Steven Lim
{{Short description|American internet personality}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Steven Lim
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|11|10}}
| birth_place = Ohio, USA
| alma_mater = Ohio State University
| occupation = CEO of Watcher Entertainment
| years_active = 2016-present
| notable_works = Worth It
| spouse = Tammy Cho
}}
Steven Lim (born November 10, 1990) is an American Internet personality and co-founder of digital entertainment company, Watcher Entertainment. Lim first rose to prominence after creating and starring in the Buzzfeed food series Worth It.
Early life
Lim graduated from the Ohio State University in 2012 with a chemical engineering degree. He went on to work as a research and development engineer for the company Procter & Gamble, working on the Tide Laundry Pods.{{Cite web |last=Shields |first=Mike |title=Millions of people are watching Steven Lim, star of the BuzzFeed show 'Worth It,' eat his way across the globe |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/millions-of-people-are-watching-steven-lim-buzzfeed-food-show-worth-it-2017-8 |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Fleshman |first=Cu |date=2020-02-25 |title=Q&A: Checking In With Steven Lim, Ryan Bergara And Shane Madej Of Watcher - Character Media |url=https://charactermedia.com/qa-checking-in-with-shane-madej-ryan-bergara-and-steven-lim-of-watcher/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |language=en-US}}
Career
= YouTube and Buzzfeed (2013 - 2019) =
Lim started his own YouTube channel in 2013, after realizing engineering was not his calling. Driven by his desire to have more Asian representation in media,{{Cite web |last=Tran |first=Natalie |title=Event Review: A Conversation with Steven Lim |url=https://ucsdguardian.org/2018/10/21/event-review-conversation-steven-lim/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=The UCSD Guardian}} he quit his job and began making videos every week.{{Cite web |last=Cronin |first=Sam |date=2018-02-23 |title=BuzzFeed stars talk Asian-American media representation |url=https://huntnewsnu.com/52289/lifestyle/chinese-student-association-hosts-whats-the-buzz-at-buzzfeed-panel/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=The Huntington News}} The channel explored Asian-American cultural issues. In 2014, Lim's videos "Asian Parents React to I Love You" and "Things Bilingual People Do" went viral, catching the eye of internet media company Buzzfeed.{{Cite web |last=Sieczkowski |first=Cavan |date=2014-09-26 |title=What Happens When Grown-Up Kids Tell Their Parents 'I Love You' For The First Time |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kids-parents-react-i-love-you_n_5888728 |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Teng |first=Soksan |title=YouTuber Steven Lim Speaks About Life, AAPI, Future Content Creation at SMU |url=https://smudailycampus.com/1059823/news/youtuber-steven-lim-speaks-about-life-aapi-future-content-creation-at-smu/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=The Daily Campus}}
The company reached out to Lim and offered a job. He served as an Executive Producer, often producing videos on Asian culture or food.{{Cite web |last=Ocampos |first=Rikki |date=2016-03-31 |title=YouTube and BuzzFeed's Steven Lim talks success, diversity at UCF |url=https://sparks-mag.com/2016/03/31/youtube-buzzfeeds-steven-lim-talks-success-diversity-ucf/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Sparks Magazine}} While working there, Lim came up with the idea of a food series where he and his co-hosts would vist three different restaurants of varying prices and determine which one was most worth it for the given price - this would be the show Worth It. The series was co-hosted by Lim and Andrew Ilnyckyj, with cameraman Adam Bianchi making an appearance in every episode as well. While the idea was initially rejected, the series went viral and became a top viewer for Buzzfeed.{{Cite web |last=Trivedi |first=Sai |date=2024-11-15 |title=Northwestern Chinese Students Association hosts Steven Lim |url=https://dailynorthwestern.com/2024/11/15/campus/content-creator-steven-lim-reflects-on-career-asian-american-representation-in-csa-fall-speaker-event/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=The Daily Northwestern}}{{Cite web |last=Bailey |first=Matthew |date=2018-04-11 |title=Steven Lim discusses Asian-American media representation for APIDA heritage month |url=https://collegian.com/articles/news/2018/04/steven-lim-discusses-asian-american-media-representation-for-apida-month/ |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=The Rocky Mountain Collegian}} Due to its success, NBC Sports commissioned an original episode of Worth It (alongside Hot Ones) to air before the 2018 Super Bowl - featuring Lim and Ilnyckyi eating at different spots in Minneapolis.