In the Brains & Brawn issue of VMAN Southeast Asia, we explore a new masculine ideal taking shape across the region, one that refuses to choose between intellect and physicality.

At the forefront of this evolution is Malaysian actor Meerqeen, whose journey from rugby fields to red carpets reveals a relentless pursuit of both mental and physical excellence. Once poised for a career in insurance law, he pivoted toward acting with the same tenacity that once fueled his sports training, now applying discipline to the study of scripts and the craft of performance.

Filipino-American Olympic fencer Mitchell Saron also embodies this dual ideal; his sport is one of lightning-fast reflexes, but it’s the meticulous journaling, meditation, and visualization that give him a strategic edge. In a world where speed and strength are table stakes, it’s his mind that wins matches.

Meanwhile, Shaun Pelayo, a Filipino-British model, athlete, and actor, fuses body and identity through ink and motion. His tattoos chronicle his life, heritage, and grit, each mark a declaration of resilience forged in both the gym and the cultural margins.

For all three men, the narrative is the same: the modern Southeast Asian man is not simply strong or smart, he is both, by design and by necessity.