Kevin Kreider is supposed to be the most relatable character on Netflix's new show, Bling Empire. While he isn’t the biggest personality on the docuseries, he was meant to be the character that viewers could relate to. With information about his work and estimated net worth coming out, it turns out that his persona on Bling Empire may be deceptive.
Inspired by the movie Crazy Rich Asians, Bling Empire follows a group of wealthy Asians and Asian-Americans. It has all the glitz and glamour that fans want, as it follows the lives of socialites in Los Angeles. It also has the drama of a Real Housewives franchise. Due to its group of heiresses and self-made millionaires, the show's producers worried that viewers wouldn’t be able to connect with the show. That’s why they decided to include Kevin Kreider. An aspiring model, who is renting a room in a shared house (and supposedly unfamiliar with the extravagance of the affluent), he was supposed to be the "non-rich" member of the group.
While he allegedly doesn't have anywhere near Anna Shay’s $600 million fortune, he reportedly has a net worth of approximately $10 million according to The Tab. If that number is accurate, it puts him on par with castmate Kim Lee's net worth, and makes him richer than castmates Guy Tang and Kelly Mi Li.
Far from being an “aspiring” model, Kreider has actually modeled extensively all over the world. He has been hired by big names, including Men’s Health and Abercrombie and Fitch. All of this was explained in the documentary The Ugly Model, which Kreider was the subject of in 2019. He has also worked as a fitness coach and motivational speaker and is CEO of Traejin Entertainment LLC, an entertainment firm. This doesn’t fit with Bling Empire's portrayal of Kevin.
While it’s clear Kreider has worked hard for his money, he has supposedly managed to become a millionaire, which doesn't gel with his image on the show. Kreider promotes that image himself. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, when asked to be on Bling Empire, Kreider said, “You know I’m not rich…That might ruin your guys’ vibe because I don’t know that world very well.” With this new information, fresh suspicions have been raised about how realistic the show actually is.
Kreider’s millionaire status wouldn’t be such a big deal, except that it makes his Bling Empire persona seem fictional. Fans may not react well to being misled. At the very least, it will change what fans expect from a possible season two.
Sources: Entertainment Weekly, The Tab