Every night, throngs of female fans flock to the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas to claw at a cast of men who tease, gyrate and strip. Among the group of Chippendales dancers is Steve Kim. He’s paid to make women believe that a martial artist or a naval officer could rock their world. That sculpted, hairless torsos do exist.

Beyond the signature cuffs and collar, the 34-year-old Kim says he’s just an average guy with a fun night job. But having one of the few Asian faces in a traditionally all-white Chippendales cast makes Kim stand out just a bit more than he thinks.

 

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Raised in Portland, Ore., by a single mom, Kim, who is Korean and Italian, was often reminded that he was different. Classmates called him “kung fu boy” and “China boy,” and later, football teammates called him “Kimchi” as an off-color homage to his heritage.

He was a shy student who steered clear of the jocks, though his 6-foot 2-inch frame made him a natural at football and basketball. He dreamed of being the first Korean NBA player until he realized he wouldn’t grow any taller.

Kim studied international trade and marketing at Santa Clara University in California, where he also played football until the program was cut in 1992. After graduating in 1996, he worked in sales and marketing for various companies.

Although steadily employed, Kim was not very happy with his work. Then, in 1998, he developed a series of illnesses, including spinal stenosis that left him in pain and spending much of his time in and out of hospitals. Medication made him bloated, and his job — one of the “highlights” of which was marketing portable toilets — exacerbated his depression.

He dove into self-help books, including ones about mind-body connections, to help him fight his illnesses. He changed his diet, ate probiotics to boost his immune system and exercised regularly. At the same time, he read up on computers to prepare for a career change: a dive into the dot-com industry.

A year later, Kim felt healthier and found a job in computer programming. In 2000, Microsoft recruited him as a software developer.

The following year, Kim left Microsoft and moved to Denver, Colo., after being recruited to start a branch of a growing technology firm.

Shortly after, the company fell victim to the dot-com bust. Kim found himself unemployed, once again wondering what else was out there.

 

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A friend introduced Kim — who had gone from a $140,000 income to barely anything — to the world of exotic dancing.

One night, he tagged along with a male stripper to a party and on a dare, took his clothes off, too. It was easier and more natural than he thought. From there, Kim — who some say is a Keanu Reeves look-alike — began his segue from techie to stripper, much to his mother’s dismay.