101 Outstanding People in Asia’s Dive Industry: Celebrities
To honour those who have supported, influenced, and spearheaded Asia’s Dive and conservation industry, UW360 has put together a list of significant individuals. This list is by no means exhaustive, nor is it a ranking. We recognise that there are many other deserving individuals who have contributed to the industry, and we would like to thank every diver, scientist, conservationist, educator, photographer, and volunteer for their commitment to the ocean.
Celebrities
54. Hidy Yu
Actress
Hidy started her modelling career when she was just 18, quickly moving on to acting where she starred in eight films. Diving for 12 years, she became a qualified Dive Instructor Trainer by National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), thereafter being named the NAUI Worldwide Ambassador. Finding her passion for the ocean, she became the 2011 Miss Scuba International Ambassador, where she endeavored to share the beauty of the underwater world while advocating for worldwide marine conservation.
55. Joyce Tang
Actress
Joyce Tang is a Hong Kong actress and PADI Rescue Diver; She she has acted in almost 45 movies to date. Joyce loves the serenity and beauty of the ocean, especially its marine life, which makes her determined to save the ocean.
56. Lee Yoon-mi
Actress
Lee Yoon-mi is a South Korean actress and entrepreneur. She won the top prize in the Super Elite Model Best Talent Awards in 1998, and made her entertainment debut in 2003 as a member of the Kpop girl group, THE S. Afterwards, Lee ventured into acting, appearing in successful television dramas, and also playing a lead role in the stage musical The Golden Days in 2011. After learning scuba diving in Saipan in 2010, she fell in love with the ocean and has since shown her affection towards its beauty.
57. Nadine Chandrawinata
Miss Universe Indonesia (2005)
Clinching the title of Miss Universe Indonesia in 2005, Nadine Chandrawinata has since dedicated a large amount of her time to ocean conservation. Her book NADINE; Labor of Love features the beauty of Indonesia’s underwater world. In 2015, she launched a social media campaign to recruit volunteers as “sea soldiers”, where city nomads were asked to dispose garbage in the right place, limit the use of air conditioners, reduce the use of plastic bags and styrofoam, and conduct other simple environmentally-friendly activities. Today, there are about 400 recruits all across Indonesia. She also teamed up with the local administrations and NGOs to save the marine life in Indonesia, particularly sharks and sea turtles.
58. Roh Eun Ji
Weather Forecaster
Roh Eun Ji has been a professional weather forecaster for over a decade in Korea. Her keen monitoring of the climate in Korea gave her insight into the abnormal weather patterns as a result of climate change. Feeling that the ocean was particularly vulnerable, she has chosen to focus her efforts on marine conservation and made it her mission to educate others.
59. Ngo Ka Nin
Actor
Ngo Ka Nin is a renowned Hong Kong actor, host and TVB artiste. He has won numerous awards and is perhaps best known for his roles as Chiang Bit-man in the 2009 drama Rosy Business and Tong Gat in No Regrets.
60. Yao Ming
Ex-NBA Basketball Player
Yao Ming is a retired NBA basketball legend and was an eight-time all-star. He was a member of the Chinese Olympic Basketball Team in 2000, 2004, and 2008 – when he was the leader of China’s Olympic delegation. Yao is now president of the Chinese Basketball Association, owner of the Shanghai Sharks professional basketball team, and executive director of the Yao Ming Foundation. Yao became a WildAid ambassador in 2006 when he signed the pledge to give up shark fin soup, and has since appeared in numerous ads, billboards, and TV public service announcements calling for an end to the illegal wildlife trade. He has championed the conservation of sharks, elephants, and rhinos with messages that have reached hundreds of millions of people in China and around the world.
61. Yuri Chan
Actress
Yuri Chan is the founder of the Mermaid Star (Hong Kong) Academy, a film actress, singer, and an ex-TVB artist. She has longed to become a mermaid since young, and fulfilled her dream by starting a mermaid course in 2016 – the only mermaid course available in Hong Kong. Though still active in the entertainment industry, Yuri aims to promote the art of mermaiding all around the world.