The bootstrapped creator from Toronto relocated to Japan at 34 with no support network. His online series revolves around a mantra he repeats to the camera: there is no life later.
I invested my own savings into an artist because I saw his potential ahead of everyone else. That’s the essence of the work. Spot the talent before it’s obvious, and be willing to pay a premium for being first.”— Derek HuiTOKYO, THAILAND, September 17, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Derek Hui, a Toronto-born entrepreneur who bankrolled the early career of the artist Anders and then left his established life behind to relocate solo to Tokyo in 2023, is commemorating the third anniversary of that move with a new documentary series that captures the journey.
Hui, who is a self-taught photographer, built the Mariner Agency, a Toronto-based wedding studio responsible for over 400 weddings—with Hui himself behind the lens for more than 300 of them. Between the ages of 24 and 31, he handled music artists, financing all his projects purely through his photography earnings. He personally funded the artist Anders and was instrumental in the networking, artistic vision, and promotion of “Love No More,” a collaboration between Anders and Loud Luxury. In 2023, at the age of 34, Hui left Toronto for Tokyo, lacking both the language skills and any local contacts.
He captured it all on video. Now, three years later, that footage has been compiled into a YouTube documentary series (@imderekhui) that explores the finances, the relationships, the daily challenges, and the reasoning behind his radical life change.
“Love No More,” which dropped on Armada Music in August 2018, quickly surpassed one million streams within two days, broke into the Canadian Hot 100, charted in both the U.S. and the U.K. as well as Australia, and earned a triple platinum certification from Music Canada, along with gold status in Australia and New Zealand. Hui operated without any label support, funding Anders’ growth out of his own pocket until Armada Music eventually picked up the single.
“I put my own money into an artist because I believed in him before the market did,” said Hui. “That’s the whole job. See it before other people see it, and pay for the right to be early.”
Now 37, Hui resides in Azabujuban, Tokyo. He releases fresh episodes of the series roughly every two weeks, collaborating with Tokyo-based editor and videographer Darren Ha.
FIND DEREK HUI YouTube: youtube.com/@imderekhui Instagram: instagram.com/everything_derek TikTok: tiktok.com/@everything_derek Substack: letters.derekhui.com All links: linktr.ee/everythingderek
ABOUT DEREK HUI Derek Hui is a Toronto-born entrepreneur and content creator currently living in Tokyo, Japan. He picked up photography on his own at 21 and went on to establish the Mariner Agency, a Toronto wedding studio that completed more than 400 weddings, with Hui personally shooting 300 of them. From age 24 to 31, he managed musical acts, covering all expenses through his photography revenue. He independently financed the rise of the singer Anders, co-founding the NST Collective around him alongside William Nguyen (also known as Photo Will), and was key in the relationships, artistic direction, and launch strategy for the Loud Luxury and Anders hit “Love No More,” which went triple platinum in Canada. His management roster also included Always Never, The Theorist, and Aria Ohlsson, and he has launched several e-commerce ventures. In 2023, at 34, he relocated to Tokyo by himself, documenting the experience on YouTube—a series rooted in the philosophy that there is no life later. He also puts out a newsletter on Substack.
MEDIA Derek Hui is open to interviews in English from Tokyo (JST). High-res images and links to episodes can be provided upon request.
Derek Hui
https://www.derekhui.com/
email us here
Visit us on social media:
YouTube
Other
