Kyan Yang

Surfer

A California native with Korean heritage, Kyan grew up cruising the streets of SoCal on his skateboard, passionately hating on the surfing establishment. Until one day in middle school when his friends convinced him to paddle out, changing the course of his board riding journey forever. Now at 19, Kyan is competing on the Junior Tour & Men’s Qualifying Series for the World Surf League.

Known for his effortlessly smooth surfing style and funky board designs, he is well on his way to greater success in competitive surfing. Already a member of the USA Jr. National Team, you’ll find his easy going style in the water is well balanced with long hours of training in the gym & on the sand. When he’s not at home in Encinitas, CA, he’s usually traveling the world with his boards, camera & a good book in hoc, give him a fist bump if you see him out there! 

We stopped to chat with Kyan before he debuted his first self-produced short film ‘Potluck’ at a local surf shop & asked a few fun questions. Check out our convo below...

 

 Q&A

What is your profession? Did you always know this is what you would end up doing or was it something you “stumbled into”?

My profession is a professional surfer. I used to hate surfing and loved skateboarding as a kid. Then I started surfing with friends in middle school and slowly it became less and less about skateboarding and more about surfing. Now all I do is surf and I haven’t touched a skateboard in awhile.

Favorite movie?

Ocean’s Eleven. I love movies that have a plot and plan that transcend the whole movie.

Favorite book?

The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin. I love reading books that help me grow my mental side. I always want to learn more and understand myself the best I can.

Top 3 favorite bands, or artists that you love?

Tame Impala and Dayglow are so good for cruising and vibing if you’re with friends or just car cruising. My go to pre-surf psych music is any new school rap or rock music. Future is one of my favorites for rap and Tool just gets me so psyched.

Most inspiring quote, piece of art, saying, or advice that has impacted the way you live today?

“Life is all about choices. You can choose to make your life better or worse.” I realized that every single decision in life is a choices and I want to make sure I’m making the right choices for where I wanna go.

When you’re not working, what are you doing for fun?

I still surf a lot even though it’s my job, it’s just too much fun! I workout a lot too but that sometimes feels like it’s a part of my job haha. But I do love golf, even though I know I’m horrendous. And eating good food or just hanging with the homies is always nice too.

Coolest place you’ve ever traveled?

I went to Korea for the first time to explore my heritage and compete in a wave pool contest. It was special to see my culture up close and enjoy being in someplace different. It was interesting seeing both the crazy city life and calm peaceful oceans in one place.

Bucket list destination/wave you haven’t been yet?

Indonesia, HT’s. That wave looks insane!

You’re stranded on a deserted island - who is coming with you and why?

I honestly have no idea. Depends on where we’re going and what we are doing. Probably some close friends and family.

You get to have drinks with anyone (dead or alive) - who are you calling?

Andy Irons. I would love to ask him about the crazy stories he had winning world titles and battling with Kelly.

What advice would you give an 18-year-old that wants to do what you do?

This question is funny to me because I’m only 19! But I would tell anyone going into adulthood to enjoy every moment of your life and chase their passions.

Any guilty pleasures?

Acai bowls are so good. I could eat 10 a day. Also burgers or pizza are just classic splurge foods that I love.

Favorite wild meat/fish to eat? (i.e. venison, dove, quail, king fish, redfish, etc.) And in what kind of meal do you prepare it/eat it?

I love all kinds of meat. I haven’t tried a lot of wild meat before but I had venison one time and it was insane. I also love Bluefin tuna for poke, that’s one of my favorites.

What’s your favorite element of Turtlebox? (battery life, durability, waterproofness, sound, togetherness, elevating experiences)

I love everything about my Turtlebox. It’s super loud, tough, and the battery life is so long. It also helps me lock in during workouts or feel the vibe with some friends at the beach. And I don’t have to worry about it getting wet because it’s waterproof.

How do you use your Turtlebox?

I use my Turtlebox whenever I’m at the gym working out. It’s essential for me at the gym because it gets me psyched up so I can push extra hard. I also love using it with friends at the beach when we’re hanging in the parking lot and enjoying the sunset. Or even when I’m packing up for my next trip in my garage, my Turtlebox is always keeping the tunes flowing.