Today we’d like to introduce you to Yb Chang Biste
Hi YB, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Seoul, Korea and was raised there until I was 12. Seeing that I was more on the creative side (I loved storytelling, drawing and writing), my parents decided to send me to America. At age 12, I went to the U.S. and continued my passion for creative writing, but this time in English. I attended high school in Palos Verdes, California and took a video production class as an elective. There, I learned that I actually loved making videos, since it was a way of visual storytelling.
I was accepted into University of Southern California for their film & TV production program, which was my dream school. I learned everything about filmmaking there, especially focusing on directing and editing. I discovered my passion for editing and wanted to pursue that further. After graduating, I began an internship at BuzzFeed, and entered the world of digital media. I fell in love with creating YouTube videos and reaching a worldwide audience. I was hired as a full time video editor at BuzzFeed and worked on their big shows including the Try Guys, Worth It, and Ladylike, and also appeared in some videos as talent, which helped me start my own YouTube channel.
In 2018, the Try Guys left BuzzFeed and made their own company. I was in contact with them and they offered me a job, so I joined them as their video editor. I continued my YouTube channel and worked as a talent as well. Now in 2024, I am their senior video editor and also part of the main cast, sharing my passion for editing and creating videos through my social media.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have been very fortunate in my career to have had a pretty smooth road and great connections. I really got everything I wanted. Of course, with many years representing a channel with millions of followers, there was going to be a challenge.
In 2022, there was a huge scandal involving the Try Guys. It blew out of proportion (even featured in SNL and New York Times) and drew lots of unwanted attention from the public. Even though I wasn’t directly involved in the scandal, I was deeply affected through my affiliation and it was definitely a challenge to navigate through weeks and months of negative attention. At the end, we came out of it stronger, and I’m so proud of our team of how they handled the situation.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My job is special because I do two different things. My main job is a senior video editor. I edit the Try Guys’ biggest shows, and some of the episodes are close to an hour long with 6-8 cameras, like a TV show. These videos are viewed by millions of people and I always feel so excited and proud to share them with the audience.
My second job is a cast/talent. I appear on camera as a host, specializing in international food videos. I love food and creating a video about it makes me so happy.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Developing connections is the most important thing in the media world. I met the Try Guys through BuzzFeed and that set the whole career path for me. Reach out to people, talk to people, and share your passion. The more passionate you are about what you want to do, the more they will remember you.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/xoybox
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/ybchangofficial
