Our sexiest API men alive for 2025

Every year, People Magazine drops its “Sexiest Man Alive” issue. And almost every year, we find ourselves scratching our heads. John Krasinski? Patrick Dempsey? No offense to Jim Halpert or McDreamy, but let’s just say the bar for “sexy” deserves a little more imagination. 

But this year, People actually got it right. Their pick, Wicked and Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey, is not only devastatingly handsome and disarmingly charming, he’s also making history as the first openly gay man to earn the title. From enchanting audiences on stage and screen, to championing authenticity and queer representation in Hollywood, Bailey has all the right stuff to leave everyone spellbound with his confidence and talent. 

However, that doesn’t mean we’re giving up our favorite annual tradition. For the third year running, we’re back with our Sexiest API Men Alive list. Because while People has finally picked someone relevant to the year we’re in, we’d still like to see an Asian or Pacific Islander man take the crown. We’ve been here all along, celebrating the heartthrobs, scene-stealers, and quiet charmers across film, TV, sports, and beyond who make us swoon and actually be grateful for living in this timeline. 

Without further ado…JoySauce’s Sexiest Man Alive 2025

Zohran Mamdani 

Sexy isn’t just about abs. It’s also about grit and game-changing vision. Zohran Mamdani entered the political arena and remixed it, turning New York’s power dynamics upside down. He went from underdog to history maker by becoming the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor. At just 34, he defeated political heavyweights, weathered Islamophobic attacks, and won hearts with his charm, smarts, and unapologetic vision for a fairer city. He’s dismantling systems of inequity and inspiring a new generation to believe politics can actually be cool again.

In a time when the world feels especially heavy, Mamdani’s work hits different. While movies, TV, and music help us escape, what he’s doing gives us something rarer: hope. Escapism ultimately won’t solve our problems, but hope can galvanize the solutions that can.

His grassroots movement reminds us that change starts on our streets, in our communities, and with leaders bold enough to imagine something better. Zohran’s showing us that passion, purpose, and people power might actually save the world. And that’s the kind of sexy we all need right now.

Onto the list!

Young Mazino
Actor

If we ever had to survive something as horrific as the cordyceps apocalypse, we’d want Young

Mazino’s Jesse by our side. The Beef breakout brings a dependable, quiet magnetism to season two of The Last of Us. As a trusted leader in the community of Jackson, Wyoming and steadfast ally to Ellie (Bella Ramsey), Mazino proves he’s the kind of man who makes the end of the world feel almost worth enduring.
-Howin Wong

Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Athlete

For the last few years, it's been all about Shohei Ohtani, whose name has become synonymous with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But in this year's World Series, his fellow Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto has come out as the star player, pitching in the last two games that led to the Dodgers' back-to-back World Series wins. While the Seattle Mariners are and always will be my ride or die team, I'm a big enough baseball fan to acknowledge greatness when it is upon us. And you can't deny how adorable Yamamoto, Ohtani and Roki Sasaki have been together as they've been celebrating their win.
-Samantha Pak

Kaipo Dudoit
Actor/Model

Kaipo Dudoit first made waves with My Partner (2023), the first-ever Hawaiian gay film, but most of us really fell for him as David Kawena in the 2025 Lilo & Stitch remake. The animated David was charming, but Kaipo takes it to a whole new level, mastering surfing skills and bringing irresistible Hawaiian heat to the role. The islands really are paradise and it’s primarily because of him.
-Ryan Quan

Lee Byung Hun
Actor

Lee Byung Hun makes being the villain look irresistible. From voicing the menacing Gwi Ma in KPop Demon Hunters, to masterminding deadly games as the mysterious and complex Front Man in Squid Game, and plotting office rivalries in No Other Choice, he makes you root for the bad guy. A megastar in South Korea, Hollywood is rediscovering his magnetic charm.

-Samantha Lui

Conrad Ricamora
Actor

I was first introduced to Conrad Ricamora back in 2014 when How to Get Away with Murder was airing. Then, in 2022, he once again graced my screen with his role as Will in Fire Island. And now, 2025 has been an incredible year for the half-Filipino actor. On top of receiving his first Tony nomination for his role as Abraham Lincoln in Oh, Mary!, he has also joined the ensemble cast of The Devil Wears Prada 2 and launched a scholarship fund supporting Asian American male actors.
-Ryan Quan

Son Heung-min
Athlete

Son Heung-min has conquered the Premier League and dazzled on the World Cup stage. Now he’s bringing his talents to Los Angeles as a forward for Los Angeles FC. Known for lightning speed, unstoppable footwork, and an infectious smile, he’s the kind of superstar who can win hearts across continents. And yes, even Korean moms and dads can’t help but fawn over him, so he’s approved by just about everyone. LA just got a lot hotter.
-Daniel Anderson

Jason Momoa
Actor

Jason Momoa has always embodied regal energy. Apple’s Chief of War proves as much. As co-creator, writer, and star, he brings to life Hawai‘i’s rarely told history before colonization, playing the fierce chief Ka‘iana with power, heart, and reverence. Beyond the muscles and that legendary mane, Momoa’s true sex appeal lies in his devotion to storytelling and culture.
-Daniel Anderson

Bain (배인)
K-pop idol

Just B member Bain made headlines this year when he publicly came out during his band's world tour: "I’m f*cking proud to be part of the LGBT community." K-pop singers are held to impossibly high standards, which is why so few are openly queer. People warned Bain against coming out, but he did it anyway so he could be true to who he is. And there's nothing sexier than that.
-David Opie

Ishaan Khatter
Actor

Ishaan Khatter started as a Bollywood actor and has moved on to films that have premiered at Cannes, TIFF, and other prestigious film festivals. He's specifically picked films that address equality and the caste system in South Asia and is pretty outspoken about taboo topics. He's also incredibly hot.
-Anjana Pawa

Jon Kung
Chef/Cookbook Author/Social Media Influencer

Jon Kung is charming, funny, and can cook! This cookbook author's visibility has grown over the last several years as his gregarious nature attracted people to his social media platforms—not just because of his good looks, but also his passion for food and teaching folks how to think about traditional dishes from various cultures around the world, their ingredients, and our kitchenware in new ways. He uses his platform and love of food to highlight social issues by speaking about how food is as much political as it is vital for our daily survival through nourishment. Whether he’s camping, goofing around with his pitbulls Boba and Mochi, or sharing culinary wisdom, Kung entertains, inspires, and leaves you hungry for more.
-Carolyn Hinds

Manny Jacinto
Actor/Repeat Offender

At this point, it’s tradition. Manny Jacinto has made our Sexiest list every year since its conception, and can you blame us? In Freakier Friday, he plays the kind of single dad who makes PTA meetings suddenly sound appealing, bringing irresistible warmth and that signature Jacinto charm to the chaos. When he’s not melting hearts on screen, he’s heating things up as the lead of Hyperdrive, a steamy sci-fi audio romance that proves his voice alone could take us to the stars and beyond.
-Everyone