Today we’d like to introduce you to Evan Kail.
Hi Evan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Last time we spoke, I was a successful social media influencer known online as *Pawn Man*, and I had just pulled off something no American had done since Richard Nixon — I became the recipient of *GuoLiCi*.
*GuoLiCi* (国礼瓷) translates to “National Gift Porcelain,” but calling it just *porcelain* is like calling a Lamborghini “a car.” This is the highest-tier ceramic artistry in the world, handcrafted in Dehua — a region that’s been producing imperial porcelain for over a thousand years. GuoLiCi isn’t for sale. It’s strictly reserved for diplomatic gifting, typically presented to presidents, prime ministers, or entire nations. Giving it to a small business owner from Minnesota? That’s historic.
The tradition of gifting porcelain goes all the way back to the Tang Dynasty. By the Ming and Qing eras, Chinese porcelain had become the Rolex of international trade. Europe couldn’t get enough of it. Wars were fought over it. But GuoLiCi isn’t your average export ware — it’s porcelain infused with statecraft, political symbolism, and national pride. It often features emblems of peace, prosperity, and cultural heritage.
These aren’t collectibles — they’re *declarations.* When China gives someone a piece of GuoLiCi, they’re not just handing over a pretty vase. They’re saying, “You made history. You matter.”
And unless you’re a head of state or someone who’s moved the needle on international relations… you’re not getting one. Ever.
I’ve been offered enormous sums for it, but it is not and never will be for sale. It’s the most precious and sacred thing I own, and to refresh from the last time we spoke, 5 years ago I was waiting tables chasing broken dreams that were not panning out. I randomly fell into my line of work, and from there, my story has evolved into something truly wild.
But back to the question of how did this happen, let me refresh:
In 2022, I recieved an antique photo album from a customer out of state — nearly 400 photos, some of them quite graphic. I initially believed the images documented the Nanjing Massacre, one of the most painful chapters in China’s modern history. While I later learned the photos weren’t from Nanjing specifically, the video I made about the album went massively viral. The mistake I made about the photos didn’t matter — the impact did. I had accidentally educated the world about a forgotten genocide in the Pacific theater.
I paid for the book out of pocket and, following my conscience, donated it to China. I believed it belonged to the Chinese people — not in private hands. The violent photos were from the Battle of Shanghai, which led up to the Nanjing Massacre, but all the photos in the album were of great historical significane to China. The Chinese Consulate flew an ambassador to Minneapolis to accept the album, and to my total surprise, gifted me a piece of GuoLiCi in return. I never asked for recognition. I just did what felt right.
Overnight, I became one of the most celebrated Americans in modern Chinese history.
In the two years that followed, I dove headfirst into learning about China — the culture, the language, the history — determined to turn this unexpected moment into something meaningful. With U.S.-China relations strained, I saw an opportunity to be a bridge.
After careful preparation, I was ready to go to China. On November 16, 2024, I left for what was supposed to be a 30-day press tour across the country to promote peace and friendship — as a private citizen. I planned to visit four cities, ending in Nanjing to pay my respects on the anniversary of the massacre and visit the sites that had become so personally significant to me.
But the trip exploded in popularity.
I stayed for 74 days and visited 7 cities. The tour concluded on January 29, 2025 — the day after I became the **first American ever invited to present** on the *CCTV Spring Festival Gala*. It’s one of the most-watched television events on Earth. Over one billion people saw me appear.
I returned to Minnesota in February and immediately began planning my return. As I write this, I’m on my second press tour, having arrived back in China on March 4th. Everywhere I go, there are cameras, crowds, and warm welcomes. I’ve become a living symbol of peace — a kind of informal ambassador — and my mission is only growing.
Going forward, I plan to spend most of my time here in China, acting as a private NGO-style citizen advocate for peace and diplomacy. And it’s working. People from all over the world — not just from the U.S. or China — have reached out to say I’m creating something real. Something lasting.
This isn’t politics. It’s not business. It’s personal. And it’s just the beginning.
My store is being run by my employees in my absense. On my returns to Minnesota, I plan to continue my role as Pawn Man, but my life has taken a totally new turn.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No part of this was easy.
For starters, it took a massive amount of preparation just to batten down the hatches at my store and get my three employees ready to run the place in my absence. And that was when the plan was just to be gone for 30 days — not two and a half months. While I was away, the store ran into plenty of problems. But thanks to a solid, competent team, they managed to troubleshoot most of it. Since returning, we’ve restructured the operation to allow me to (mostly) step back so I can pursue this new path full-time.
