From having stage fright as a child to gracing the silver screen, Koe Yeet has made remarkable strides. Now at 32, the actress shares with BURO why she feels more content than ever before.

Koe Yeet walks into the photography studio on a sunny Tuesday morning, accompanied by her proud mother, who is here to support her injured daughter. Yeet, currently on crutches due to a torn ACL sustained during a skiing trip to Japan, is the epitome of resilience. Despite having undergone surgery and being in recovery, she is determined to resume work with full force. That's just who she is. “I enjoy my freedom,” she says simply with a smile, her dimples lighting up her face, when I ask how she manages to stay so active.

If you've seen any of her ‘Get Ready With Me’ videos on TikTok or Instagram, you already know that Yeet is just as vibrant and animated in real life, bursting with effervescent energy. Her enthusiasm is truly infectious on set, lifting everyone's spirits while we set up and get ready to shoot.

The 32-year-old actress and content creator describes herself as "adventurous, quirky, and weird." When asked to elaborate on her self-proclaimed weirdness, she laughs and says, "I'm so weird. If you hang out with me long enough, you'll think so too. I speak my mind and am very independent, which is why you'll see me being myself on camera."

Her authenticity shines through in every aspect of her life and career, making her a relatable and inspiring figure to her fans and followers. As she gets comfortable in the makeup chair, we discuss her journey to becoming an actress, going over the challenges and triumphs she encountered along the way.

It seems that Yeet was fated to pursue the arts. As our conversation begins, an intriguing fun fact surfaces: her name translates to "highly artistic" in Mandarin, which is a rather fitting reflection of her career path today. Nevertheless, the road to her current success has been anything but straightforward.

Reflecting on her beginnings, she shares, "As a child, I struggled with severe stage fright. To help me gain confidence, my parents enrolled me in catwalk lessons, which made a significant difference. It was during this time that a talent agent noticed me and approached my parents about starring in a commercial. I was only five years old then. One thing led to another, and I starred in my first TV series at the age of seven," she recalls.

Yet, despite her early foray into showbiz, Yeet made a surprising detour by choosing to read law in the United Kingdom, ultimately completing the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) after finishing her law degree.

"I wasn't originally planning on becoming a lawyer. Actually, I wanted to be a dentist," she reveals flashing her perfect smile. "I initially pursued pure science because I spent over three years wearing braces throughout secondary school and my A-levels. Every dental visit, I'd see the bill—it would always be RM500 or sometimes even RM800. Back then, it seemed like a fortune. I remember telling my dad, 'I'll help you earn that money back.' His response? 'Well then, go become a dentist!'"

To gain experience, Yeet briefly worked in a dental clinic but soon realised that it was not for her. "I hated every second of it. Routine work just isn't my thing," she admits. Because of this, due to familial expectations, Yeet's father presented her with five career choices: dentist, doctor, lawyer, accountant, or engineer. "He said, 'Choose one.'"

Destined for creativity

In the face of such a challenging decision, Yeet took a pragmatic approach: "I've always been comfortable with memorising things because I’ve been reading scripts since I was a kid," she explains. "So, I decided to give law a try for a year at the University of Reading and I didn't mind it, so I continued."

The starlet then pursued the BPTC at Manchester Metropolitan University. After meeting the study requirements and being called to the Bar in 2018 at The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn in London—an achievement in itself—Yeet returned to Malaysia and worked in a law firm for three months before deciding it wasn’t for her.

"I realised that the nine-to-five office routine and doing the same work repeatedly wasn't where my passion lies," she reflects. "As a former actress at the time, I value freedom and working on my own terms. The structured environment didn’t suit me."

Despite initially pursuing law, Yeet's passion for the arts never waned, leading her to occasionally land acting roles along the way, such as in the Taiwanese romance dance film Battle of Hip Hopera and the Singapore drama series Titoudao, seasons one and two. The latter even earned her the ‘Best Newcomer Actress’ award at the Asia Contents Awards 2021, hosted by the Busan International Film Festival. This eventually motivated her to immerse herself more deeply in acting. Her journey stands as a testament to how one’s true calling can be winding and unpredictable.

Family is paramount to Yeet, and with her father all in behind her decision, she returned to Malaysia for good to pursue acting. Fate seemed to favour her once more, and Yeet shared a poignant Chinese saying that resonates deeply with her:

"There's a saying, 'Tian Shi, Di Li, Ren He,' which means you need God's blessing, support from those around you, and to be in the right place at the right time for things to succeed. I feel fortunate to have been in that position.”

"Despite my absence from studying abroad, people still remembered me. I was lucky to receive casting calls and shooting opportunities upon my return. I consider myself very fortunate in this industry,” she reminisces.

Spreading her wings

So what makes a great actress? I pose this question to Yeet, eager to learn what qualities she believes contribute to her success. After a thoughtful pause, she shares, “I draw a lot of emotions and experiences from my own life. I consider myself quite sensitive and a keen observer.”

