As well as being a Mandarin teacher at University Prep, Juei-Chuan Hung is also known to be an internationally famous rapper and YouTuber. Hung began rapping in Taiwan under the name of Dr. T. Hung. He was in a group that was considered to have started the Taiwanese rap/hip-hop scene in the Taiwan music industry, and is still involved in rap to this day.
Hung moved to the United States to pursue a life in higher education and decided to stay after he had his first child. Hung’s aunt, Chunman Gissing, started the Chinese program at UPrep, and after she left he took over the position.
Hung uses his status to inspire people and create change in his community, both in his songs and in life. In one of his most famous songs which literally translates to “Give Me Your Hands”, he sings about the struggles of underground music artists. Hung uses his outreach to bring attention to the mainstream music industry and help the less successful underground musicians.
“I think, using this platform, using this fame to kind of inspire people that, ‘you can do this and you can do that,’” Hung said, “Just setting good examples for them to see and hoping that they don’t give up easily.”
Fashion is a big part of the music scene and Hung takes that very seriously. He has accumulated so many shoes that he has lost count and wears a different pair every day of the year. On Hung’s YouTube channel, he reviews and unboxes sneakers which helped bring him to fame in the sneaker community. He gets sponsors from shoe brands such as Nike, New Balance, Adidas and more.
“We’re always kind of competitive about what shoes you’re wearing,” Hung Said, “And it’s also kind of a status.”
Hung has been known to wager his shoes and use his fame to help teach. In the bargaining unit Hung has been known to teach kids to trade for his shoes. Hung attempts to make his classroom as comfortable as possible, allowing students to make mistakes so that they can learn and improve.
“I think my favorite thing about him is his stories,” said eighth grader and longtime student of Hung; Chase Sylvester.
Hung recounts events of his life in Taiwan to his students. Hung is a beloved and highly respected teacher at UPrep while also being an influential personality to his fans and students.
“I want them to be encouraged,” Hung said, “To try and not be afraid of pronouncing something wrong.”