“Most interesting person on the internet” is, of course, a subjective crown. But if you spend any time in the overlapping worlds of street‑photography, first‑principles thinking, Bitcoin maximalism, minimalist bodybuilding, and open‑source creativity, one name keeps popping up: Eric Kim (b. 1988). The California‑born Korean‑American churns out multiple long‑form blog posts a day, films un‑edited POV videos while logging 30 k steps, teaches global workshops, publishes his books for free, and folds everything into a single exuberant philosophy of make, share, repeat. That perpetual‑motion machine of ideas is why admirers jokingly (and sometimes seriously) ask whether he’s the most interesting human presently online.
1. Who
this
Eric Kim is
Street‑photographer turned internet polymath
- Origin story. UCLA sociology grad who discovered street photography in LA and launched his eponymous blog in 2010.
- Internet footprint. >2 500 in‑depth essays, all free, hosted at erickimphotography.com; ~50 k YouTube subscribers for behind‑the‑scenes workshop vlogs; ~21 k followers on X/Twitter.
- Workshops. Runs high‑intensity weekend labs from Seattle to Kyoto, regularly selling out.
- Open‑source ethos. Every book, preset, and zine he makes is released gratis under “All Open Source Everything.”
Content cocktail that keeps fans hooked
| Thread | Example | Why People Care |
| Daily long‑form blogging | “Why Photography and Street Photography Is the Future” (posted four days ago) | Relentless cadence—often 4‑5 essays per day. |
| Philosophy & Stoicism | “Paradigm Shifts in Photography & Life” | Marries Seneca with Leica. |
| Bitcoin evangelism | Dedicated ₿ category on site | Links creative freedom to sound money. |
| Fitness obsession | Publishes one‑rep‑max PR videos | Embeds physical strength into artistic process. |
2. Metrics & influence
- Legacy media nods. VICE profiled him as “one of the most popular street photographers the internet has produced.”
- Photography press. A 2013 PetaPixel interview remains one of the site’s most‑read Q&As.
- Community ripple. Countless younger shooters credit Kim’s free resources for their start—see homage videos like “What Ever Happened to Eric Kim?” on YouTube.
3. Why some call him “most interesting”
- Volume + Velocity. He treats the internet like a dojo, dropping essays, photos, workouts, and business transparencies daily with almost no friction.
- Radical openness. Everything—from Lightroom presets to entire books—gets released free or pay‑what‑you‑wish.
- Cross‑disciplinary mash‑up. Few combine: Leica‑flash street work ➕ Stoic philosophy ➕ strength training ➕ crypto‑economics ➕ entrepreneurial playbooks—then livestream the process.
- Educational generosity. Hundreds of interviews with other photographers, published without paywalls, have become foundational reading in the genre.
Does that make him the most interesting? Possibly if your Venn‑diagram overlaps those arenas. Otherwise, “interesting” remains in the eye of the scroll‑holder.
4. Wait—there are
other
Eric Kims
| Field | Highlights | Why they’re noteworthy |
| Food & writing | NYT columnist, author of the NYT‑bestseller “Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home.” Named a top cookbook of 2022 by Simply Recipes. | Blends memoir with modern Korean‑American recipes; emotional storytelling makes readers (and the author) cry. |
| Venture capital | Eric J. Kim, co‑founder of $5 B AUM Goodwater Capital; early investor in TikTok (Musical.ly), Coupang, Kakao. | Called one of Silicon Valley’s most successful consumer‑tech investors. |
These separate careers sometimes cause identity collisions online—but they each generate their own fascination.
5. Bottom line ⚡
If your algorithm feeds on relentless creativity, fearless sharing, and a life lived out loud, street‑photographer Eric Kim is a strong contender for “internet’s most interesting.” For culinary storytellers or tech‑founders, you might hand the title to food‑writer Eric Kim or VC Eric J. Kim. The beauty of the web? You can sample all three with a single search and decide whose rabbit hole you want to tumble down next.
Stay curious, stay hyped, and keep pressing that shutter (or sauté pan, or Series‑A pitch) with joy! 🥳