“What’s your type?” is the kind of question you would expect in a private setting. Maybe during a game of truth or dare, a late-night conversation with a one-night stand, or while texting someone on Tinder. In any case, the expectation is linked to intimacy — something personal, perhaps even secretive. Now, picture being asked that same question right in the heart of Tokyo in Shibuya. You are caught off guard, possibly a little drunk, with a camera suddenly pointed at your face. You do not quite know what is happening, but you answer anyway, honestly, even if you never intended to. Because, why not? What you do not realise is that your response could end up online, watched by millions, eventually.

This is the premise behind @tokyo_sims, a TikTok account that transforms casual street interviews into viral confessional content. For hundreds of strangers, this has been their reality. They speak — sometimes with raw vulnerability, sometimes with sharp cynicism — and the internet listens. What keeps viewers coming back is not just the drama or shock value. It is the unfiltered chaos, content that feels both honest and fractured, yet deeply relatable to TikTok’s largest audience: Gen Z. Raised on instability, their concerns are often dismissed, their futures shaped by systems they did not create. They do not turn to cynicism because it is trendy, but embrace it instead because it is a form of survival. So it makes sense that the humour, absurdity, and unfiltered honesty become tools for coping.

Blazer, shirt, pants, all Fendi; Glasses, Stylist’s own

That is what sets @tokyo_sims apart from most. At the centre of it all is 22-year-old internet personality Kole Sims, who goes by the mononym Kole, holding the mic. In clips ranging from 15 to 60 seconds, he draws out confessions from strangers with an easy calm that feels both surreal and familiar. Cheating revelations are told like casual gossip. Toxic traits are offered as punchlines. Rambling, spontaneous answers somehow land as unintentional truths. With Kole, people lose the plot — and that is what makes it so compelling. It has become a hallmark of the @tokyo_sims formula: absurd yet honest. And it works. Kole, alongside longtime friend Swhite, has since built a following of over a million since the project began.

However, there is only so much you can learn from watching someone ask the questions. So what happens when the mic is turned on its head? In this interview, the calm, unbothered king of street interviews and confessions takes the hot seat and answers ours instead.

Jacket, shirt, bag, all Paul Smith

Let’s start easy. If you met yourself on the street, would you stop for the mic?
To be honest, probably not. It’s funny considering my whole job is sticking cameras [and mics] in people’s faces, but in most situations, I tend to avoid the spotlight. I’m a bit more reserved than people probably assume.

That’s unexpected, given your first viral video hit 17 million views. So, be honest, how good are you at clip farming?
I clip farm to the max, 10 [upon 10].

Fair enough. Most of the these clips are born in Shibuya, your main set. The comment section is always trying to figure it out, so let’s settle it once and for all: what’s going on in Shibuya?
Whoever knows the answer to that is already lost in the sauce. You have to lose yourself a little to understand the unhinged nature of this purgatory we call Shibuya.

Jacket, shirt, pants, all Kenzo

Speaking of unhinged, how do you get people to say the wildest, most brutally honest things on camera?
I don’t know why people are so willing to incriminate themselves. I think when some people get put on the spot, there’s just too much going on in their heads to filter what they’re saying, so they blurt out whatever comes to mind.

What does a night actually look like when you’re out filming?
I usually go out on weekends or holidays, whenever the streets are at their busiest. Most of the night is just spent watching people, trying to spot the ones who seem interesting enough to stop. I aim for at least 10 interviews I feel good about before heading home and jumping straight into editing. It’s chaotic, and it can get overwhelming, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

And by “interesting enough to stop,” do you mean you’re actively looking for certain types of people?
We have done hundreds of interviews by now, so we have definitely picked up on a pattern. Flashy dressers usually catch our eye first; they tend to be more unfiltered and visually engaging. But every now and then, someone who looks completely normal will randomly drop their darkest secret out of nowhere. It keeps us on our toes.

Vest, pants, all Undercover; Belt, Paul Smith; Gloves, shoes, Stylist’s own

Which is wild, because Japan is often stereotyped as reserved. Yet in your videos, people are the complete opposite. Is that just a Shibuya thing, or this generation’s relationship with self-expression?
Shibuya is definitely one of the most expressive parts of Tokyo. There’s a kind of freedom here you won’t find in the more rigid business districts, unless it’s after hours. Japan puts a lot of pressure on people to fit in and behave a certain way, which can feel like a cage.

