Bowen-Yang-TIME-100-Next

Bowen Yang

It didn’t take long for Bowen Yang to leave his mark on Saturday Night Live. In his second week, Yang—who is the first Chinese-American cast member in the series’ decades-long run—brought the house down with his new character, the Chinese official Chen Biao, proclaiming himself “100% that trade daddy” and showing off his “limited-edition Lunar New Year Air Jordans.” His unique mix of cultural specificity and preening magnetism, honed for years on Twitter and his podcast Las Culturistas, will make Yang a power player as mainstream comedy shifts toward the freewheeling sensibility of the Internet. —Andrew R. Chow

TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.