We were lucky to catch up with Kim Hoang recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kim, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
It was a challenge because I felt like everything I did, it was not a great fit in my life and I wanted to fill in those pieces to build the puzzle to see the picture. So I started exploring activities of all kinds including sports, art and things of that nature to see that I liked. Once I figured out the things that I felt was my calling and purpose in life, I wanted to aim my energies into them because I felt like it was something that if something higher than me lead me to those callings, then I wanted to make sure I did anything and everything I can to fulfill that purpose. If it makes you happy then you know it’s leading you into the right direction of what you want to do in life and your future!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am an Asian American that was born in Annapolis, MD but now reside minutes away from Washington DC. I would not have been here geographically if it wasn’t for my family who immigrated here from Vietnam during the fall of the Vietnam War. I have been a person of creativity in many mediums. Specifically Local Film Actor (hopefully will make it to the major film industry as an actor) a martial artist being a 3rd Degree Black Belt in the art of Moo Duk Kwan Style of Taekwondo and have my own podcast show.
In acting I have lately been in film projects such as recently Romel Xavier Moralez’s comedy action film “Miscalculated” and his upcoming film “Uncalculated” which is the prequel to Miscalculated. It was not only my experience in acting, but also my martial arts experience and stunt knowledge that helped me to earn my spot on those great films. The thing that I want people to know as much as I am an actor that has trained in martial arts, I just don’t want to be an actor doing only that. I have done films that did not require that and I have done theater before jumping in film where that was not even required. I want to show my versatility as an actor and let my talent show that I love and can do all genres in the acting world. After being in many local films, extras on major motion picture films and TV Shows, I felt like I found one of my callings.
Being a Taekwondo practitioner, it has been a constant in my life and has helped me through the good an bad. I started training when I was 7 because I used to get bullied a lot back then. I knew that if I wanted to not be anyone’s punching bag, to develop self confidence and self discipline, then this was the answer. I look at that aspect of my life and I appreciate so much of what it did for me, the challenges I face and the evolution I went through to be the martial artist that I am today. It has provided me so much when it comes to my confidence, self discipline & more. I want to show to my fellow students and those that I help instruct that you don’t have to be a perfect person to be a great martial artist. You just have to be a person that is willing to listen, to consistently work hard & have a proper attitude so that you will succeed in martial arts. As my taekwondo instructor Grandmaster Amos Johnson Jr would always tell us “Patience and Training, Develops Character. That said, thank you Kwanjangnim Johnson!
And for Podcasting I wanted to be the person that wanted to celebrate creativity of all varieties through the people that engage in that activity. Especially the ones that are unknown that are not as established yet. Today’s actor could potentially be the next Cillian Murphy or Michelle Yeoh. Same thing like how today’s singer like my friend Attena (an upcoming singer from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) who could be the next Demi Lovato! Why can’t we celebrate them & at the same time have a podcast show where we can talk about anything that we want (except no religion and no politics). Let’s make make it happen! That’s when “The Kim Hoang Podcast Experience” podcast show was born. Almost reaching 5 seasons coming in 2026, having followers and subscribers world wide (not just The United States alone) and we’re already on 6 podcasting platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcast, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Audible and iHeartRadio. My late friend Jonathan Henderson always told me that I had a gift of conversation, so why not use it? The rest is history. Not bad for a guy from a small town of Annapolis, Maryland!!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three qualities, skills or areas of knowledge that I felt has worked for me, which also serves as my advice to others are as follows.
1) Put in the work: If there is something that you love to do like being a musician or actor, you must dedicate yourself by putting in the time to work on that craft. Yes there is something called “natural talent” but that can only get you so far if you have never had any experience in said activity. Work on it frequently and you won’t have to second guess anything because it will a natural ability. When it becomes natural to do the activity which leads me to my next point.
2) Be consistent: If you want to work on your creative craft, you got to be consistent in your work. A martial artist did not earn any rank by training one day a week. You have to train a lot during the week so that you can put in the work to learn what you must in order to get promoted to the next level, which also includes training outside of class so that the information you learn will stick. Could you learn from just training one day a week, yes you can but why take that risk when you know that the sure way of success is constant work. Same thing like in the world of education. You can’t get an A in the class if you don’t work consistently on your studies everyday!
and 3) Never Give Up: When people give up, it usually means that it’s the end and in my opinion if you’re still breathing, then it’s not over. You still can make happen! We live in a world where life can be challenging and to the point where we feel that the odds are so insurmountable that we may not be able to climb out of the hole we fell in. To that I say whatever you fell short on, pick yourself up, re-work the situation until it’s right (no matter how many attempts) and repeat. Anyone can throw in the towel and say their done, but it’s more rewarding to never give up, doing your best and rising above the challenge that you can overcome!
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
Wow that is a deep question to which I will respond by saying this, If I myself had a decade of life left, I wouldn’t use that time to have a pity party or say “whoa is me”. That to me does not accomplish what anyone would want in life. If anything, that should tell you that you still have plenty of time left and try to aim your focus on the things that you want to do while you still have time left because there is a lot you can do in 10 years and it’s possible to make it work if you once again put in that hard work and you consistently work hard on it.
For me, I would love to aim that emphasis on working hard of trying to establish myself as a talented film actor who maybe one day would like to work with Dwayne Johnson or Brendan Fraiser, I would love to work hard in training in Taekwondo to earn a rank of at least “Master” or “Grandmaster” and even be an established podcaster like Joe Rogan, Steve Harvey and Stephen A. Smith, But most importantly I want to spend the life I have by living my life and enjoying it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Personal Instagram: @kimhoangmdactor & Podcast Instagram: @tkhpcexperience
- Twitter: Personal Twitter: @kimhoangmdactor & Podcast Twitter: @tkhpcexperience
- Youtube: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimhoangmd/
- Other: To Access My Podcast Show “The Kim Hoang Podcast Experience” check them out on the podcasting platforms of Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Audible and iHeartRadio
Image Credits
Romel Xavier Moralez, Jim Hart, Juan Acevedo, Cameron Whittington, and Annapolis Martial Arts Center