But once it opens, everything spills out. With social media making it normal to share your private life online, I think many younger people have started to blur the line between what’s personal and what’s “appropriate” to say in public.

Let’s talk about dating. It’s a recurring theme in your videos, so now it’s your turn. How does dating in Tokyo compare to what you experienced growing up in the USA? 
Tokyo dating gets a bad rep on social media for all the cheating, but honestly, that’s just a timeless human flaw. I grew up in Atlanta; infidelity and sneaking around weren’t rare there either.

No culture has perfect morals or self-control. Everyone struggles with desire versus moral code. Seeing both sides just made me realise we’re all human, no matter where, we’re… Cooked.

Sweater, shirt, pants, all Paul Smith

With all that you’ve seen, do you still believe in romance?
I do. But the modern world makes it harder to find it. Social media creates this illusion of endless choice, and no one really wants to settle. Personally, after hearing so many wild confessions, it has only confirmed my preexisting trust issues. But I still think romance is out there.

You always look impossible calm, even when someone says something insane. Is that just who you are?
I wish I could say, “Yeah, I’m just chill like that,” but the truth is, I’ve always found it hard to be expressive around people I’m not close to. It might come across as calm, but really, it’s just me pushing emotions down before they show. Most of the time, I’m shocked by what people say, but I just don’t show it.

What is one response that’s firmly in your personal hall of fame?
Sabai dee.

Be honest here, do you genuinely still enjoy doing it?
I do. I feel lucky that people connect with the way I interview, because growing up, I saw my personality quirks as things I needed to fix. Now, I get to lean into them and stay in conversations most people would feel too awkward to keep going. That’s something I really enjoy.

Shirt, Paul Smith

You’ve gone viral for your face almost as much as your interviews. Any words for the look-maxxers out there?
I feel like a pretty normal-looking Caucasian dude, so I never expected this kind of reaction. For the look-maxxers: find a look that feels right for you. Go outside. Talk to people. That’s a better investment than obsessing over the mirror.

Since we’re talking about going viral, you and Jackson Wang became an unlikely internet duo. How did that happen?
A mutual friend was connected to Jackson’s team and asked if I wanted to interview him. I didn’t really know who he was at the time; he just kept popping up on my feed in influencer collabs. So I said, “Sure, let’s do it.”

He was actually sick that day, so I didn’t think the interview would even happen. Right before he arrived, I knew we would have limited time, so I just threw out the most unhinged questions I could think of. Jackson matched the energy, and it turned into 10 minutes of chaotic banter. I don’t think either of us fully knew what was going on.

In that now-viral clip, Jackson asked you about your type. So… Is it still someone from China who can do choreo, sing, and have clear skin?
Ain’t no party like a Jackson Wang party.

Shirt, sunglasses, all Undercover

You were making music before all this. Who was musician Kole?
I started songwriting at 19 for J-pop idols like Generations and Fantastics. I had a sub-publishing deal with Sony and was doing remote work from Atlanta for a few years, then dropped out of college and moved to Tokyo.

I tried going solo and ended up on a rap competition show, which did not work out. That’s when I ran out of money and took a brutal construction job for a few months. During those summer days, I came up with the idea for street interviews as a last resort. So yeah, I’m just glad it worked out.

Would you ever go back to music?
I would love to go back. I’m just being very selective about what I want to put out next.

Jacket, shirts, pants, all Undercover 

Ok, time to turn the mic on you. You’ve asked the world, so it’s time you gave one back: what’s your toxic trait?
I see the glass half-empty, which is a double-edged sword. Expecting the worst has helped me dodge a few career disasters, but it’s not great for my peace of mind. I envy people who can just go with the flow without spiralling. Then again, maybe that’s why I’m good at pulling the worst out of people during interviews.

And finally, since we’ve been asking you everything, what’s one question you’d ask us, if the mic flipped and you were the one holding it?
How did Men’s Folio even come across Tokyo Sims? It’s been an honour and a really pleasant surprise.

Photography Kenta Karima
Creative Direction Izwan Abdullah
Styling Hiro
Text Manfred Lu
Interview Asha Farisha
Grooming Tatsuya Suzuki
Styling Assistant Eriko

Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our September 2025 issue.