With a friendship that feels effortless on and off camera, Jack Gohr and Zhen Ning are at their best simply being themselves.

Jack Gohr and Zhen Ning are a package deal, although we doubt either would admit it. The fun of watching them is seeing how they are together: the back and forth, the inside jokes, the way they crack each other up without really trying. As Ning tells it, very little changes once the camera stops rolling. “I think what you see is pretty close to the real thing,” he says. “Maybe we play up certain parts of ourselves because we know what makes the other person laugh, but the dynamic itself is real.”
Gohr has a simpler explanation. There was no master strategy to become a duo, no meeting where they decided to turn their friendship into content. They were just close mates whose lives kept crossing, and at a certain point people started to notice. “It was never really planned out,” he says. “It’s just camaraderie we’ve built over the years.”
They are, however, deliberate about establishing boundaries. The more people watch, the clearer they’ve become on what to share. Ning draws a distinction between letting people witness their friendship and turning every part of it into something for public consumption. In an era when almost any private moment can become content, that line matters.
Perhaps that is also what makes their friendship so recognisable. When you watch true friends together, you get glimpses but never the full picture. Remove the work and the audience, and what remains is a genuine bond between two people who were friends before anyone laid eyes on them, and who seem intent on staying that way.

Together, you guys have almost become an identity of its own. How close is that version to who you know yourselves to be? Jack Gohr (JG): It all happened naturally. None of it was really planned. It’s simply the friendship we’ve built over the years. As time passed, we’ve grown closer — not just as friends, but maybe more. Zhen Ning (ZN): I think we’re pretty close, honestly. Jack and I aren’t that different on camera from who we are in real life. Maybe we exaggerate certain parts of ourselves because we know what makes the other person laugh, but the dynamic is very real. If anything, people probably see the slightly more chaotic version of our friendship.
You started as friends, and somewhere down the line that relationship became content. Have you ever had to draw a boundary and decide that some things should remain between yourselves? JG: I don’t think sharing our friendship online has ever felt staged or planned. To me, it’s simply about sharing our lives with people. It’s not about pretending to be close or creating something just for the sake of looking close online. What you see is really a reflection of our lives and our friendship. ZN: I think that’s one of the reasons we’ve managed to stay friends through all of this. Not everything needs to become content just because it happened. There are conversations, problems and moments that are just ours. We both understand that there’s a difference between sharing your friendship and exposing it. I think keeping that little private world between us is important.
Your followers likely believe they have a deep understanding of your friendship by now. What do you think they might have gotten right or completely wrong? JG: I don’t think they’ve really assumed anything. They probably see that we’re very close and genuinely good friends. And honestly, I’m just grateful that we have each other on this journey of pursuing our dreams. ZN: They probably get right that we spend too much time together and annoy each other a lot. [Laughs] What they likely misunderstand is that we aren’t always like that. We actually have very different personalities and lives outside of our friendship. I think people see the funny 10 per cent of our friendship online and assume that’s 100 per cent of it. We also definitely argue more than people think. Though somehow we always end up laughing about it five minutes later.

Having spent so much time together, what’s something you’ve noticed about the other that he might not even realise about himself? JG: Ning has this natural charm and charisma, especially in the way he listens when someone else is speaking. He’s very present in those moments, and I find that a beautiful quality to have. ZN: Jack is much more thoughtful than he gives himself credit for. He acts very chill, but he actually notices things and cares quite deeply about the people around him. And I don’t think he realises how much people naturally gravitate towards him. He has that effect without really trying.
In Love Algorithm, was there a point on set when you weren’t looking at your friend across from you but actually saw the character? JG: Almost every day. When we were filming, I didn’t really see him as Ning; I saw him as Phil. And Cole was completely in love with Phil. So when we wrapped, I was honestly quite sad. I missed him, and I even told “Phil” about it afterwards. ZN: There were moments while we were shooting when I suddenly stopped seeing Jack and started seeing Cole’s shadow instead. Honestly, that really helped me get into Phil’s character. Safe to say, most shots were one-takes, which definitely kept us on schedule.
What’s your definition of happiness? JG: It’s quite simple for me: being able to do what I love while surrounded by the people I love and the people who love me. ZN: Happiness, to me, is having a life that feels full but not necessarily busy. It’s being around people I love, having something I’m excited to work towards, and being able to do things I genuinely enjoy, whether that’s travelling, creating content or just going for a random late-night drive with no plan. I think happiness is when you don’t feel like you’re constantly waiting for the next thing to happen.

The fact is even though you’ve been through a lot together, you’re still two individuals with your own objectives. What do you each wish to accomplish on your own? JG: I want to become a recognised actor, to build a career that I’m proud of and continue telling stories that people remember. ZN: I want to build something that exists beyond just being on camera or being known for social media. I love what I do, but I also want to keep evolving and see how far I can take myself creatively. I don’t think I have one specific end goal yet. I want to keep opening bigger doors for myself and hopefully surprise myself along the way.
When it comes to style, what would you steal from each other’s wardrobe, and what would you never wear? JG: I’d say Ning’s style is pretty versatile. If there’s one thing I’d steal from his wardrobe, it would definitely be his Tiffany HardWear bracelet. I would never wear his skinny jeans. [Laughs] ZN: Jack’s style is more effortless than mine. He can throw something on and somehow make it look intentional, whereas mine is probably a little more particular. I like playing around with streetwear, sometimes formal, and sometimes statement pieces that play with different textures and volumes. What would I steal from his wardrobe? Probably something I’d never think to buy myself. I’m definitely taking one of his baggy jeans. [Laughs] As for what would I never take? There are definitely pieces where I’d look at him and think, “That looks great on you, but it’s absolutely not happening on me.”
What’s your daily grooming routine like? JG: Skincare is one thing I’d never skip. Oh and putting on a mask every day is a must, too. ZN: Honestly, it’s pretty simple: skincare, moisturiser, sunscreen, hair, fragrance, and I’m out. I’m quite particular about smelling good, though. Scent is what really catches my attention. I’ll still put on fragrance even if I’m just going out casually. I feel slightly incomplete without it.

Imagine there’s no Instagram, TikTok, cameras or audience. What would stay the same between the two of you? JG: The relationship and friendship we’ve built over the years. I think that’s something very rare and very special. ZN: The friendship, definitely. We’d probably still be sending each other stupid videos, going for food and doing things that are beyond our comfort zones. I think that’s the thing about our friendship: the Internet is something we do together, but it isn’t the reason we’re friends.
With everything that’s happening for both of you, what do you think you’ll remember years from now that the rest of us won’t? JG: That one “summer” we spent together as Cole and Phil, and the love we had for each other during that period of time. It felt real. I think that’s what made it so special. ZN: Probably all the really boring moments. The car rides between shoots, sitting around waiting for things to happen, random conversations at ridiculous hours, and laughing at things that would make absolutely no sense to anyone else. People usually see the finished photos, videos and events, but I think years from now we’ll remember the in-between moments more. The instances when nothing significant was happening, yet we were somehow enjoying ourselves immensely.

“The Internet is something we do together, but it isn’t the reason we’re friends.”

Photograph CHUAN LOOI Creative direction and styling COLIN SIM Words JOHN NG Hair KEITH ONG Makeup RACHEL / PLIKA MAKEUP Fashion coordinator SHAHIRA BAHARIN Photography assistants EUGENE TEOH and EDISON LIEW Styling assistants LI FANG and ANIQ AKMAL Production assistant CHIA KE XIN

Cover Story: Jack Ning, the Internet's Dynamic Duo

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