William Yu

William Yu is a Korean American screenwriter and Asian American advocate whose work explores the intersection of storytelling and cultural change. Yu is known for creating narratives about ambitious outsiders challenging established systems. Prior to his career in film and television, Yu worked in advertising, where he launched the #StarringJohnCho campaign. This project, which used photoshopped movie posters to highlight Asian American representation in media, sparked a global conversation and was covered by BBC, CNN, and The New York Times. The campaign earned Yu a Shorty Award and was cited by director Jon M. Chu as an inspiration for the film "Crazy Rich Asians."

Following the success of #StarringJohnCho, Yu transitioned to screenwriting. He is a self-taught writer who immersed himself in screenwriting books and scripts, ultimately writing a feature script that won a screenplay competition. His feature script "Love You, Charlie" received recognition at the New York Asian-American International Film Festival. Yu later participated in the NBCU TV Writers Program, and his romantic comedy feature "It Was You" was named to the Black List and attached Jon M. Chu as a producer. Yu has described the project as reminiscent of "You've Got Mail," set in Manhattan's Chinatown.

Yu is an alum of the NBCU TV Writers Program and Rideback Rise Fellow. He served as story editor for "The 'Burbs," a Peacock mystery comedy series, and contributed to the second season of "Brilliant Minds," an NBC medical drama. Yu was also part of the writing staff for "Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist," a Peacock crime drama that won Outstanding Limited Series at the NAACP Image Awards. His independent half-hour dramedy "Good Boy" was selected for the Sundance Episodic Lab and received a Sundance Institute grant, with the proof of concept featured at multiple film festivals and available on Omeleto.

Yu frequently speaks about Asian American representation in Hollywood at schools, film festivals, and conferences. He is committed to supporting emerging AAPI storytellers by sharing insights into the screenwriting industry and providing practical guidance. Yu's work addresses cultural conversations and representation in media, contributing to ongoing discussions about diversity and inclusion in Hollywood.