18/05/2025

ON SUNDAY MAY 18, 2025 II theSunday Special

O NE afternoon in a school in Sabah, young Kenji Chai found himself bored in class. Drifting away, he began sketching familiar faces from his favourite games, Street Fighter and Dragon Ball :KDW IHOW OLNH ¿YH PLQXWHV later, the school bell rang. Only then did he realise that over half an hour had passed. “I felt that time froze, it was like meditation to me. I was totally in that moment, because I love to draw,” he told theSunday. Three decades later, Chai, now 43, works with some of the biggest brands, LQFOXGLQJ 1HWÀL[ 8QLTOR 3XPD %0: Vans and Swatch. His vibrant artwork colours walls in cities like Kuala Lumpur, 1HZ

Chai in front of his mural at PARK2 in Taichung, Taiwan, a vibrant piece showcasing his signature character and alter ego, Chaigo.

No free lunches: How Kenji Chai turned struggles into street art success

When the wall spoke back: Finding IUHHGRP LQ JUḊ WL Chai began his career as a graphic designer “just as a way to survive,” but soon found WKH FOLHQW GULYHQ ZRUNÀRZ WR EH FUHDWLYHO\ VWLÀLQJ “

BY KAY RAMA

From his beginnings in Sabah to global recognition, Chai has built a career blending street art with a strong personal brand.