Malaysian actress Koe Yeet reflects on her upcoming marriage: 'Excited but nervous'


Malaysian actress Koe Yeet opens up about marriage, her Chinese New Year plans and her bold leap from law to acting. Photo: ART CHEN/The Star

As Chinese New Year approaches, Malaysian actress Koe Yeet is preparing for a new chapter in her life: marriage.

This year’s celebration will not only be her last as an “unmarried” woman but also the final one she will share exclusively with her family.

“It’s tradition to spend the first day of CNY with your husband’s family, followed by your own.

“I’m looking forward to spending this entire CNY with my family for the last time this year.

“It’s going to be emotional, but I’m determined to make it unforgettable,” the 33-year-old told StarLifestyle in an exclusive interview.

Yeet, who announced her engagement on Instagram last month, revealed that she will marry her boyfriend of four years, a Malaysian man outside the entertainment industry, later this year.

Having always been her own boss, the Selangor-born actress admitted to feeling both excited and nervous about the changes marriage will bring.

For one, she can’t travel on a whim anymore.

“I don’t think I can ever prepare for the changes, but I can grow to embrace it by taking everything one step at a time.

“First, I’m going to move into a new place and then get along with my in-laws. Breaking it down like this makes the transition more manageable,” she said.

Although Yeet acknowledged that her work life will change as she plans to start a family, she’s embracing the future with optimism while allowing nature to take its course.

“Change isn’t always bad. Sometimes, closing one door opens 10 others with better scenarios,” she added.

Fated for the arts

Yeet believes her career in the arts has always been set in stone.

Since joining show business at the age of five, Yeet has appeared in a range of shows such as Ah Long Pte Ltd, Fantasia, Love At First Swipe and more.

She also starred in the 2013 web series Wind Chimes In A Bakery, which amassed over 4.7 million views on YouTube.

Her crowning achievement came in 2021 when she won the Best Newcomer prize at Busan’s Asia Contents Awards for her role in the 2020 Mediacorp drama Titoudao: Inspired By The True Story Of A Wayang Star.

Yeet won the Best Newcomer prize at Busan’s Asia Contents Awards for her role in 'Titoudao: Inspired By The True Story Of A Wayang Star'. Photo: HandoutYeet won the Best Newcomer prize at Busan’s Asia Contents Awards for her role in 'Titoudao: Inspired By The True Story Of A Wayang Star'. Photo: Handout

That following year, she was invited to the Busan Film Festival to present two awards – the Rolling Youth Film Award and Best Asian Animation prize.

Reflecting on her big win, Yeet said: “Acting is a job where, when luck comes by, you really have to seize it. I’m very blessed to receive this award. It’s fate.”

Detour in her career

Yeet’s path to success wasn’t always smooth.

As a child, she struggled with stage fright, prompting her parents to enrol her in modelling and performing arts classes to build her confidence.

At age five, Yeet was scouted by a talent agency for a commercial, and by seven, she landed her first role in a TV series.

Yeet started her career at a very young age, starring in various commercials. Photo: ART CHEN/The StarYeet started her career at a very young age, starring in various commercials. Photo: ART CHEN/The StarDespite this early start, familial expectations loomed.

“I come from a family of accountants, and my dad told me to choose between a doctor, dentist, lawyer, accountant or engineer.

“I had braces when I was 19 and always thought I’d be a dentist as it’s a solid, well-paying job,” she said.

Although dentistry felt like a good choice at first, Yeet’s enthusiasm crumbled during her internship at a dental clinic.

“It was the worst three months ever!” she exclaimed.

“I disliked everything about it, from the blood to the smell of the place. I remember crying to my dad, saying it wasn’t for me, and he told me to pick something else.”

After ditching dentistry, Yeet explored law – not out of passion but by process of elimination.

“I wasn’t into math, so accounting was out, and I didn’t enjoy drawing either which ruled out architecture. I didn’t mind law as I was good at memorisation from years of reading scripts,” she said.

Yeet earned her law degree from the University of Reading in England before pursuing the Bar Professional Training Course at Manchester Metropolitan University.

