logo
HK actor Raymond Lam and family kick off their summer vacation in Singapore

HK actor Raymond Lam and family kick off their summer vacation in Singapore

Straits Times2 days ago
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Chinese model Carina Zhang and Hong Kong actor Raymond Lam brought their daughter Luna to Singapore on holiday.
SINGAPORE – Hong Kong actor Raymond Lam was recently in Singapore to kick off his family's summer vacation.
The 45-year-old is married to Chinese model Carina Zhang, 34, and they have a daughter, Luna, who turns five in September.
Zhang shared photos of their stay here on Luna's account on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, with the caption titled: 'Transformed into a mermaid in SG'.
'Singapore was the first stop of my summer vacation,' Zhang wrote in Chinese on behalf of her daugher. 'I've become obsessed with The Little Mermaid lately, so my dad booked a hotel where I could watch the fish from my room, and my mum bought me a mermaid costume, making my little wish come true.'
Zhang also shared photos of Lam and Luna at Universal Studios Singapore and the three of them posing at Merlion Park. According to Zhang, Sydney, Australia, is the second stop of the family's summer vacation.
Carina Zhang posts on social media a photo of herself with her husband Raymond Lam and daughter Luna vacationing in Singapore.
PHOTO: LUNA LAM/XIAOHONGSHU
Lam also met up with local actor Ben Yeo, his co-star in the Singapore-Hong Kong TV series Yummy Yummy (2005), during his four-day stay in Singapore.
Yeo, 46, told Chinese-language evening daily Shin Min Daily News in a report published on July 26 that he took Lam to his restaurant, Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat, where they spent time catching up.
Lam was previously in Singapore in November 2024, when he was one of the judges at the finals of Mediacorp's talent competition Star Search.
When he was in town this time round, Lam was spotted by several local fans, who uploaded videos and photos of him on social media.
In one clip posted on Instagram and TikTok on July 24, the star of Hong Kong action crime thriller Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In (2024) was seen at Changi Airport's arrival hall and then boarding a car with his family.
A fan posted a photo of herself with Lam on Xiaohongshu on July 25. She replied to a netizen that she bumped into him in Haji Lane on July 24.
'I was so lucky to run into him,' she wrote in Chinese. 'He was very nice and even helped me take a selfie with my camera. I was so happy.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Digimon releases official trailer for upcoming anime in October
Digimon releases official trailer for upcoming anime in October

Straits Times

time14 minutes ago

  • Straits Times

Digimon releases official trailer for upcoming anime in October

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Digimon Beatbreak will follow the adventures of protagonist Tomoro Tenma and his lizard-like companion Gekkomon. Heads up, Digimon tamers - the official trailer has just dropped for a new anime series slated to begin in October 2025. First unveiled in March, Digimon Beatbreak - the 10th series in the popular media franchise - will follow the adventures of protagonist Tomoro Tenma and his lizard-like companion, Gekkomon. Digimon (short for Digital Monsters) are the physical incarnations of digital data or computer programs that reside in the Digital World - a parallel dimension spawned from data in mankind's communication networks. In the world of Digimon Beatbreak, which 'achieved development through emotionally generated energy', Digimon lurk in the shadows and are said to devour emotions, with a team of 'cleaners' handling incidents arising from altercations with these creatures. The tagline of the series is 'Glitch the Future' - nobody knows what it means at this point, but eh, it sounds cool. Tenma is voiced by Miyu Irino, a veteran voice actor known for his role as Haku in Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away, Sora in the Kingdom Hearts video game series, Saji Crossroad in Mobile Suit Gundam 00, as well as Sabo in One Piece. Gekkomon is voiced by Megumi Han, who voiced Gon Freecss in the 2011 Hunter × Hunter anime, Meimei in The Apothecary Diaries. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump modifies reciprocal tariffs ahead of deadline; rate on Singapore likely to remain at 10% Singapore PM Wong to deliver National Day message on Aug 8 Singapore Data breach involving Cycle & Carriage Singapore customer details under probe Singapore Man charged over kicking woman's face in Teck Whye Lane flat, leading to her death Singapore 'For one last time, let's go home': Tears, laughs as last scheduled Jetstar Asia flight touches down Life The Projector leaves Cineleisure, returns to Golden Mile Tower Singapore 3 men charged over living on the earnings of prostitution Business OCBC Q2 profit drops 7% to $1.82b as interest rates fall, to pay lower interim dividend Since its inception in 1997, the Digimon franchise has often been compared with Pokemon, as both feature colourful, larger-than-life creatures battling for dominance. The franchise first began as a series of digital pets similar to Tamagotchi . It then blossomed into a franchise comprising multiple anime series, games, manga, trading cards, and of course, toys. Entertainment website Comic Book Resources estimates the Digimon franchise to have racked up US$6.3 billion (S$8.18 billion) in revenue since then. There are nearly 1,300 unique Digimon in the franchise (compared with Pokemon at little over a thousand) of all shapes and sizes, including cute dogs that evolve into cats, armoured humanoid dragons, angels and demons, and literal manifestations of the end of all creation. They are mostly capable of human speech, and often possess elaborate, edgy designs complete with flashy armour and weapons.

