Key Opinion Leaders, otherwise known as KOLs, are leaders in their respective niches. Each one of them excelled in his or her own field, developing a unique sense of style and along the way, they cultivated a mass following among their fans for their personal views and alluring personalities. But the current crop of KOLs go way beyond and above merely a collage of pretty faces and luxury brand endorsers after reaping different levels of success in their own right and garnering relevance for myriad reasons. The following are the city’s most closely-tracked KOLs with large followings mainly for the positive changes that they bring to the young generation.
@emiwong_
Emi Wong, a local YouTube fitness guru whose HIIT workout tutorials reached millions across the city, showcasing how to effectively break a sweat with workouts fit for limited space. Her down-to-earth personality won over a fan base of over three million followers across her Youtube, Facebook and Instagram platforms, especially after opening up about her struggles of overcoming an unhealthy lifestyle and eating disorder. Now a certified advanced personal trainer, she motivates city folks to cut down on unhealthy habits and offers tips for an effective full-workout in a typical small-sized Hong Kong flat.
@char1es
A pioneer in influencing men’s fashion on social media and a well-established luxury fashion KOL leader, Charles Lam set out into uncharted waters when he first dove into social media and he has since set the bar high for aspiring digital fashion influencers who wish to follow in his footsteps. With a digital stronghold of hundreds of thousand social media followers, he has racked up a slew of collaboration with global luxury brands and he undoubtedly enjoys a very prominent stature in the luxury fashion sphere.
@itsbubz
Simply known as Bubz, Lindy Tsang is a YouTube beauty and lifestyle vlogger. She is a pioneer in the YouTube beauty community and is known as one of the first beauty gurus who successfully carved out a full-time career out of reviewing cosmetics and skincare products. But it’s her bubbly and relatable personality which continues to win over millions worldwide, even as she remarkably remains loyal and true to her Hong Kong roots while residing in Ireland. As her main channel matured into a daily vlog of her life as a mother, a fitness and painting enthusiast, as well as K-pop fan, she has found new success as an author and continues to inspire and motivate women to shine with authenticity.
@mayaoo
A stylist to major stars, including Aaron Kwok, Jay Chou and Fan Bingbing, Tianyo Mayao gained fame by not following rules and being unapologetically himself. While he humbly credits pure luck as key driver of his new- found success as a social media fashion and beauty KOL, his establishment of his own commercial agency, his unique fashion style, ever changing hairstyles and bold visual statements on what men’s beauty comprise a very strong influence on the young who contemplate breaking the rules and expressing themselves.
@jlouofficial
Known for her comedic performances and ability to speak multiple languages, half-Chinese and half-French Hongkonger, J Lou, has established a loyal fan base who has tracked her closely as she grew from a quirky personality into becoming one of the most followed beauty and fashion influencers on social media. She continues to create comedic content on YouTube, though, she has caught the attention of major brands and found unimaginable success as a social media influencer in Hong Kong. For a young woman who built her career from her skits and impersonation of her disapproving Asian mom, her personality and content speak volumes to numerous Hong Kong youths and even earned her a spot as a TedX speaker, twice, where she encouraged the young to pursue big dreams even amid adverse circumstances.
@curiouschristoffer
A dentist by day but an explorer during his days off, Christoffer Cheng often brings a smile to Hong Kong people. Other times, he fixes out-of-town flights and brings along his more than 50,000 Instagram followers to a visual journey, treating them to breath-taking landscapes in his travels and his tasteful style. With compelling backdrops of his global destinations, his style and the brands that track him in his adventures, he brings a lively sense of glamour to an aspirational lifestyle that many dream of and aspire to have.
@aikonari.art
Aiko Narissara Yeung is a Hong Kong visual artist and social media influencer who has expressed a strong devotion to art in all mediums. With a unique style that sets her apart from many others, she has been featured in galleries outside the city and she was able to sell all of her old works within half a year. Aside from luxury brands, including Dolce＆ Gabbana and Love Moschino, she undertakes work for different service-orientated institutions, including Unicef, Human Rights Campaign and WWF. Her success stretches across different platforms and she has a mass following of more than 200,000 even as she continues to collaborate with different beauty and fashion brands. 
@keithleefitness
Far from what a typical suit-and-tie lawyer looks like, Keith Lee‘s Instagram page features his keenness for a smart, modern suit which highlights his six-pack abs and Hong Kong’s backdrop behind him. Though his profession entails provision of legal services, the bodybuilding contents of his social media accounts spelled much difference and primarily caught the attention of fitness enthusiasts on social media.
@scarrednotscared
Providing a much-needed inspiration in a society harshly marked by judgment and body shaming, Michelle Elman provides a strong presence in the world of female empowerment. Her noble work has not gone unnoticed, enabling her to build up more than 300,000 followers across all her platforms. The Hong Kong-born, London-based life coach employed the “Scarred Not Scared” campaign as a vehicle to empower women who had undergone surgery in a bid to return a sense of confidence and pride in their own body. An active user of social media, Elman frequently shares her own thoughts and stories which opened up opportunities to work with major brands, notably Dove, Johnson & Johnson and Paramount as she advanced the cause of body positivity. She recently wrote a book titled, The Joy of Being Selfish, in which she speaks out about her own experiences and how she reclaimed her life through a wellness approach.