How An Unexpected Career Choice Led Evan Tan to Become a Social Media Sensation

Richert Evan Tan, popularly known as Evan Tan, is a rising social media personality from the Philippines. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Saint Louis University, Baguio City, Philippines, where he graduated Cum Laude.

Today, he calls his engineering degree and certifications a “backup plan” in case his unexpected career fizzles out. The COVID-induced lockdowns were a turning point in Evan’s professional endeavors, and he took advantage of the opportunity to create viral content and become a popular figure online.

Evan calls himself a “shy guy” off camera. It turns out he is a multi-talented individual who has pursued a career as an actor, social media personality, digital creator, commercial model, and brand ambassador. This creative engineer started creating static photo content for Instagram in 2018. 

His real rise to fame came after he started posting short-form videos on TikTok in August 2019. On June 15, 2020, he gained his first million followers on TikTok and has since amassed a significant following. Evan currently boasts 11 million followers as of January 23, 2023, and 300 million likes. 

Evan was inspired to pursue his surprise career in social media by Korean actress Kim So Hyun, who is his age and has achieved great success in her field. In his videos, Evan is known for his comedic content, lip-sync videos and his own rendition of K-drama scenes. 

His stopping jump scares online are tremendously popular, having received hundreds of millions of views, and for his K-drama parodies with his Kim Jisoo standee. 

Evan is a middle child and has always had a passion for academics and extra-curricular activities. He excels in athletics and journalism, claiming “these areas helped me to develop balance and perspective in life.” Evan is also a fan of K-pop and particularly BlackPink, with Kim Jisoo being his bias, which he mentions frequently in his videos. 

Apart from his social media pursuits, Evan also loves playing basketball and can play several musical instruments, including the guitar, bass, and ukulele. As for his academic background, Tan is well aware that, “many of my fans have no idea I’m a licensed engineer!”

The multi-talented Evan Tan is a rising star in the world of social media influencers and a notable figure in the Philippines and beyond. With a large following in Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States, this young man truly is an online sensation.