Brand Do!

If you’ve ever been at a corporate event where people were actually having fun, chances are JK was the one with the mic. Jerald Justin Ko, better known as JK, has been a staple in radio and events for over a decade. And while some hosts fizzle out, this one’s still firing on all cylinders.

So what keeps him grounded?

“Be real,” he says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “That’s what we’re taught from day one in radio. Whether the mic is on or off, I try to just be myself.” He grins. “Minus the vulgarities. I still have to follow media codes. Unfortunately.”

His energy on stage isn’t just hype. It’s precision chaos. Some call him a hype machine. I called him a hype sorcerer. He squinted.

“Hype sorcerer feels a bit much lah,” he laughs. “But I get it.” He’s hosted everything from marathons to ministerial events to dinner-and-dances with bored bankers. “You’ve got to read the room. Not every crowd wants the same energy. At award shows, people are literally competing with one another, so even the games have to hit right. You adjust, but you stay you.”

Off stage, he slips into a very different role: Professional Dad. And also part-time troll.

“Hopefully they remember me as the fun parent. The one who made them laugh. But also the one who showed up.” He shares that he was mostly raised by helpers growing up, so now he’s intentional about being present. “Waking them up. Sending them to school. Being there at night. I never had that. So I give it to them.”

Would he want his kids to follow in his footsteps? “I just want them to be happy. And healthy. That’s it. Anything more is bonus.”

These days, he’s also diving into video and podcasting. New tools, same cheeky voice. “Honestly, it’s way more work. But also super fun. Now I get recognised at Sunday league games by some defender yelling, ‘Eh, TikTok guy!’” He finds it weird. But also kind of cool. “We’ve always known how to grab attention. Now we just need to add video editing to the list.”

And how would his wife Vion describe him in three words?

“Dramatic. Emotional. Flatulent.” Then he pauses. “But I hope she’d also say giving, present, dependable. Or at least that I try.”

After more than a decade in the industry, JK still has that fresh-out-of-radio-school spark. The secret? “Watch TikTok. Talk to Gen Z. Keep the passion alive.” He warns against chasing trends for the sake of it. “Don’t do podcasts just because everyone else is. Don’t make travel videos just to look cool. Create things that feel like you.”

It’s not about formulas. It’s about showing up, having fun, and staying cheeky—on or off the mic.

The Ko Legacy

The surname Ko (高 or 柯, depending on origin) carries centuries of history. In Mandarin, Ko can stem from Gao, meaning “tall” or “high,” symbolising ambition and standing out. In other dialects, it may come from Ke, associated with wood or strength in nature. Across regions, those with the Ko name have been scholars, artists, and voices of their time.

JK adds his own spin to the legacy—loud, cheeky, and impossible to ignore. Not the scholar type, but definitely the class clown who made it big.

Catch JK every Monday to Friday on Power98 — from 10am to 12pm on JK on the Go, and again from 8pm to 9pm on Own Time Own Target.

Or follow his daily dose of chaos, cheek, and charm on TikTok: @jkonthego.