Ray (YouTube)
30-Second Overview:
Xu Chen-rui (Rayasianboy), born October 31, 2005, in Taiwan, is a student at Tamkang High School in New Taipei. In July 2023, during a school trip to Japan, he boldly approached American streamer Kai Cenat outside a 7-Eleven and said, "My name is Ray, I'm from Taiwan," a clip that instantly went viral. He joined the AMP group and currently has over 2.7 million Twitch followers and 1.43 million YouTube (RAY LIVE) subscribers. In 2025, he appeared in GQ videos showcasing his Taiwan passport and local cuisine, signed with Adidas to launch his personal apparel brand RUEI, and won "Best IRL Streamer" at The Streamer Awards, before later announcing his retirement to invest in a dental clinic in Atlanta.
Why He Matters
An ordinary Taiwanese high school student—without an agency or celebrity branding—used only a single English sentence and street courage to travel from Tamkang High School to the US streaming scene. By hanging out with Kai Cenat and members of AMP, he brought daily life in Taiwan directly into the international spotlight. This is more than just a story of individual fame; it demonstrates a real pathway for Taiwanese youth in the digital age—that if you dare to step forward, the world will respond.
Key Content
Origins: From the Basketball Court to the Streets of Japan
Ray has loved sports since childhood, playing soccer before transitioning to basketball, where he serves as a guard for the Tamkang High School varsity team. In July 2023, during a school trip to Tokyo, Japan, he encountered Kai Cenat while the latter was streaming in front of a convenience store. He approached to introduce himself, and the brief interaction was captured on stream, quickly spreading across Western social media. Kai later flew specifically to Taiwan to attend Ray's graduation ceremony in June 2024; this transnational friendship has been described by media as a modern-day Rush Hour duo.
Key Turning Point: From Amateur to International Phenomenon
Starting in 2024, he officially launched his Twitch channel, rayasianboy, focusing on daily interactions, gaming, and vlogs. He quickly joined the US streaming collective AMP and became a member of Clover House. His representative work includes GQ Sports' "10 Things Ray Can't Live Without" (April 2025), where he presented his Republic of China passport, Yi-wei zhajiangmian (fried bean sauce noodles), and bubble tea; the video climbed into the top five trending YouTube videos in the US.
In 2025, he signed a long-term partnership with Adidas Basketball to launch his personal apparel brand "RUEI" (derived from his given name, Ruei), which sold out immediately upon release; he also served as a model for a BAPE collaboration. In June of the same year, he participated in the Houston Creator Charity Basketball Game, hitting four three-pointers (including a mid-court logo shot), with commentators repeatedly emphasizing "from Taiwan," causing clips to spread widely on social media. By late 202_5, he won the "Best IRL Streamer" award at The Streamer Awards, becoming the first Taiwanese creator to receive this honor.
Current Status: Life in the US and New Directions
Ray later moved to Atlanta, USA, living in a content house gifted by Kai. He continued streaming on Twitch and YouTube (with RAY LIVE accumulating over 430 million views), but in October 2025, he announced his departure from the streaming scene to invest in an Atlanta dental clinic, pursuing his dream of becoming a dentist. In early 2026, he purchased a Lamborghini Urus in full for approximately $300,000 USD in cash.
Challenges and Controversies
Rapid fame also brought pressure. In March 2025, he paused streaming, clarifying it was for mental health reasons (a "mental break") rather than military service. Some discussions arose within the Taiwanese community regarding his language use influenced by AMP, as well as comments on a Logan Paul program where he described Taiwanese society as being "like NPCs." At a late 2025 awards ceremony, asking VTuber Ironmouse about her "real face" also sparked privacy controversies; Ray apologized afterward but expressed confusion. He has generally responded to such incidents by stating, "Everyone has their own opinion."
Significance for Taiwan
Every time Ray appears before international cameras, he naturally mentions that he is from Taiwan, earning him the nickname "the strongest diplomat" from netizens. From being "Taiwan's strongest high school student" to bringing Taiwanese food and culture into popular US videos, he proved that Taiwanese youth do not need to wait to be discovered; they can step out and be seen by the world themselves.
References
- Ray's Twitch Channel
- RAY LIVE Official YouTube Channel
- Ray's Instagram
- GQ Taiwan Interview and Video
- [History of Taiwan YouTube or related digital creator articles (to be linked in the future)]
References
Wikipedia (Chinese) - Ray (Taiwanese YouTuber) (Latest 2026 version)
[^1] https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/Ray_(%E8%87%BA%E7%81%A3YouTuberWikipedia (English) - Rayasianboy
[^2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RayasianboyGQ Taiwan / GQ Sports 2025 Interview and Video
[^3] https://www.gq.com.tw/article/gq-hype-ray-2025The Streamer Awards Official Records (2025 Winner List)
SocialCounts / Social Blade (Latest data from March 2026)
Twitch: Over 2.7 million followers; YouTube RAY LIVE: 1.43 million subscribers, 436 million views