Exclusive Interview: Ktown’s Peter Le Explains the “SituAsian”

The first time I saw Peter Le , I knew he had that “it” factor, its seems like the entire world has taken notice of “it”  and no one can get enough.   I was lucky enough to have another in depth interview with the Asian Adonis ,where he talks openly about the cast of Ktown, sexuality and the body that launched a million google image searches.

Okay so first and foremost, how has you life been since we’ve last spoke?

Ever since our first interview my life has been pretty crazy,  (laughs) Even my typical day of training clients at the gym, now I’m spending more time then ever on the internet replying to people on facebook and twitter, all the social networks I can think of.

That just takes up a lot of my time because I’m the only person allowed to respond to my fan base, I don’t have a PR person doing that.  So anytime I’m responding to a member it’s from me.

Have you been reading a lot of the media reaction to Ktwon, particularly to you?

Yeah, you know when I met with Scott, he’s the person that works over at CBS who interviewed me while I was in line for the audition and I was totally being myself and I wanted to present to people that I was a body builder, personal trainer and fitness model but ever since this Ktown reality show casting has been revealed everyone has been focused on things I’ve done in the past.

That’s something that I was I was trying to not let people know about because of how it correlates to my life.  My family they sort of know what’s going on but they’re not really internet savvy in searching for names, and me.  Also relationships too, I definitely never wanted people to know that I’ve done that kind of stuff in the past.

Do you think that being a nude model gave people the wrong impression of who you really are? What do you think is the biggest misconception people have of you right now?

Well, I think – I’m just trying to represent a cool, confident, strong Asian person. I’m just trying to break some stereotypes. You never see an Asian person in the lead role in an American film; Jackie Chan never gets the girl.  I think with my image and look I’m showing people ‘Hey, Asians are not all alike, there are other kinds Asians out there’. I want to create a strong image.

There are some that would say that will all the muscle bound alcohol fueled showboating that you are acting out a stereotype for a mostly white audience, how do you feel about that?

This show is totally different; it’s all about your personality. With me I’m more chilled relaxed guy but if you’re hanging out with friends and just drinking something might change. When I drink everything changes. I tell myself ‘this is my world and everyone else is just visiting’.

I don’t really don’t care about anyone else; I’m more focused on having a great time.

[pullquote]

Well I always see his pictures with his shirt off with other celebrities, and I want to say ‘Why are you taking off your shirt? You’re not that cut.’

I’m a bodybuilder who competes, I know what cut is. He’s showing it off like it’s his trademark.   ‘Like here are my abs’. Not to steal his spotlight, but I think it’s pretty easy to tell who gets more attention when the shirts come off.

(Laugh)

-Peter Le on comparisons to “The Situation”

[/pullquote]So you don’t think that this show might be showcasing some of the internal stereotypes that Asian Americans have? Especially as a Non Korean on a mostly Korean show?

Not really, we’re here in Los Angeles, if I’m hanging out with my Korean friends you can sort of ‘act Korean’. For example if you’re born in Vietnam and come here when your five and your hanging out with American friends you’re going to act like an American.  It’s really a melting pot.  Cultures get exchanged and become one.  Even though I’m different- I’m Vietnamese, when I’m with my Korean friends I feel accepted as Korean.

Alrighty  대한민국 ! Well, a lot of people have been talking about you because of Ktwon, mostly people just want to get to know you. So what is the distilled essence of Peter Le?

I’m the type of person who just thinks a lot.  I’m the type of person who if I’m around a lot of people I can still feel lonely if there’s not something satisfying me in life.  That’s why I read a lot of spiritual books and meditate and do those things that enjoy the little things in life.   Like last time I talked to you I told you I was moving to Arizona, right?

Yeah

Well, when I packed all my belongings to move, I thought to myself why am I wasting all my time packing all this stuff just to unpack when I get over there.  So I just started throwing everything away.   It verified for me that when you throw away all the excess in your life you feel free and uncluttered.  You feel more like yourself and more in tune in what you’re really doing with your life.

So you’re committed to living a minimalist existence how does that translate into everyday life for you?

(laughs) It’s pretty simple when I go home its pretty much just to sleep or maybe go on the internet.  Which is a home’s purpose.  The only drawback of my lifestyle would be that in California most people are into material things. The more stuff you have the more successful or trendy or attractive people perceive you to be. I’m the total opposite. You know, I feel that more things you own the more they own you.

The only drawback to being a minimalist is it’s hard to have friend’s over to hang out because there’s nothing to do there.   It’s not a bachelor pad that I can show off to other singles.

