Miyha Thi Luong, more popularly known as Lovely Mimi, is the first Asian woman to join the African-American cast of "Love and Hiphop Atlanta."
A nail salon owner, Lovely Mimi has her own following on social media. Her Instagram account has 1.3 million followers. Surprisingly, however, she admitted that it was not her intent to gain a large following on social media. She said that she created her Instagram persona when she wanted to build buzz for her salon, which she just started. She also hosts her own parties.
According to Lovely Mimi, she had a troubled childhood. She said that she rebelled against her parents, who she described as "old school." As a result, she found herself in different juvenile detention centers and even group homes. She also said that she never got to enter middle school.
Her reputation as the "ratchet Asian girl" drew the interest of the producers of "Love and Hip Hop Atlanta," who invited her to be part of the cast. According to AJC.com, Lovely Mimi was initially hesitant to accept the offer to join "Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta." "It took me a long time to accept the deal because it's drama. It breaks up families. It makes you look bad," she admitted.
"There's all types of crazy stuff I didn't know I was getting into. Then I realized it's what I'm going to make out of it. Let's give it a try!" she added, pertaining to the greater following she can gain by being part of "Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta." She said that her future plans include opening another branch of her nail salon, as well as building her showbiz career. She moved from Maryland to Atlanta just for the show.
However, she is quick to say that there is a boundary between how she appears on the show and how she is in real life. "I have my story land life and my real life," she said.
Lovely Mimi will be a recurring cast member of the show, and the number of her appearances will largely be based on the show's fans' reception, as well as the producers' call. Given that reality shows thrive on conflict, it seems she is ready to deliver just that, as a leak showed her getting involved in an altercation with Karlie Redd.
"Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta" airs every Monday night at 8 p.m. EDT on VH1.
