Popular Malaysian YouTuber Bingyen shared how he spent seven years building his channel to earn a stable monthly income of RM6,000 after quitting his job as a journalist.
Left journalism career in 2018
In a Facebook post, Bingyen shared that he previously worked at Sin Chew Daily’s Pocketimes, earning nearly RM3,000 monthly.
Inspired by the success of YouTubers like Ling Big Yong and Namewee, he resigned in 2018 to pursue content creation full-time.
I admired how YouTubers could create freely and produce content they love. So, I decided to leave my stable job and step into an unfamiliar world,” he said.
In his first year, his YouTube income was under RM20 per month.
To survive, he took on small video projects, often receiving only free products instead of payment from brands.
I had no reputation, so many businesses were unwilling to pay. Some only offered products instead of money, but I accepted them just to build my profile,” he recalled.
Struggled for years and started a side business
From his second to fourth year, Bingyen’s channel earned less than RM5,000 annually, with minimal uploads.
He launched a video production company with friends to sustain himself, earning around RM3,000 monthly while continuing YouTube as a side project.
His turning point came in 2023 when his original music video “Xin Nian Tu Tu Tu” surpassed one million views, generating RM8,000 in ad revenue. The success proved YouTube could become a reliable income source.
That was the moment I finally felt that YouTube could really make money,” he said.
Focus on music content for steady growth
Currently, Bingyen’s channel focuses on music content, which generates steady long-term views and revenue.
He now earns an average of RM6,000 monthly, covering his expenses, though he admits it falls short of financial freedom.
It took me seven years to reach this point. It’s not a fortune, but at least it puts food on the table,” he reflected.
Bingyen hopes his seven-year journey will inspire others pursuing careers in digital content creation.