Sleeping next to the dead? Some tourists don't mind Lavender's funeral home neighbours
Sleeping next to the dead? Some tourists don't mind Lavender's funeral home neighbours

New Paper

time2 hours ago

  • New Paper

Sleeping next to the dead? Some tourists don't mind Lavender's funeral home neighbours

Fancy spending the night near a funeral home? Lavender might be just the place for you - even if not everyone relishes the prospect. A Taiwanese tourist who brought her two young daughters to Singapore in early July had a nasty surprise when she discovered that the hotel she booked was located beside well-known funeral service provider Singapore Casket. "As a tourist who is unfamiliar with the local surroundings, I felt deeply uncomfortable and misled," Shannon, who was unsuccessful in her attempt to get a refund, told Stomp. Neither the booking platform nor the website for Arton Boutique Hotel had mentioned its proximity to the funeral home, she added. "How can hotels in Singapore be allowed to hide such important location information?" A hotel in the area starts from $95. SCREENGRAB: But the hotel that Shannon booked is far from the exception - a search on hotel booking platform listed at least nine hotels in the surrounding area of Singapore Casket. In addition, the storefront of Direct Funeral Services, offering funeral service packages, is located next to the Singapore Casket building. There are at least four funeral homes and service providers in the Lavender area, alongside temples, coffee shops, and other commercial buildings. But not all may be aware of its storied history, or that Lavender was not always known for funeral homes. The two funeral service providers are located beside each other. TNP PHOTO: SEAH JUN DE Not-so-fragrant history Despite its fragrant name, Lavender used to be occupied by Chinese vegetable gardens fertilised with nightsoil and a gasworks plant releasing strong-smelling gases. According to The Urbanist Singapore founder Ho Yong Min, residents proposed the name "lavender" ironically, and the municipality officially accepted it in 1858. "It was associated with working-class trades, clan associations, and community schools. Over time, the neighbourhood grew into a mixed-use zone - part industrial, part residential, and part religious or communal," the 41-year-old heritage educator told TNP. Mr Ho reckoned that the presence of funeral parlours in Lavender today is more likely related to zoning regulations, commercial leasing, and availability of space. "These businesses are typically allowed in commercial or institutional zones, and Lavender's mixed-use landscape makes it a feasible location." The area's mixed-use character and central location have attracted hoteliers as it is a "sweet spot" with easy access to public transportation, heritage charm, and slightly lower operational costs, he added. Do you mind? A convenience store employee said that while there were many tourists in the area, not many knew about the nearby funeral parlours. The presence of funeral homes near their hotel indeed came as a shock to two Chinese nationals who had booked a room at Hotel Yan, a two-minute walk from Singapore Casket. The two women in their 20s, who declined to give their names, told TNP that they were not aware of the presence of a funeral home when they made the booking online. "In China, such things will not be located in an obvious space," one of the women said in Mandarin. However, other tourists did not mind the location. A 25-year-old Indonesian who only wanted to be known as Ms Katut has been visiting Singapore for the past three years to see her sister. It was her first time staying in Lavender. While she admitted that Indonesians are superstitious, she was not disturbed by the nearby funeral parlours, and was not even aware of their presence. A woman in her 20s from the Philippines, who declined to give her name, was staying with her family of three at a hotel in Orchard but had gone to a coin laundry along Tyrwhitt Road. She told TNP that back home, there is no aversion to places associated with death, and the family had no problems with staying nearby. "In the Philippines, there are hotels near cemeteries, so it's just fine," she said. 'Closely integrated with everyday life' Mr Ho of The Urbanist Singapore shared that historically, places linked to death were often closely integrated with everyday life. He cited Sago Lane in Chinatown as an example, where the "street of the dead" was home to funeral parlours, coffin shops, and shophouses that housed the terminally ill. "Rather than being hidden away, these services were visible and embedded in the community fabric." Today, Mr Ho noted, Singapore's urban planning framework is governed by clear zoning laws, public health standards, and land use controls. Funeral parlours are thus subject to many more planning considerations. Muhammad Fariz Daud, a 22-year-old student visiting from Malaysia, told TNP he would have no problem with staying at a hotel beside a funeral home. Nevertheless, most Malaysians would avoid hotels near cemeteries, which are considered more taboo. But Mr Fariz added that he will do research on the hotel's location and public transport connectivity before making a booking. "It's not really the hotel's fault for not informing the customers that there's a funeral home nearby - you can do that research yourself."

