Eugene Lee Yang leaves 'The Try Guys' after 10 years
Eugene Lee Yang is leaving The Try Guys after 10 years, citing mental health and pursuing different creative ventures for his departure.
"After 10 profoundly impactful years, my time here on YouTube has come to an end,” Eugene said in his video announcement on Thursday, May 23.
“There's no version of this announcement in which I can properly express how emotional this moment is for me, how hard it is to close such a meaningful chapter of my life," he said. "But in the spirit of so much of my digital work, I'm gonna give it one last try."
He then expressed his gratitude to his “bespectacled baby brothers” Keith Habersberger and Zach Kornfeld.
“I couldn't have asked for better, smarter, weirder, funnier, and most of all, kinder individuals to have ridden alongside,” he said. “Though our time in viral videos may be over, our friendship is forever.”
"That being said, the three of us have always held a mutual, empathetic understanding about when the right time was for me to take a bow," Eugene said.
He was later joined on camera by the remaining duo to further explain Eugene’s departure, with Zach sharing that Eugene’s schedule had become busier in the past years.
Eugene also clarified that the major change is the “furthest thing from drama.”
"We have been through the worst version of that together," he quipped, seemingly referencing former Try Guy member Ned Fulmer's cheating scandal in 2022.
Further explaining his decision to leave, the Nimona star shared that he has been working on his film directorial debut and epic queer fantasy with the publishing company, Macmillan Feiwel & Friends. He teased that it is slated for release in 2025.
In addition to these projects, he's also working on his first graphic novel dubbed Buckaroo, a twisted horror fantasy musical.
'Not the right space'
Apart from his new creative ventures, Eugene also mentioned his mental health as part of his decision to leave.
"I've come to terms with the fact that this simply isn't the right space for me. The internet can be a fun, rewarding, fantastic place where many creatives shine, including my colleagues who are so, so talented at what they do," he shared.
"In truth, more often than not, I've experienced the opposite effect, and leaving will be the best decision for preserving my mental health,” he added.
Prior to the announcement, the remaining members of the group, Keith and Zach revealed the major changes in the group in their interview with Rolling Stone.
Apart from Eugene’s departure, the duo is now working on expanding their production company, 2nd Try, as a streaming service.
The Try Guys was established in 2014 by former Buzzfeed employees, Zach, Keith, Eugene, and Ned—who left the group in 2022 due to his cheating scandal with a colleague.