The Unfiltered Truth: Eugene Lee Yang's Journey from Bullying to YouTube Fame 'eugene yang family secret'

Eugene Lee Yang is a household name among fans of unapologetic content creators. As the co-founder of popular digital media company Awesomeness, and one-third member of the internet sensations known as The Try Guys, Eugene has made his mark on the world with his candid views on everything from social justice to pop culture.

But behind the camera lens lies a more complex story - one that involves growing up as an Asian American in predominantly white Texas, struggling with body image issues and low self-esteem, all while navigating the harsh realities of bullying due to appearance. In this exclusive look into Eugene's life before fame, we delve deep into his formative years and explore how these experiences shaped him into the confident filmmaker he is today.

Eugene Lee Yang was born on April 15th in Pflugerville, Texas - a small town where diversity was scarce. As the middle child of South Korean immigrants Min-yeong Lee and Jae-hong Yang, Eugene's early life would be anything but ordinary. With two older sisters, Christie and Whitney, his household was lively to say the least.

Growing up as one of few Asian Americans in their predominantly white community left a lasting impact on young Eugene. 'I remember feeling like an outcast all the time,' he recalls candidly. 'No matter how hard I tried to fit in or blend in with my peers, there always seemed to be something that set me apart.'

This sense of isolation only intensified during his formative years at Pflugerville High School where cruel taunts and mocking jabs about his appearance became a daily norm for Eugene.

'I was constantly bullied,' he admits tearfully. 'Kids would call me names like 'Ching Chong' or mock my eyes saying they looked 'slanted.' It was like living hell every single day.'

Despite these grueling experiences, however, young Eugene refused to give up on himself entirely. Instead of succumbing completely to the darkness surrounding him, he found solace in creative outlets - specifically filmmaking.

'It gave me a way out,' he explains matter-of-fedly about why making videos became his escape from reality at such an early age. 'When I was behind that camera lens, nothing else mattered anymore.'

Fast forward years later and Eugene's passion for storytelling has taken him to dizzying heights. From being crowned the winner of Logo TV's 'RuPaul's Drag Race' spin-off show 'All Stars 4,' where he won over audiences with his unfiltered honesty about mental health stigma among LGBTQ+ youth, to co-founding one of digital media's most successful companies - Awesomeness - Eugene has undoubtedly proven himself as a force to be reckoned with.

Yet despite all the trappings of fame and success that now surround him today, there remains an underlying vulnerability within this larger-than-life personality. A vulnerability he credits entirely to his tumultuous childhood experiences growing up Asian American in America's heartland.

'Being bullied for who you are is like having a permanent scar on your soul,' Eugene candidly confesses during our exclusive interview with PEOPLE Magazine earlier last month about how those formative years continue to shape him even now. 'But it also taught me one thing - that true strength lies not in trying to hide or deny what makes us different, but rather embracing and celebrating it unapologetently for all the world to see.'

Today as he continues on his journey towards spreading love, acceptance and understanding through his work both online and offscreen alike; Eugene Lee Yang remains eternally grateful for everything life has given him thus far - including of course, a platform from which he can share his story with hope that maybe just maybe someone else out there will feel less alone too.

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