Given that ‘Bling Empire’ on Netflix basically guarantees raw entertainment and drama at every turn, it is evident that the cast’s interpersonal scandals are what keep us coming back for more. Among these is the complicated relationship that exists between French-Vietnamese Kim Lee, who was born and reared in Orange County, and her co-star Kevin Taejin Kreider, who was born and raised in Philadelphia and adopted by a Korean family. Now, if you are interested in learning more about this pair, specifically with regard to their background, the ways in which they are distinct from one another, as well as their current standing in general, we have all of the relevant information that you require for your perusal.
Kim Lee and Kevin Kreider’s Bling Empire Journey
If we are being completely forthright, we must admit that Kim and Kevin did not get off to a good start, or even a civil one, in their relationship. This was not only due to the vast differences in their respective upbringings, but also to the manner in which they always handled themselves. Because he believed that she was a “spoiled brat” who had only started DJ-ing on a whim with her family’s money, the personal trainer who is now a model found it difficult to tolerate her company at first. In fact, he couldn’t even stand being in her presence. Things went from bad to worse when they got into a violent dispute over her behaviour at fellow co-star Anna Shay’s party, that is, until they finally made an attempt to open up to one another on a deeper level. Things continued to go downhill from there.
Nevertheless, the moment that Kevin chose to assist Kim in finding her estranged biological father because he could fully grasp the feelings around blood links was the moment that marked the real turning point in their bond. Because of this, his subsequent acts of selflessness made space for a few poignant moments and the development of an undeniable chemistry, both of which did not emerge until the second season of the show had begun. After she found out that she had been offered a residency at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, she surprised him by giving him a kiss on the cheek. He took this as a sign that he should pursue things further and asked her out on a date as a result of this.
Kim required some persuading before she finally agreed to take this next step, but on the day in question, she changed her mind and failed to show up for her appointment with Kevin without so much as a courteous phone or text message. However, he is not the type of person to give up quickly, so he exposed his emotions to her in an effort to spend some quality time together. This resulted in a short trip over the weekend during which there were neither expectations nor fears. Really though Kane’s intervention over his loyalty and Kim’s own trust concerns eventually came into the picture, the couple initially appeared to be blissfully happy upon their return; nevertheless, a lie detector test later revealed that she didn’t even want to be with him.
Kevin’s anger was quite understandable, and as a result, after they went their separate ways, he purposefully kept his distance from her, despite the fact that they had previously committed to continuing to be close friends. He had gradually come to the conclusion that he and Kim were not romantically compatible with one another; nonetheless, he was aware that getting too close to Kim too quickly would not be helpful for either of them, and he was still a little bit upset. Because of this, it required a weekend trip to Malibu with Kane and Kelly Mi Li, combined with a Reiki session with Kim’s healer Janice, in order for them to confront the reality of their situation and rededicate themselves to one another as true friends.
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Are Kim Lee and Kevin Kreider Still Friends?
Things between Kim and Kevin honestly seemed to be going extremely well as time passed, especially considering that the latter received a favour from the former in the shape of constant support from Kim for his mission to locate his biological family. Nevertheless, he chose to move on from the relationship by initiating a dating relationship with Reiki healer Janice, which caused yet another change in the dynamic between the two of them. She despised the fact that he selected someone with whom she was collaborating to enhance her general health. Kevin originally didn’t comprehend the issue because they were already done for good, but once he understood he risked not only losing Kim as a friend but also impeding her progress, he decided to quit his relationship with Janice and pursue other opportunities.
During the second season of “Bling Empire,” Kevin and Kim made an effort at a romantic relationship
In the first season, Kevin had feelings for Kelly Mi Li, but she eventually confessed that she just viewed him as a friend. The two became closer due to the fact that he is an adopted child after learning about Kim’s lost relationship with her biological father.
By the end of the second season, they had built a closer relationship, and he was curious to see if there was something romantic between the two of them. As a result, he made arrangements for a one-on-one date with her, but she never showed up and ignored his calls. When they were reunited, she stated that she had her doubts about whether or not he was truly interested in getting into a relationship.
He made an effort to demonstrate it by bringing her on a date that lasted over night, which appeared to be successful. On the other hand, once they had gone home, Kane angered Kim by telling her about a past encounter that Kevin had.
It threw off the trajectory of their developing friendship, which irritated Kevin, who challenged his friend, which finally led to a conflict that was only temporary. Kevin submitted himself to a lie detector exam in order to demonstrate his sincerity to Kim. Although he was successful, she was not, and this exposed the fact that she was not interested in having a romantic relationship with him.
In a prior post, Kevin discussed the decision he made to open up about his sobriety
During the second season, which he began when he was 30 years old, Kevin discussed his sobriety publicly for the first time. He revealed in a confessional that he didn’t enjoy how he started relying on booze to form his personality, and he also didn’t like the person he became while he was under the influence of alcohol.
As a result, the model enrolled in a 12-step programme and now has daily sessions with a sober coach. Kevin was interested in sharing his sober journey with Kim because she is a professional DJ. She acknowledged it, lauded his choice, and lent him her support throughout the process.
In an interview that was released at the same time as the reality series, Kevin discussed, in further depth, his decision to be more open about his sobriety for the second season of the show. He made the observation that while some people would rather not discuss it, he sees it as “freedom.”
The model believes that it is more “freeing” to speak the path openly since he has learned that “you’re only as sick as your ailment.” This is a statement that he has heard in recovery. Kevin revealed that he had previously chosen not to speak about it either, but he stated that he wanted to be clean about it in order to “destigmatize” sobriety and mental health as topics of conversation.
ARE KIM LEE AND KEVIN KREIDER TOGETHER NOW?
Not only do they not live together, but their homes are on completely different sides of the United States. Kevin disclosed the news that he moved to New York City in an interview with Today (opens in a new tab) (just like our pal Dorothy Wang). He stated, “At the moment, I’m located in New York, and Kim is in Los Angeles.”
He added: “We were all in need of some distance and privacy. We were torn between laughing and crying, and I think the audience will experience the same internal conflict.”
Kim and Kevin appear to still play a significant role in each other’s lives, as seen by the fact that they are regularly featured on each other’s Instagram feeds, despite the fact that the romantic phase of their trip appears to be over and done with (if it even began at all). Who knows whether we’ll ever see them give romance another shot, but at this point it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen between them. Bring on the third season of Bling Empire for even more dating turmoil…