mandarin Theatre Studies, he even auditioned for Star Search in 2019. But instead of pursuing the stage, he chose to return to the family business.

Today, he runs Katong Mei Wei, a modernised chicken rice concept that builds on his parents’ legacy. Helping out since he was young, Soki went from resisting the hawker path to fully embracing it — refining recipes, updating the brand, and even injecting a bit of personality into the business through social media.

While he may not have become an actor, he still performs — whether it’s dancing in viral TikTok videos, filming comedic skits or engaging customers at his stall. His TikTok account has garnered over 9,300 followers, and 65,000 likes to date, no doubt thanks to his boyish good looks. 

William Lin of Hong Xing Handmade Fishball and Meatball Noodles, Singapore

With @william_hawkerhunk being his Instagram handle, it’s clear to see that William Lin, 34, fully embraces his hunky hawker status. 

But the third-generation owner of Hong Xing Handmade Fishball and Meatball Noodles is very much the real deal. 

A former participant in Mr World Singapore and international fitness competitions, William now spends his days hand-making fishballs from scratch, starting at 1:30 am in the morning. It’s an extremely labour-intensive process that stretches into 14 to 16-hour workdays.

His gym time has been cut drastically, but the discipline remains evident — both in his physique and in the quality of his food. His fishball noodle brand is also going strong, having recently opened a new stall at Bidadari Park. 

Kim Jong Oh, South Korea

Nicknamed “Bung Hae In” for his resemblance to actor Jung Hae In, Kim Jong Oh became an internet sensation almost overnight.

His bungeoppang (fish-shaped pancake) stall near Sillim Station drew large crowds of both locals and tourists, with long queues forming just for a glimpse of the handsome vendor.

Unfortunately, fame came with its downsides. Complaints from neighbouring businesses eventually forced him to stop selling his pancakes at his usual spot. 

Since then, Kim has shifted towards bungeoppang pop-ups at various locations around Seoul, while continuing his work as a freelance model. He still regularly posts thirst trap photos on his IG account, as well as updates about where his bungeoppang will be selling in Korea. He also appeared as a contestant on the Korean reality show I Am Boxer.

Luo Jia Min, Taiwan

In 2025, Luo Jia Min went viral after customers began flocking to a fried buns stall in Tainan — not just for the food, but for him.

With a toned, sculpted physique and model-like looks, Jia Min quickly became a social media sensation. But hawkering isn’t even his main job.

The 35-year-old is actually a real estate agent, and worked at the stall two days a week to help a friend who needed manpower. His disciplined workout routine and strict diet have been credited for his physique — and his unexpected role as the stall’s biggest marketing asset.

Vincent Ngah of Bangkok Khao Kha Moo, Malaysia

In Klang, Malaysia, hawker Vincent Ngah made headlines in 2022 after a Facebook post by KlangCityMY went viral. It featured the hunky lad preparing food and taking off his shirt to reveal his very well-toned physique 

Vincent is the owner of Bangkok Khao Kha Moo, a Thai pork trotter rice stall. He quickly drew attention from curious customers, many of whom came just to see if the viral clips were real. And yes, they were. 

Apart from being a hawker, Vincent is also a part-time trainer, and counts diving and surfing as his hobbies. Patrons in Klang have also reviewed that his outlet does sell yummy food, with the highlight being the savoury pork trotter rice. 

Gilbert Lim of Ah Ter Teochew Fishball Noodles, Singapore

Before stepping into the hawker trade, Gilbert Lim worked as a trader and in construction. He then became the third-generation owner of Ah Ter Teochew Fishball Noodles, named after his father. 

Many years back, Gilbert was also crowned The Straits Times’ Most Handsome Hawker in 2005’s National Day edition. 16 years later, visitors to the stall have commented how the 52 year-old is aging like fine wine, and still maintains his brawny physique and rugged good looks. 

While his father remains the mastermind behind the fishballs, Gilbert brings his own charisma to the stall through his interactions with customers. The Teochew-style fish ball noodles is well-reviewed too, thanks to its generous portions and umami broth.