The Transformation Of Kim Lee From Bling Empire
Kim Lee stole the hearts of fans — and raised *some* eyebrows — during the first season of Netflix's 2021 megahit Bling Empire. But unlike many reality stars, Kim has already established a name for herself in showbiz. The entertaining castmate is no stranger to the spotlight as she's a talented DJ, pianist, and model.
Along with the rest of her seven super-rich friends, Kim gave viewers a glimpse inside her luxurious life in Los Angeles. Always dressed head to toe in designer brands, the Vietnamese beauty constantly wowed whether the cast enjoyed a night out in L.A. or a party at one of their enviable abodes. But the renowned musician's journey on Bling Empire wasn't always filled with glitz and glamour. During the eight-episode series (which Rolling Stone noted is "loosely billed as a reality-TV version of Crazy Rich Asians"), Kim's plot centered on her quest to find her biological dad. Along with a private investigator and co-stars Kane Lim and Kevin Kreider, Kim shared the hope and heartbreak as she opened up about this part of her life, per Distractify.
Though Netflix has yet to renew Bling Empire for a second season just yet, Kim and her castmates have become complete superstars. Keep scrolling to see how Kim has transformed throughout the years before landing her role on the latest must-see show.
Kim Lee was a Hollywood vet before 'Bling Empire'
In her early 30s, Kim Lee made her debut on Bling Empire, but the TV personality has already earned her spot in showbiz. Before she started turning heads on the Netflix series, she paved a career as a model, occasional actress, pianist, and DJ.
Kim was raised by her Vietnamese mom, Kimmy Segal, and her stepdad, Dan Segal. The bombshell was born on May 22, 1988, and has lived in many cities, per IMDb. She made her runway debut during Paris Fashion Week in 2006 and has since been featured in Esquire, GQ magazine, and Sports Illustrated (behind-the-scenes shot above). She even took home the award for FHM magazine's sexiest woman in 2011, Bustle noted. Kim's talent goes well beyond her modeling portfolio, though. In 2008, she made her acting debut as a flight attendant on Entourage. Since then, she has earned credits in CSI, The Hangover Part II, and Jack and Jill. She also appeared in reality shows like Dogg After Dark and Next.
Most notably, Kim is an international DJ. She has released several songs on Spotify and often uploads epic mixes on her Soundcloud. "It started in 2012, when I was still hanging with the Black Eyed Peas, I'm really good friends with them," she told Hype about her DJ career. "And long story short, they told me they were looking for artists and DJs to manage and I was like, 'hey, I want to learn how to DJ' and so they encouraged me." We can't wait to see what Kim Lee does next!