My first meeting with Hong Kong YouTuber Torres Pit, also known as “Tor Gor” (Bie Hongyou), left a strong impression. Standing 1.93 metres tall, the creator with more than a million subscribers had made no special effort to dress for the interview. He exuded a casual, free-spirited air in slippers, a black T-shirt, loose jeans, sunglasses and slightly tousled hair.
Torres’ appearance reflects his philosophy: do not take everything too seriously and live as you please. Speaking at his office in Carpenter Street, he said: “Why so serious? The average life is only 30,000 days. It’s really short, so if you want to have fun, go ahead. You can earn money later. You’re not going to starve!”
The 30-year-old Torres stumbled his way into content creation. While still a student at the University of Hong Kong, he was doing an internship in Shanghai when he happened to be interviewed on the street for the Chinese online show Incredible Street Interviews. The video attracted considerable attention after the production team posted it online. They subsequently invited him to host street interviews in Hong Kong. He readily agreed, taking his first step into video creation.
In 2018, after graduating in urban planning from the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Architecture, he committed to becoming a full-time creator. His YouTube channel now has more than 1.27 million subscribers.
Torres said with a laugh: “I wasn’t actually very interested in urban planning. I applied for jobs after graduation, and some companies wanted to hire me, but I didn’t want a nine-to-five life. I liked drinking back then, sometimes until very late. There was no way I could get up at nine for work. Haha!”
He acknowledged that his parents and other older relatives were not very supportive at first, hoping he would find a stable job. But he believes no job is truly secure: “So-called stability is just an illusion. Your boss could suddenly sack you tomorrow.”
With “Always Exploring” as its theme, Torres’ channel covers travel adventures, street interviews and cultural differences. He ventures boldly into different countries, engaging with locals and exploring lesser-known aspects of their lives with humour and a sense of fun.
He has asked office workers in Singapore about their salaries, sung with Taiwanese singer Yoga Lin in Chinatown, interviewed a gang boss in New York’s Chinatown, tried unusual beauty services in Vietnam and interviewed World Cup fans on the streets in the US. His wide-ranging content combines entertainment with social observation, attracting a large subscriber base and a substantial following.
Memorable filming experiences
When asked about his most memorable filming experience, Torres recalled visiting the most dangerous McDonald’s in Johannesburg, South Africa. The outlet is in Yeoville, where drug use, robbery, murder and other serious crime are so prevalent that even locals hesitate to venture in.
He said: “The pandemic had just ended, and I was getting a little tired of filming food and drink videos every day. I wanted to break out of that and make something exciting. I hired a local bodyguard to accompany me. As soon as we entered Yeoville, we saw lots of people openly taking drugs on the streets. It was quite shocking! They were so high they didn’t even realise I was filming, but none of that footage could ultimately be shown on YouTube.”
When asked whether he feared for his safety, Torres admitted: “Of course! People on drugs can do anything. There are shootings there every day, and sometimes I could hear gunshots. I just hoped nothing would happen to me.” Then, changing tack, he added with a laugh: “But the burgers at that McDonald’s really were delicious!”
Another memorable experience was staging his first stand-up show, International Secret Temptations, in Hong Kong in late 2025. It was well received and ran for three consecutive performances, each drawing about 500 to 600 paying audience members.
Torres said: “We usually make online programmes, so a live event feels very different. I could interact directly with the audience and share funny travel stories and amusing behind-the-scenes experiences. The atmosphere was wonderful. I really enjoyed it.”
More hard work than fun
On camera, Torres is always energetic and smiling, his humorous manner radiating an easy cheerfulness.
“Content creation is my dream job. It gives me opportunities to meet people I wouldn’t normally get to know, including CEOs, celebrities and successful entrepreneurs. I don’t think a nine-to-five job could give me that,” he said.
The job also brings unexpected perks. He shared with a laugh: “Sometimes I don’t have to pay for meals because the owner treats me. On flights, cabin crew sometimes give me special attention too, bringing me champagne from first class!”
Yet the fun seen on camera often accounts for only a small part of the job. Torres admitted that the hard work far outweighs the enjoyment. In the early days especially, he had to do everything himself, from coming up with ideas, filming and editing to planning itineraries, booking flights and train tickets, and arranging accommodation.
Although he now has a team and has been creating content for eight years, he admitted: “I feel exhausted every minute of every day, and I really want to give up! Much of the time, I’m entertaining others and looking after the team, and sometimes I feel I haven’t taken proper care of myself.
“But without the audience and the team, I wouldn’t have the joy of creating either. This job really does come with both hardship and happiness.”
With so much content online and competition so intense, how does he stand out?
“I don’t think of anyone as a competitor,” Torres replied. “Travel and culture are such broad subjects. Anyone can go out, film and have fun. I rarely watch other creators’ content because I worry that if I watch too much, I’ll start copying them without realising it. That wouldn’t be good.”