Other singles? So you’re available are you actively seeking a relationship?

No! I was in a relationship but it was off and on, and I think its just better for me to stay single for a while.  In my entire life I’ve always been with someone I would not be single for more than a month.

I don’t know if I was just a dependent person or what.  I just realized that I needed to learn to love myself more before I could love someone else.  So I made a commitment to myself to be completely single for a full year.   I mean I date, but there’s no commitment in any relationship just so I can realize that living on my own is okay if I had to in the future.

It’s a really different to hear someone who self acknowledges their own beauty feel threatened by being alone.

Well… (laughs) it gets lonely sometimes but I’d rather be lonely than be in a imperfect relationship.  I have a lot of friends that are also single the reason why they’re still single is all the traits and personality they are looking for they haven’t found in one person yet.

So what my friends and I do is build relationships around each other.  I have a friend that I can go to the movies with, one that I can talk about war, or school, family whatever. I split all the areas of my life out to different friends. I have a friend in New York that I talk to about spirituality and life a lot, then another friend that I can just talk shop with. It’s so satisfying to focus one energy on each person.

And my sex life, that pretty much comes and goes.

Can you possibly expand on that, grave detail is appreciated.  Really go nuts.  (laughs) But seriously there has been a lot of speculation surrounding your sex life, care to give some insight?

Well, I’m active (laughs) I was born a Scorpio and I don’t usually follow horoscopes but as far as sex goes that’s totally me.  I love sex, but I’m also the type of person that wants to be intimate.

I’m not the type of person to sleep around because in the end it’s all the same. I’m always looking for someone that to have a special connection with, like intellectually or emotionally something that can make a deeper more meaningful relationship.  If the sex goes with it that great but if it doesn’t that’s fine also besides (laughs) I can always have sex with myself.

I TOTALLY agree with that.

You do?

Yes, especially for women, more people should put value on the sex they have with themselves.  Speaking of women, I’ve been able to see some of the pictures from the pilot shoot and it seems you have quite a bit of chemistry with the female cast members, what are your impression of the ladies on the cast?

Oh! Yeah they’re all some great looking ladies. You know  (laughs) it’s kinda funny every time I’m just chilling and relaxing on a couch if I have my arms up there’s always a girl waiting to curl up next to me, for some reason. I donno why.

Oh yeah… “For some reason” (laughs)

I’m not trying to sound arrogant; maybe I’m just a friendly guy. I totally think people should want to get to know me, I think its just easy for me to start deep connections.  What I like about them, the girls, is they all have such different strong personalities and that’s what I like in a woman.

Jennifer she’s just hot.

Now which one is that? The one with the tattoo , the short one, the blondie or J-wow?

She’s an aspiring actress; I like her because she loud and she’s going to say what she wants. If I were a girl she would be me.  She has a lot of confidence and I like that.

Then there’s Violent, she’s the type that doesn’t care what anyone thinks and she does whatever.

Yeah, she looks like the type you don’t wanna take on in a fight. I’ve seen some scrappy chicks in my day and she looks like she can throw down when she wants to.

(Laughs) Yeah… she’s a party animal, I like her. She’s a great wingman.

Oh yes, men, how are you getting a long with the more testosterone laden cast members.

Oh, the other guys, they’re all cool.  There’s Joey, who is also an amateur body builder so we can talk about working out .I’m a personal trainer so I can talk about fitness. We get along.

Then there’s Young he’s more of a hip kind of person, you look at him and you just have to ask ‘Where did you get those shoes?’

Is that the guy with the ridiculous Justin Timberlake hat?

(Laughs) Yes, for the record I thought the hat was cool.  I mean it could have been a different color, but overall I think his look is pretty cool.

There’s Mohawk Steve, he has this crazy straight up hair, he reminds me of more a punk rock guy.

Hmm, kinda worrying that the man will lose his identity when he gets a haircut…

Maybe he just changes his name every time he cuts his hair.

So has there been any drama yet?  I have to say all the guys look pretty in shape but you’re the only one that had your shirt off, perhaps a little Alpha Male intimidation? So was that your proud peacock moment?

I think I do intimidate the other guys, I mean when the girls asked Joey to take off his shirt, I didn’t want to  take off mine. I didn’t want to embarrass him or make him feel like he didn’t have a body.  I didn’t want to steal the spotlight from him.

But then you did so tell me how that went.

Well, we had so many drinks, you stop caring, and also the girls were begging me to take off my shirt.  So I just took it off for a quick second to flex for them and give them a little show.  Then I put my shirt back on , it seems in those few minutes  a few people were taking a bunch of pictures.