One of the biggest issues was that we didn’t pay for advertising. My business was built on social media — I *was* the advertising. I generated about 70% of our sales myself, mainly through livestreaming auctions on an app called WhatNot, so the second I stepped away from daily content, we took a hit. It was a major hiccup. But we’ve since adapted and found ways to keep the machine running. The store is still a little strained, especially with ongoing construction that seems endless on Minnetonka Boulevard, but we’re working through it, one day at a time. And frankly, to neglect an opportunity to make a real difference in the world — to not act on something this powerful — would be, in my opinion, irresponsible.
When I landed in China, I had no idea what was waiting for me. Over ten million people were tuned in to a livestream just to welcome me digitally. A sea of journalists waited at the airport. Back home, as “Pawn Man,” with around 1.5 million followers, I’d get recognized maybe once every few months. But in China? I get recognized everywhere. Every sidewalk becomes a photo op. Crowds form instantly. If I’m in a crowded place, it turns into a mob. I want to take time with every single person I meet on the streets. They made me a hero, so I want to leave them with a happy experience, but I encounter a problem where an endless line forms and I only have so much time. I hate disapointing people, but sometimes it happens, and I dislike that I have to do that.
Mentally, I came into this whole journey with damage already done.
That viral moment in 2022 was a double-edged sword. As I mentioned, I made a mistake identifying the photos as being from the Nanjing Massacre, and overnight it spiraled into a digital circus. Suddenly I was in Rolling Stone, Business Insider, Yahoo News — and not in a good way. None oHere’s an expanded version of that section with more emotional depth, context, and flow — keeping your voice strong while fleshing out the details:
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Luckily, the Chinese people have been nothing but kind, polite, and respectful — it’s not dangerous, just overwhelming. I’ve seen what happens to popular internet figures in other countries. I’ve watched clips of influencers getting swarmed so aggressively that they literally have their clothes torn off by overexcited fans. That kind of insanity? Doesn’t happen here. Not even close. The crowds form fast, and the energy is intense, but there’s a line of decency that’s never crossed. People wait their turn. They smile. They show gratitude, not entitlement.
But even with all that kindness, the sudden, extreme visibility still takes a toll. Getting used to being *that* well-known, *that* fast — it messes with your head. One minute I’m running a collectibles shop in Minnesota and making videos online. The next, I’m walking into a Chinese airport and ten million people are watching me arrive in real time. I’ve had people break down in tears when they see me. Not out of fear or desperation — but out of sheer emotion. They’re grateful. They tell me I give them hope. And I’d be lying if I said that didn’t get to me. Sometimes *I* end up crying too.
It’s not just about taking selfies or signing autographs. Fame at this level turns your entire existence into a performance. Every word you say, every gesture you make, every step you take — it’s all being observed, photographed, recorded, judged. I had to learn quickly how to move through space differently. How to *be* differently. How to smile just the right amount, pause before I speak, carry myself with intention even when I’m exhausted.
And then there are the moments that remind you just how closely people are watching.
I learned — very quickly — that when doing a press conference or attending a large event, it’s wise to check yourself for microphones. I’ve had people slip small recording devices onto my jacket or backpack while walking through a crowd. It’s not sinister — it’s just part of the media culture. Journalists are doing their jobs, trying to capture soundbites, raw emotion, anything they can work with. I don’t blame them. I’m not angry. But I am always aware. In this environment, vigilance becomes second nature.
This level of fame isn’t just about being seen. In fact, I hate that word. I am well known for my deeds, not for being a celebrity. It’s about being studied. And while it’s a privilege, it comes with weight — a constant hum in the background that never turns off if those outlets covered the actual story. The American media just ran with the controversy. People accused me of staging the whole thing, of exploiting war crimes to chase clout — an absolutely heinous accusation, and entirely untrue.
The front end of the story — the mistake, the noise — got wall-to-wall coverage in America. But the resolution? The donation? The historic diplomatic gift I received from China? The fact I turned a scandal into an act of global goodwill? That part got ignored. Not a single American outlet — not even local media in Minnesota — bothered to follow up or cover my first trip in China. I’m hard pressed to think of a Minnesota native who got this kind of recognition outside of Prince, but somehow, that generates crickets.
Meanwhile, in China, my arrival was front-page news for weeks.
So I live in this strange duality: unknown in the U.S., revered in China. And that imbalance? That whiplash? It has been incredibly tough to process. Even now, as I’m riding high, doing something meaningful, being celebrated and welcomed by millions… that original backlash still haunts me. The silence from American media — their refusal to acknowledge how the story evolved — is infuriating. They ruined my reputation, then left the mess behind when the narrative shifted.