{{Cite web |last=Patel |first=Sahil |date=2018-01-30 |title=NBC is airing BuzzFeed and Complex shows before the Super Bowl |url=https://digiday.com/future-of-tv/nbc-sports-is-teaming-up-with-buzzfeed-complex-networks-for-super-bowl-themed-videos/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}} The series ran from September 18, 2016, to April 8, 2023{{Cite web |last=Gutelle |first=Sam |date=2023-03-10 |title=BuzzFeed's 'Worth It' is coming to an end. The food show's final season begins March 11. |url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2023/03/10/buzzfeed-worth-it-final-season-about-to-eat-food-simu-liu/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Tubefilter |language=en-US}}
Worth It won the 2017 and 2018 Streamy Award for best online food show.{{Cite web |last=Chung |first=Candice |date=23 Jan 2018 |title=The YouTube show that's disrupting food criticism |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/the-youtube-show-thats-disrupting-food-criticism/9nvka9lo5 |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=SBS Food |language=en}} As of October 2017, the series had been viewed more than 300 million times for a total of over 2 billion minutes; in 2018 alone, viewers watched 1.5 billion minutes on the show.{{Cite web |last=Willens |first=Max |date=2018-08-28 |title=BuzzFeed dives further into commerce with BuzzFeed Reviews |url=https://digiday.com/media/buzzfeed-dives-commerce-buzzfeed-reviews/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}} The show's popularity has led to it being described by BuzzFeed as a Zagat guide for millennials,{{Cite web |last=Main |first=Sami |date=2017-10-05 |title=Why BuzzFeed Is Hosting Real-Life Events to Promote Its Digital Shows |url=https://www.adweek.com/convergent-tv/why-buzzfeed-is-hosting-real-life-events-to-promote-its-digital-shows/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |language=en-US}} and has created extreme upticks in patronage for some restaurants featured on the show.{{Cite web |last=Gutelle |first=Sam |date=2017-08-02 |title=For Featured Restaurants, BuzzFeed's 'Worth It' Delivers Invaluable Exposure |url=https://www.tubefilter.com/2017/08/02/buzzfeed-worth-it-restaurant-impact/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Tubefilter |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Shields |first=Mike |title=BuzzFeed's food-fest series 'Worth It' has racked up 280 million views — and cable TV should be worried |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/buzzfeed-says-shows-like-worth-it-are-pulling-in-tv-audiences-2017-8 |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} Lim left the company as full-time employee in 2019, staying on contractually to finish out Worth It.
= Watcher Entertainment (2020 - present) =
In 2019, Lim co-founded a digital production company, Watcher Entertainment, with fellow ex-Buzzfeed employees, Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara. The trio credited their departure to their desire to found a company with more "creative opportunities" and the ability to have "actual ownership of the content" made.{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=December 9, 2019 |title=Ex-BuzzFeed Video Staffers Launch Watcher Entertainment Digital Studio (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/watcher-entertainment-buzzfeed-steven-lim-ryan-bergara-shane-madej-1203427669/ |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=Variety}}{{Cite web |date=December 9, 2019 |title=Watcher Entertainment Launching January 2020 With Former Buzzfeed Talent At The Helm |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/watcher-entertainment-launching-january-2020-with-former-buzzfeed-talent-at-the-helm-300971032.html |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=www.prnewswire.com}} The channel reached over 300,000 subscribers within the first month of launching in January 2020.{{Cite web |last=Fleshman |first=Cu |date=February 25, 2020 |title=Q&A: Checking In With Steven Lim, Ryan Bergara And Shane Madej Of Watcher – Character Media |url=https://charactermedia.com/qa-checking-in-with-shane-madej-ryan-bergara-and-steven-lim-of-watcher/ |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=Character Media}}
