10 Asian female celebrities who are also successful girl bosses

They’re best known for their roles on TV or as chart-topping singers, but outside of the camera, they’re also savvy businesswomen who have chosen to go down the entrepreneurial route.

From K-pop star Jessica Jung to homegrown celebs like Jeanette Aw and Irene Ang, these asian female celebrities also take charge of their own businesses.

1. Kim Tae Hee

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Not just one of South Korea’s most popular actresses, Kim Tae Hee’s also a real estate mogul. In fact, she’s proven her mettle as a real estate investor so much so that she reportedly started a property rental firm that manages the businesses that rent spaces from her.

Just recently, the 41-year-old sold her building in Gangnam, Seoul, which apparently fetched a cool  7.1 billion won (S$8.4 million).

2. Jessica Jung

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Love Jessica Jung’s chic sartorial looks? You can shop the former Girls Generation member’s style from her successful luxury fashion label, Blanc & Eclare, which she founded in 2014 and now boasts and numerous locations across Asia as well as Canada and the US.

The brand’s aesthetic leans towards Jung’s interpretation of modern classics, from tweed jackets to vintage-inspired dresses and romantic blouses. But it’s also a fan-favourite for its premium line of denim as well as eyewear and accessories.

3. Jeanette Aw

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Home bakeries were the rage during the Circuit Breaker period last year, and Jeanette Aw’s one of those who joined the club.

The  41-year-old actress and Le Cordon Bleu-trained baker started with online bake sales in June last year, and with her bakes proving to be such a hit – she had a waiting list of almost 1,000 for her Instagram-famous brownies -, she’s now opened a new patisserie (and here’s the first look ). It’s located at Hamilton Road in the Jalan Besar area and will be opening soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

She’s also the person behind Picturesque Films, which she founded in 2017, and produces short films, digital content, as well as other creative brand pieces. Self-produced and directed by Jeanette herself in 2017, her first short film, The Last Entry, earned a nomination at the prestigious Tokyo Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2018.

ALSO READ: 13 businesses you didn't know are run by local celebrities

4. Irene Ang

There’s no need to introduce this multi-hyphenate, who went from being the much-loved Rosie off sitcom Phua Chu Kang to head honcho of Fly Entertainment, which manages homegrown talents like Adrian Pang, Allan Wu, Liv Lo, Tan Kheng Hua, Jacelyn Tay and Benjamin Kheng.

That’s not all. The 51-year-old has also dipped her toes in various F&B ventures like Thai noodle and seafood bar, Soi Candy, and Fry Rooftop Bistro & Bar, a rooftop hangout along Club Street that serves up Western-fusion cuisine, bar bites, beers, and cocktails.

5. Nadiah M. Din

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Check out Singapore actress and host Nadiah N. Din’s Instagram page and you’ll spot snaps of her lovely home that gives off serious beach vacay vibes – and some of her decor come from her own lifestyle and decor brand, Les Poupons.

Started in late 2020, it offers an array of rustic and boho-style decor as well as home accessories, from woven basket wall decor to pots, lamps, baskets and mirrors.

6. Joanne Peh

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Drawing on her belief that the art of story-telling is crucial in a child’s development, The Last Madame  actress and mother-of-two started The Dimple Loft in Feb 2018.

The company focuses on story-telling enrichment programmes that aim to invoke children’s creativity and interest in learning through hands-on play and the exploration of filmic arts, while doing things they enjoy (i.e. learning about movies or a TV show in a fun and unconventional manner).

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Here, kids get to role-play, sing, dance, create art and learn about various subjects such as music, math, science, geography, and history. It also holds ad hoc workshops and camps during the school holidays.

7. Bernice Liu

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After joining Miss Chinese International pageant in 2001, Bernice Liu has been a familiar face in the Hong Kong and Asia entertainment scene. But the actress-turned-winemaker also has her own award-winning wine label.

Starting out as a travelling winemaker, the former TVB star later started her own wine brand and estate, Bellavizio, in Bordeaux, France.

And with a decade of winemaking experience under her belt, she’s also launched Wine Maven. The online platform marries education, e-commerce and social engagement in one place, where shoppers can choose from a slew of producers at varying price points.

8. Julie Tan

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You might have visited or strolled by Botany cafe, a charming spot located in Robertson Quay. It is, in fact, opened by actress Julie Tan together with her childhood friend Serene and cousin Cassandra.

Her first F&B venture, the cafe with indoor and outdoor seating is decked in greenery and serves up a menu of East and West cuisines that use quality ingredients like organic pastas, Himalayan salt, and air-flown Australian grass-fed beef. You’ll also find the popular toasts of popular Taiwanese dessert cafe, Dazzling Cafe, which has a franchise here.

9. Nur Fazura

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Apart from being an award-winning actress, popular Malaysian star Nur Fazura Sharifuddin also helms her eponymous skincare label Fazura Skincare, which she prides on using high-quality natural ingredients.

Its line-up of products includes face scrubs, facial cleansers, night and day creams, lip balms, and serums, and is also sold in Singapore through an exclusive distributor. That’s not the only label she helms. She also co-founded TruDolly, a beauty and health brand that sells supplements, meal replacement shakes, and beauty gummies.

The newly minted first-time mom also welcomed her first child together with her husband, actor Fattah Amin, in October last year.

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10. Ella Chen

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When her contract with HIM International Music expired in 2019, Taiwanese singer-actress and S.H.E member Ella Chen struck out on her own.

Now, she’s signed to an entertainment label, Ehalo Entertainment Co., which is jointly managed by her and her husband, Malaysian businessman Alvin Lai. In an interview with 8Days, the 39-year-old mother-of-two said she had in fact started out with the mindset that “we will not earn money, and (the venture) will fail” so that she would have enough courage in the event that it really happened.

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.