Chinese Netizens Praise “Hot” TikTok CEO Amid US Congress Hearing

With more than 135 million users, TikTok is one of America’s most popular social media platforms, especially among young people. This week is a critical moment for the company as the United States Congress held its first round of hearings to decide whether to ban the app over national security concerns.

Owned by ByteDance, a Chinese tech giant, TikTok has been under scrutiny for a long time.

At the hearing on March 23, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew defended the company’s right to operate in the U.S. This is the first time Chew is in the media spotlight.

While many in China watched the hearing online, some viewers were paying attention to something other than what Chew had to say about TikTok and cybersecurity — his attractive appearance.

Many online were surprised by how young and good-looking the CEO is.

“Leaving aside everything else, this dude is so handsome! He is everything I imagined of the elite class,” one wrote on Weibo, China’s top microblogging platform.

Others are also impressed by Chew’s journey to becoming the CEO of TikTok.

Born in Singapore in 1983, Chew started his career at Goldman Sachs after graduating from the University College London. He moved to the U.S. for his MBA at Harvard Business School.

Before joining TikTok in 2021, Chew worked for Xiaomi, another Chinese tech giant known for its electric appliances, and facilitated the company’s IPO.

All images via VCG