After being called to the Bar in 2018 at The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn in London, she returned to Malaysia and worked at a law firm for three months before deciding the 9-to-5 grind wasn’t for her.

“I found the job to be very repetitive. I wanted to go out, meet new people and try all sorts of crazy things, but law didn’t allow me that flexibility,” she explained.

Just like that, Yeet traded her law degree for the limelight, though her confidence wavered when the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020.

With the entertainment industry at a standstill, she found herself without any projects, while her friends thrived in their law careers.

Yet, the young celebrity trusted her instincts – a choice that paid off in 2021 after she won the Best Newcomer award for Titoudao, which was shot in 2019.

Last October, she received the Most Promising Actress of the Year prize at the McMillan Woods Global Awards for her contributions to the film industry.

“It felt like a pat on my back, and I knew I had made the right choice,” she said.

Yeet receives the Most Promising Actress of the Year prize at the McMillan Woods Global Awards. Photo: Koe Yeet/InstagramYeet receives the Most Promising Actress of the Year prize at the McMillan Woods Global Awards. Photo: Koe Yeet/Instagram

Staying authentic

Beyond her acting career, Yeet is a popular content creator.

She started posting content eight years ago, attracting only a modest following. However, her “Get Ready With Me” videos started gaining traction during the lockdown.

“I had a lot of clothes during the lockdown and was thinking of selling it for charity. The only way to sell it is to put it on yourself, so that’s what I did and it took off,” she said.

Buoyed by this success, Yeet expanded her content to include family and lifestyle posts, offering her followers a glimpse into her life beyond the spotlight.

The actress now has over 937,000 followers on Instagram and more than 210,000 followers on TikTok.

Yeet credited her success to keeping things real.

“When you’re acting or going to events, people see this polished version of you, but behind the scenes, this is who I really am,” she said.

The Battle Of Hip Hopera star also noted a shift in audience preferences over time.

“Social media used to be all about aesthetics, but people gravitate toward authenticity now.

“Ever since I stopped caring about the aesthetics and just posted what I really enjoyed, my social media presence really took off,” she said.

Despite her success, Yeet believes in the importance of education as a backup plan, offering advice to those who dream of becoming influencers or actors.

“These jobs don’t always offer a stable income, so education is your safety net,” she added.

Work hard, play hard

Last year, Yeet took her digital presence a step further by launching her own social media marketing agency Noads Creative.

She’s preparing for even bigger projects this year, including the launch of her own platform, a podcast and a few secret ventures.

“I’m making sure everything is of the highest quality before launching them. I don’t want people to think these projects are only successful because of my name,” she said.

Trying new things has always been a part of Yeet’s nature.

It’s her way of recharging after putting in the hard work.

Her adventurous spirit led her to try skiing in Japan last year, though she tore her ACL in the process. Despite the setback, she’s still eager to take on new experiences, but with more caution now.

The actress enjoys travelling, seeing it as a way to unwind and recharge. Photo: Koe Yeet/InstagramThe actress enjoys travelling, seeing it as a way to unwind and recharge. Photo: Koe Yeet/Instagram

“I love trying different things. When I was a kid, people told me I couldn’t sing, so I picked up singing lessons. When they said I only knew how to play the piano, I learned the violin but didn’t really enjoy it,” she recounted.

Travel plays a key role in Yeet’s life, with the actress often taking family trips to unwind.

“I enjoy spending time with my family, so during my trips, I say ‘no’ to all my jobs because this is my time to relax,” she said.

All in all, Yeet has no interest in chasing wealth but happiness.

When asked about her main goal in life, the actress listed some ambitious targets, but ultimately said she wants to be content in the long run.

“I wish I could say my dream goal is to be included in the list of Top 10 Most Influential Women or be on the cover of Forbes, but in the long run, I just want to be happy.

“I want to have a good family, be surrounded by good people and be content with whatever I do. Life would be so much more fulfilling then, so here’s to one of my 2025 resolutions,” she said.

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