“For me, acting isn’t just about expressing emotions; it’s about empathy, imagination, and observing those around me—understanding their reactions and incorporating that into my work. It’s about embodying different roles authentically,” she adds.

Yeet’s ultimate goal isn’t solely a successful career, but to find joy in each role, appreciate the creative process, and cherish the overall outcome. She finds fulfilment in these aspects. “Acting in Malaysia isn’t lucrative, so it’s not about the money. I want people to recognise me for my versatility—I can succeed in anything I set my mind to, whether starting a business, acting, or practising law,” she asserts.

While it appears that Yeet can accomplish anything she sets her mind to, there have been challenges along the way. One of these is mastering the Malay language.

"My Malay is just not up to par," she admits apologetically. "I attended a Chinese school from primary through secondary, so my English and Mandarin are excellent. I want to speak Malay fluently, but I'm still working on it."

She elaborates, reflecting on a past experience: "I had the opportunity to work on a show called Kudeta for Astro with Vanidah Imran and Aedy Ashraf in 2022. It tells the dystopian story of a politician and the tumultuous journey to becoming prime minister. I auditioned and landed the role, only to realise later that I needed to speak Malay fluently, which proved challenging."

Yeet recounts with a touch of humour, "Fortunately, my character required me to speak Malay with a French accent, so that made it a bit easier," she shares with a laugh. "Whenever I speak it, people often comment that I sound Chinese. It's actually been my New Year's resolution this year to improve my spoken Malay, and I'm still working on it."

Embracing her flaws

Despite the challenges, Yeet finds acting incredibly fulfilling. She believes that embodying a character allows her to experience a unique connection with others who share her perspective, which deeply resonates with her.

"I'm a very expressive person; I wear my heart on my sleeve. Maybe it's something God gave me as a talent, but because of my sensitivity, acting feels natural to me," she explains, smiling. "Just don't ask me to sing, though!"

Over the past few years, you might have noticed Yeet becoming more prominent on social media. This didn't happen spontaneously; rather, it began as a strategy to evolve with the industry.

"I think it was about seven or eight years ago," she remembers. "I spoke to a movie producer who asked me about my following on social media. At the time, I had a few thousand followers on Instagram—maybe around 40,000 or 50,000—not a lot."

"He told me, 'In the movie industry, like any other business, we need eyeballs. People want to see you because they know you. You have to put effort into your social media,'" she explains. "That was a turning point for me, realising that art is also a business. I mean, it’s called show business for a reason!”

That was the moment when she felt compelled to make a change. While Yeet loved acting, she also wanted something to support it. “I wanted to be able to act, but at the same time, I wanted people to watch my shows. And I knew that I had to work on it,” she explains.

Broadening her horizons

Since then, Yeet has focused her efforts on creating meaningful and authentic content. While her growth was initially slow, she recently gained significant traction due to a shift in audience preference towards authenticity.

“Previously, everything had to be beautiful, perfect. Nowadays, it's more about being genuine. I've always been myself on social media, and I think people have started to appreciate that,” she reflects. “I don't curate it in a specific way. It's just authentically me, and that's what resonates with people now.”

“At the end of the day, we're here to entertain. People enjoy watching whether you're playing a character, being yourself, or even cooking on TV,” she adds. “Having a YouTube channel as an actress or transitioning from YouTuber to acting isn't a bad thing because the goal remains the same: to entertain.” Nowadays, she notes, audiences crave behind-the-scenes content, making versatility and flexibility essential.

One of the things she frequently shares online is her day-to-day style, which is highly relatable. Yeet describes it as casual yet meticulously put together—a blend of comfort and sophistication.

“I believe fashion is akin to acting,” she muses. “Acting is about reacting—expressing what you feel and how you interpret a script or interact with another actor. Similarly, fashion is a form of self-expression. It’s about conveying your emotions through clothing, shaping how you want others to perceive you in that moment.”

Interestingly, despite being in the entertainment industry for more than a decade now, fashion is a path that Yeet stumbled into just two years ago after COVID. “For me, fashion is like wearing a mask—it boosts my confidence when needed and allows me to communicate my personality or mood at any given time,” she tells me.

Hitting refresh

When asked about her favourite outfit, Yeet reflects on her barrister robe and wig worn during her call to the Bar. “While it isn’t exactly stylish, that ensemble symbolises a milestone achieved through hard work, dedication, and perseverance,” she explains proudly. “It’s a tangible reminder of what I’ve accomplished—an achievement I truly cherish.”

With more fashion projects on the horizon, Yeet expresses her excitement, finding it more fascinating and exhilarating than she had imagined. She also looks ahead with ambitious plans. “I’m preparing to launch my social media marketing agency, a project I’ve been developing for some time now,” she concludes the interview with a smile, eagerly anticipating what lies ahead.