Derek Hui documents year three of starting over in Tokyo

Toronto entrepreneur and former music manager Derek Hui is marking three years since moving alone to Tokyo in 2023 with a YouTube documentary series about rebuilding his life abroad. The series revisits the money, friendships and uncertainty behind his move and reflects on the career path that helped power Anders and Loud Luxury's triple-platinum hit "Love No More."

Why it matters: - Derek Hui's story connects a proven music and business track record with a personal reset in one of the world's biggest cities. - The YouTube series turns an individual move into a broader story about risk, reinvention and leaving a stable life behind. - Hui's past work helped finance and shape a triple-platinum song, giving the new series built-in credibility for audiences tracking creator-led entrepreneurship.

What happened: - Derek Hui, a Toronto-born entrepreneur, is documenting year three of his move to Tokyo in a documentary series on YouTube. - Hui moved to Tokyo alone in 2023 at age 34 without speaking the language and without knowing anyone there. - The series is published at @imderekhui and releases new episodes about every two weeks. - Tokyo-based editor and videographer Darren Ha helps produce the series. - Hui now lives in Azabujuban, Tokyo, and is 37.

The details: - Hui taught himself photography at 21 and later founded the Mariner Agency, a Toronto wedding studio. - Mariner Agency shot more than 400 weddings, including 300 shot by Hui. - From ages 24 to 31, Hui managed music artists and funded that work entirely through photography income. - Hui self-funded singer Anders' career and played a central role in the relationships, creative direction and rollout behind "Love No More" with Loud Luxury. - "Love No More" was released on Armada Music in August 2018. - The track passed one million streams in two days. - The song reached the Canadian Hot 100 and charted in the U.S., U.K. and Australia. - Music Canada certified the song triple platinum, and the track also earned gold certifications in Australia and New Zealand. - Hui said, "I put my own money into an artist because I believed in him before the market did." - Hui also said, "That's the whole job. See it before other people see it, and pay for the right to be early." - Hui has also managed Always Never, The Theorist and Aria Ohlsson. - Hui has founded several e-commerce companies. - Hui publishes a newsletter on Substack.

Between the lines: - The series leans on a simple hook: there is no life later, a line Hui repeats on camera. - The project blends creator content with business memoir, which can widen its appeal beyond music fans. - Hui's move to Tokyo mirrors a growing creator trend: using personal upheaval as public narrative and audience-building material. - The emphasis on self-funding suggests a strong belief in early bets, both in his music work and in his own life change.

What's next: - Hui will continue releasing new episodes roughly every two weeks. - He is available for interviews from Tokyo in English. - High-resolution images and episode links are available on request. - Hui is directing audiences to his site and social channels, including his official website.