Thankfully they captured the body that launched a thousand blog posts.

(Laughs)

Do you know they’re already calling you “the SituAsian” ? How do you feel about that?

Well in comparison…

Personally, I think you totally shit on that guy.

Thank you.

If I were the situation I wouldn’t be making any more horrible techno music, I would be listening to emo while I ate an apple pie and cried in the shower.

(Laughs) Well I always see his pictures with his shirt off with other celebrities, and I want to say ‘Why are you taking off your shirt? You’re not that cut.’

I’m a bodybuilder who competes, I know what cut is. He’s showing it off like it’s his trademark.   ‘Like here are my abs’. Not to steal his spotlight, but I think it’s pretty easy to tell who gets more attention when the shirts come off.

(Laugh)

Gotta say since this casting you’ve seem to up your bravado , how has this been for your confidence?

Funny you should ask that, I was just reading this blog on the NY Post that said my ego was as big as NJ.

Hmm , NJ isn’t that big when it comes to states…

I can tell you that was an understatement. (Laughs)

Clearly.

Well right now, I’m just talking as a sober person, but when I’m drinking my confidence level is just off the roof. Especially with some of the things I say. Sometimes people will ask ‘what did you say that for?’  I don’t laugh or smile after I say something it catches people’s attention when I’m in that state of being buzzed.

Ah, so what kind of drunk are you, you’ve talked about being buzzed but I’m talking about all out drunk.

When I’m drunk (laughs)  I get drunk easily. I’m a cheap date.  Because I’m a bodybuilder I know how much to eat before I drink so that I don’t have to drink that much to get a good buzz.    I think after like 6 or 7 patrons I’m done for the night.  After that I’m completely wasted.

So what do you turn into when your drunk, are you a mean drunk, get emotional, are you a sloppy tongued Casanova?

I’m the kind of person that says whatever I feel like saying.  Sometimes I even will tell a girl off that comes up to me. I just tell them, ’you just aren’t good looking enough.  I don’t want to waste my time or your time.’

WOW…

Yeah, I’d say stuff like that.

(laughs) I’m so very glad you don’t know what I look like especially when you’re drunk.

(laughs) Well , its like I’ll make out with you, just not in front of my friends.

Well… at least your honest.

Yeah I’m always honest when I drink it’s a party and it all revolves around me.

You’ve said a few times that you aren’t afraid of saying what you want, but you’re built like you could crack a Mack Truck in half with a semi hard cock, so are you ever really THAT afraid of someone challenging you?  You seem to have the fascinating strain of vulnerability while being somewhat infallible at the same time…

Well, there’s always someone there that will challenge you. I have this friend Joey and we’re always trying to cap each other we have it down to a system.  If someone some one comes at me with some smack I can come back at them like its nothing.

Me and my friend go back and forth all the time, He might say ‘Hey I just got laid’ and I’d tell him ‘ It doesn’t count if you’re bottom.’   Then he might say ‘ I guess you’re still a virgin.’ And I would say ‘guess we’re in the same boat.’

I do this so often that I’m like a professional; I think I can cap anyone at anytime.

I think I’ll take you up on that challenge, I’m a snarky fat girl.  Sardonic wit is the sharpest blade in the fatty social arsenal.

(Laughs)

It would like challenging me to a cake-eating contest; I think I got you on this one.

Well, we’ll go at it next time (laughs)

I’m down for anything, especially if it involves cake that was such a fat girl statement.

Anyway, I’m sure you’ve been reading all the coverage on you, how do you feel about the treatment of your ambiguity around who you want to be with?

You know, I like to keep the doors open, I don’t like to label myself like I said before It’s about finding that perfect person.

Having people saying if I’m gay or if I’m straight it does not really matter at all.  I am who I am.   Like it or not.

Okay, so as long as someone is hot enough to make out with in front of your friends you’re happy?

Exactly.

What a charmed life.  So what’s next for K-town? I know I keep calling it the Korean Jersey Shore but that’s not entirely accurate, what’s going on with it?

I can’t really discuss too much on that, but as you know we’ve begun shooting last weekend. That’s pretty much all I can say. I know there’s a lot of blogs talking about the hype of this show I know someone will pick it up. If not they’ll be sorry.

I don’t think the world should be denied your abs.

I agree!

You know, I’ve been to Thailand ad they have Thai MTV and they show all these reality shows and none of them have any Asian faces on them even in Asia. This is a huge international market. There’s so many people in the world that would watch the show and support it.

Yeah, I’ve read some of the blogs, and some of them seem mortified that a program will be showing Asian Americans drinking and behaving badly.  Do you think that’s a bit hypocritical?