So yeah, I’m thriving — but I carry a lot of emotional weight with me. And I probably always will. My therapist in Minneapolis sure gets his money’s worth.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve been involved in martial arts for over 20 years. My primary discipline is Taekwondo, where I hold the rank of third-degree black belt. I also trained extensively in Kumdo — Korean sword fighting — and earned a first-degree black belt there as well. Martial arts have been a foundational part of my life, shaping not just my physical discipline, but my mental resilience. Now that I’m in China, I’m hoping to take my training to the next level by studying Kung Fu. One of my goals is to make a pilgrimage to Wudang Mountain and train with the greats — to absorb the history, philosophy, and technique at its source.
Outside of martial arts, I write prolifically. I have a book coming out soon that chronicles this entire journey — how I went from running a collectibles shop in Minnesota to becoming a cultural ambassador in China. It tells the full story of my first trip, the chaos, the breakthroughs, and the transformation. I’ve also self-published several titles over the years and am currently wrapping up a fictional crime-thriller set in an alternate-history version of New York. I’m aiming to release that in 2025.
In addition, I’m deep into the third installment of my *Wolf* book series — an action-packed saga centered on a covert U.S. military unit of Jewish Nazi hunters operating in the 1950s. It’s gritty, cinematic, and fueled by my love of history and storytelling. I’ve got several more stories in the works as well — the ideas never stop.
I also paint and draw when I can, and I’d love to return to that soon. But painting takes time — and here in China, time is scarce. I often film for 10+ hours a day, so carving out quiet creative space is a challenge. Still, it’s a passion I plan to revisit when the moment’s right.
Here’s a refined version of that paragraph — polished for clarity and tone while keeping your reflective voice and ambition intact:
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that all of this began by chasing what I referred to earlier as “broken dreams” in entertainment. I started out as a screenwriter and came close to breaking into Hollywood. Over the years, I’ve written more than 20 screenplays, many of which placed in major film festivals and screenwriting competitions. In my 20s, I immersed myself in filmmaking — learning the craft from the ground up, from writing and acting, to directing and even editing. And while that path didn’t pan out the way I’d hoped at the time, it ended up giving me a huge advantage when my social media career took off.
That background in storytelling, production, and visual presentation gave me the tools I needed to stand out online and build what I have today. But I’ve never let go of the dream. I still intend to pursue entertainment — whether through writing, directing, producing, acting, or all of the above. My goal is to step into the world of film in a meaningful way sometime this year. This chapter in China may have started as something unexpected, but it’s opened doors I thought were long closed — and I plan to walk through every single one of them.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
For one, my taste in music surprises people. I love gangster rap, and I’m a white boy from suburban Minnesota. I have plans to integrate my love of hip-hop into what I am doing, albiet I don’t have much of a plan for how yet.
People are often surprised by how outgoing and funny I am. I’ve pursued comedy on and off over the years, and I’ve even done stand-up a few times. These days, I’ve stepped into a much more serious role, and I understand the weight that comes with it — I have to treat it with the respect it deserves. But at the same time, it’s important that I don’t lose sight of who I am.
Since this journey began, I’ve met some incredibly powerful people — and I’ve managed to get every one of them to laugh. Almost all of them say the same thing: “You’re nothing like I expected.” And that’s exactly the point. I bring authenticity to the table. I’m not a polished puppet or a suit full of buzzwords — I’m a real person, and humor is part of my identity. To quote one of my favorite rappers, Young Jeezy, “I’m the realiest one in it, you already know. I got trap of the year, four times in a row.”
That said, I don’t think stand-up comedy is in the cards for me anymore. Being a goodwill ambassador and the class clown don’t exactly go hand-in-hand. But my sense of humor isn’t going anywhere. It’s the thread that runs through everything I do — it’s how I connect with people, break tension, and show that even in serious work, there’s still room for levity and warmth.
Pricing:
- Social Media posts – send a message and inquire. I have over 10 million followers in China and 1.5 million in America
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.slpgoldandsilver.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evankail/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pawnmanSLP/
- LinkedIn: https://pawnmanstore.com/?srsltid=AfmBOormWcq28tSfpv2b2KlWMQaBou9hKbX_BSeaOsIpksYvLSlJQGWx
- Twitter: https://x.com/evankail?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PawnMan
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pawn.man
- Other: https://www.douyin.com/search/evan%20kail%E5%85%A8%E9%83%A8