Lim, Bergara, and Madej served as co-CEOs until 2023, when both Bergara and Madej stepped down to focus on the creation of content.{{Cite web |title=VidCon Anaheim |url=https://www.vidcon.com/anaheim/creator/226495/#:~:text=Steven%20Lim%20is%20a%20co,the%20hit%20show%20Dish%20Granted. |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=VidCon Anaheim |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Press 💬 |first=The Publish |title=Why This Channel Went from 3 CEOs to 1 🔻 |url=https://news.thepublishpress.com/p/channel-went-3-ceos-1 |access-date=2024-02-04 |website=The Publish Press |language=en}} The channel features a variety of comedy, paranormal, gaming, cooking, and educational shows – typically hosted by Madej and Bergara. The Watcher main channel has over 400 million views and 2.9 million subscribers.{{Cite web |title=Watcher – YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/@watcher |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=YouTube}}{{Cite web |last=Jacobs |first=Kaylee |title=Watcher Entertainment |url=https://thehowler.org/14070/uncategorized/watcher-entertainment/ |access-date=March 27, 2024 |website=The Howler}} The company launched their own subscription-based streaming service, WatcherTV, in April 2024.{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2024-04-19 |title=Watcher Entertainment Launches Its Own Subscription Streaming Service: 'We're Leaving YouTube' |url=https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/watcher-goodbye-youtube-subscription-streaming-service-1235974091/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
In 2024, Lim launched a spiritual successor to Worth It with Ilnyckyj and Bianchi named Travel Season. It premiered on the WatcherTV.{{Cite web |last=O'Rourke |first=Ryan |date=2024-04-19 |title=Watcher Entertainment Launches New Paid Subscription Service for 'Ghost Files,' 'Mystery Files,' and More |url=https://collider.com/watcher-entertainment-streaming-service-ghost-files/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Collider |language=en}} In May 2025, the YouTube channel 'Andrew, Steven, and Adam' was launched with Lim, Ilnyckyj and Bianchi, focusing on food reviews and behind on the scenes on the food's production. The channel is a subsidiary of Watcher Entertainment and amassed over 100,000 subscribers in the first four days of being announced. Travel Season continues to premiere on WatcherTV, however is later posted onto this channel.
Personal life
Lim is married to Tammy Cho, CEO of Hate Is A Virus, a non-profit aiming to dismantle hate and racism. The two have openly spoken about their own experiences of racism as Asian-Americans, in hopes to raise awareness.{{Cite web |title=Watcher's Steven Lim: 'Fighting racism is about tackling problems at its root instead of bandaging when things go wrong' |url=https://blog.youtube/creator-and-artist-stories/steven-lim-tammy-cho-hate-is-a-virus-discussion/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=blog.youtube |language=en-us}} Lim is an active advocate for diverse representation and amplifying AAPI voices in media.{{Cite web |date=12 Apr 2023 |title=Steven Lim to Deliver AAPI Heritage Month Lecture {{!}} News Center |url=https://news.gatech.edu/news/2023/04/12/steven-lim-deliver-aapi-heritage-month-lecture |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Georgia Tech |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Mendez |first=Rose |date=2023-03-11 |title=Steven Lim spotlights Asian American representation in media |url=https://dailytitan.com/lifestyle/steven-lim-spotlights-asian-american-representation-in-media/article_f11a22f8-bfb6-11ed-adfd-270be9762cea.html |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=Daily Titan |language=en}}
“In the end, I realized that representation is not just about talking about your identity and making sure [people] understand who you are,” Lim said. “It’s not like … you’re pounding it down people’s throats. It’s about being a human being and being present in people’s lives. Me being an Asian American host for a food show that’s [mainly] a food show can have just as much impact as me talking about my identity.”{{Cite web |last=Bender |first=Kyle |date=2019-10-21 |title=Students go on a (date) night with BuzzFeed producer Steven Lim |url=https://www.dailyuw.com/arts_and_culture/students-go-on-a-date-night-with-buzzfeed-producer-steven-lim/article_1fe3c27c-f3d4-11e9-a1e0-abc693f3c876.html |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=The Daily of the University of Washington |language=en}}In March 2025, Lim and Cho announced she was pregnant with the couples first child.{{Cite web |title=1 in 68 in progress. Baby Lim coming Summer 2025. |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DHkBqFEyVhv/?img_index=10 |access-date=2025-05-13 |website=www.instagram.com}}
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Award !Category !Nominated work !Result !Ref. |
| 2019
|Best Cinematography (Shared with Andrew Ilnyckyj and Adam Bianchi) |{{Won}} |
| 2023
|UNFO Awards |Digital Influencer Award |{{N/a}} |{{Won}} |