No, I think it’s more like saying no one drinks. Of course you know it’s not true. Everyone drinks and when you drink you have fun.  Those are memorable moments, the producers are just capturing those moments for everyone to enjoy.

Most people go out maybe once a month, or week, its something people do regularly.  It’s an entertainment business, and we’re in a recession and that’s the time when entertainment thrives.

If you lost your job, what are you going to do? Sit at home and cry? No you go out with your friends.

Or play videogames all day in your underpants.

(laughs) Exactly.

On the subjects of games, I’ve heard through the grapevine that you’re an undercover gamer.  Well that and in the last interview you did mention you used to play Warcraft III and there’s no such thing as a casual Warcraft III player.

(Laughs) Well, yeah I love videogames, but I’ve been so involved in my life and lifestyle right now it’s hard to play a long game. I actually play most of my games on my iPhone. So if I’m at the airport or if I have a 45-minute break I can sneak in some game play.

One of my recent mistakes was purchasing Final Fantasy on my phone,  I’ve been playing it for like 36 hours.   It’s a game where you have your team of four and you have to level them up to kill all the monsters. When I think about it  its ridiculous and you’re doing the same thing over and over, but I have to beat this game.

Isn’t that like a 70 plus hour game? I was never into JRPGs, but if you chewed through it in 35 hours you’re like an iron gamer.

Well, I was bad when I got stuck I followed a walkthrough.  I know I have to finish it once I start; I want to see the congratulation at the end.   That’s why I like the shorter games. I like immediate satisfaction.

Even watching TV , I like sitcoms, rather than movies, you’re done in 30 minutes instead of like 2 hours.

I guess you like everything no nonsense and no bullshit.

Exactly, actually even at home I watch all my stuff online. I don’t even own a TV.

That’s kinda ironic, you’re going to be on a TV show but don’t actually own a TV.

(laughs) Yeah I donated it.

I’m serious I can show you a picture of my apartment. The only things I have in my 700 square foot condo are 2 chairs , a table, my computer, an air mattress and my dog.

Did I hear that right… you sleep on an air mattress?

(Laughs) Yes, I sleep on an air mattress. I used to have a sleep number bed but I got rid of it.

You really ARE single.  I’ve tried to fuck on every surface the good Lord put on this earth and its bloody impossible for anything to pop off on an air mattress no matter how hard you try.  Its inevitable someone is going to break something trying to fuck on an air mattress.

(Laughs) Exactly. Well one thing I didn’t like about my old bed was it really didn’t have that pushing action. If I was with someone and pushing forward there was no spring action kind of weird.

Yeah, I’ve fucked on those sleep master beds, and what I didn’t like was no matter what there’s this weird bar in the middle of it and if I was on my back that thing would be ground into my coccyx.  Pain for weeks.

Really?

Yeah, Since we’re on sex, how likely are there going to be any hook ups on Ktwon?

Well when I’m sober I usually go for chicks that are 9 and above, but when I’m buzzed I might go for a chick who’s like an 8 or above.

Wow, you lower your standards so immensely, how do you live with yourself?

(Laughs) Yeah.

So how drunk do you have to be to get to like around my range, I’m like a low 4?

A four? I would rather just go home and do it myself. My hand is at least an 8.

Wow, so your saying it would basically take chloroform.  That faint sound you just heard was my heart breaking.

I start from the top and work my way down to the 8’s , that’s as low as I’m willing to go.

Well you said most of the ladies are hot. Hot is usually in the 10-8 range…

Yeah, they are, there’s a lot of potential. The entire cast is good looking.   You never know, one or two drinks too many I might lower my standards and do a few things a man shouldn’t do on TV.

Any chance you might be converting any of the cast members if you know what I mean?

(Laughs)  Actually, my friends always tell me if I were to have a super power it would be to make a straight guy gay.

Awesome, actually me and a few of my friends have a pool going.

A pool?

Yeah of when the hook ups are going to happen, I have 4 episodes in with you and the Blondie, she seems freaky.  What are the odds?

Hmm, Jasmine. I don’t know I can’t verify, but maybe you have a 25% chance.

Damn, I’m going to lose my two dollars. Anyways is there anything that you want to clear up for anyone?

Well, I really don’t care what anyone thinks out there, its my world you guys are visiting.

And one of the networks HAVE to pick up this show we’re doing its going to make history.

Well as long as your making history without a shirt on . Or pants, I’m flexible. No really I’m flexible.

(Laughs)

Is there an official site people can go to get information on Ktown?

We’re on Twitter and there’s a site.