He stressed that he does not blindly chase views, caring more about telling a good story: “What I’m after is the thrill of storytelling. I see something wonderful and want to share it with viewers. It’s as simple as that. If I were blindly chasing views, I’d go streaking in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay today. That would definitely attract plenty of attention. I believe that if you tell a story well, people will naturally watch.”
Singapore has stories worth telling
Torres moved to Singapore with his family in 2024. He holds an Employment Pass and has set up an office here, with eight employees across Singapore and Hong Kong.
While many Hong Kongers consider life in Singapore monotonous and dull, he sees it differently: “Every video I filmed in Singapore would get one or two million views. That intrigued me, so I came here to set up an office. Everyone says Singapore is boring, but I actually find it quite fun. There are people of all nationalities and ancestral backgrounds. I’m having a great time, and I think there’s good content to be made here.”
When Torres first arrived, some words Singaporeans used in everyday conversation left him baffled. “There were words I really couldn’t understand, such as ‘sabo’, meaning to sabotage someone. After being here longer, I gradually got used to them.”
Food has also taken some getting used to. In Hong Kong, he and his wife often met friends for Italian, French and other Western cuisines. Since moving to Singapore, however, he has yet to find a Western restaurant he is particularly happy with. “A Western meal in Singapore, with a little wine, is really quite expensive!”
Torres has also noticed Singaporeans’ commitment to queuing, joking: “When drivers are waiting to turn, everyone queues patiently in order. Hong Kong drivers would probably have found a gap and cut in long before that. You also have to queue for ages for char kway teow and other food at hawker centres. Singaporeans have taken queuing culture to another level!”
Interestingly, although he makes his living from social media, he rarely scrolls on his phone, spending only about 10 minutes a day browsing social platforms. With many people addicted to social media and spending long periods scrolling, he urged users to make a conscious choice to watch worthwhile content. “Otherwise, you’ll get sucked in and waste a lot of time without realising it, when you could have used that time to do other things.”
Torres said: “I don’t have a burning desire for people to watch my videos. I simply enjoy making them: working out how the music should fit the voiceover, where to cut between shots and how to build the story. I love storytelling and enjoy the challenges involved. Social media is the only platform that lets me do all this.”
Even off camera, his mind rarely stops. He is constantly having an internal dialogue, reflecting on matters big and small.
“When I go back today, for example, I might feel that I didn’t explain certain things well during this interview. I’ll also wonder whether there were parts of last week’s video that I could have done better. Even when I’m playing with my daughter, I’ll think of somewhere else I could take her. Every time I reflect, I learn how to do better next time.”
By 30, Torres had become a creator with more than a million subscribers, started a company and become his own boss, while travelling the world and experiencing different ways of life. To outsiders, he already seems to have it all. But he does not believe he has reached his peak.
“I still want to work a little harder. I’m not chasing money. Money is just a means to hire better people and get more done. When the channel reached 100,000 subscribers, someone bought me a cake to celebrate, but I wasn’t particularly bothered. I didn’t even know where I’d put the award YouTube gave me for reaching one million subscribers. One day, my wife found it while tidying up and hung it on the wall for me. I feel I’ve only realised a tenth of my potential. There’s more to come.”
Looking ahead, Torres hopes to become a better creator and build an excellent team. More than achieving personal success, he wants to see his team members succeed.
“If my colleagues succeed, I’ll be even happier than if I succeed myself. It would give me a tremendous sense of achievement!” He openly expressed his hope of one day building the leading platform in the Mandarin content creation world.
What would he do if people stopped watching or following his channel one day? True to his easy-going “why so serious” attitude, he laughed: “Maybe that would be everyone telling me it’s time to take a break. Then I’d go to sleep! What else could I do? Haha!”
His wife is his “Head of Support”
Torres's wife, Georgia, is from South Africa and often appears alongside him in his videos. Describing her as an invaluable source of support in both life and work, he praised her for bringing him good fortune.
“When my YouTube career was just starting, Georgia was a headhunter in Hong Kong. I asked her to help me, and she quit her job without hesitation. How did I find such a wonderful wife? Everything goes smoothly when I’m with her. We understand each other very well, and she has helped me so much. She really is my ‘Head of Support’!”
He acknowledged, however, that working as a couple has not always been smooth sailing. In the early days of the business, before they had a team, working together every day inevitably led to friction.
“I think the most important thing when a couple work together is to find a way of getting along that both of you are comfortable with. Otherwise, it can easily affect the relationship and family life. Over time, we found a good balance and set shared goals. She may not know exactly what I’m busy with, and I don’t know every task she’s handling. We only sit down to discuss things when we need to consult each other.”
The couple have an adorable two-and-a-half-year-old daughter. Outside work, he enjoys splashing around with her in their condominium pool or taking her to the Singapore Oceanarium on Sentosa, making the most of their time together.
With a laugh, Torres encouraged men to experience fatherhood: “Once you become a father, it’s as though your brain switches into a certain mode that lets you work more efficiently, so you can free up more time for your child.”