Ballard actress Maggie Q learnt from Jackie Chan and Tom Cruise's work ethic
Ballard actress Maggie Q learnt from Jackie Chan and Tom Cruise's work ethic

Straits Times

time2 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Ballard actress Maggie Q learnt from Jackie Chan and Tom Cruise's work ethic

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Maggie Q plays a detective who takes over the cold case division at the Los Angeles police department in Ballard. NEW YORK – More than 20 years ago, Hong Kong cinema legend Jackie Chan saw something in a young model-turned-actress named Maggie Q, and decided to sign her to his management company and train her to become an action star. Now, the Asian-American performer is back in the spotlight with her first high-profile role in more than five years, headlining Ballard, an acclaimed police procedural series streaming on Prime Video. And the 46-year-old says witnessing the ferocious work ethic of movie stars such as Chan and her Mission: Impossible III (2006) co-star Tom Cruise continues to shape her professionally today. A spin-off of the cult Bosch crime shows (2014 to 2025), Ballard – which has a 100 per cent critics' rating on review site Rotten Tomatoes – follows Renee Ballard (Q), a detective with a chip on her shoulder who takes over the cold case division at the Los Angeles police department. At a recent screening in New York, Q – whose last major TV roles were the action thriller Nikita (2010 to 2013) and political drama Designated Survivor (2016 to 2019) – says it was an honour to portray a police detective. The source material for the show, the Renee Ballard crime novels by best-selling American author Michael Connelly, were based on a real 30-year female police veteran whom Q spent time with on set every day. 'And there are so many qualities about her that I don't possess, but was able to bring to Ballard – because as a detective, there's a certain amount of not just patience but also fortitude,' says Q, whose full name is Margaret Quigley. Her Vietnamese mother and Irish-Polish American father met during the Vietnam War. Maggie Q in Ballard. PHOTO: PRIME VIDEO 'You have to keep your eye on the prize and it takes years, so you can imagine the dedication. You're talking about a detective who will spend 10, 15 years just trying to bring one family a modicum of peace after something tragic.' Q left her home in Honolulu, Hawaii, in her late teens, and moved to Tokyo and Hong Kong to become a model. She made the leap to acting. Impressed with her turn in Hong Kong action film Gen-Y Cops (2000), Chan gave her bit parts in his American action movies Rush Hour 2 (2001) and Around The World In 80 Days (2004). 'He's one of the hardest workers I've ever seen,' says Q of the 71-year-old, who made his mark in Hollywood with the Rush Hour action comedies (1998 to 2007) and voiced Master Monkey in the Kung Fu Panda animated franchise (2008 to 2016). 'I saw him and went, 'Oh, it takes 1,000 per cent. Not 100 per cent, not 200 per cent. Everything you have.' 'And for my early days, to be able to witness that type of work ethic, I think that cemented something in me, and I'm a hard worker already,' adds the star, who is married to Vietnamese-American former hedge fund manager Curtis Macnguyen, 56. When she took on her first big role in an American film, playing an intelligence agent in the spy thriller Mission: Impossible III, she experienced the same thing with American actor Cruise, 63. 'Same work ethic, and both very successful people. And I got to see very early on what that took,' says Q, who went on to appear in the Divergent science-fiction film trilogy (2014 to 2016). US actress Maggie Q attends the Los Angeles premiere of Prime Video's Ballard in California on July 9. PHOTO: AFP With Cruise, she also got her first close-up look at Hollywood megastardom when she shot her scenes with him. On their first day of filming at the Tiber river in Rome, Italy, 'there must have been at least 5,000 people lining the river just to catch a glimpse of him'. 'I was in a boat with him and I remember thinking, 'My god, the power of a movie star.' I didn't know what a movie star was until that film.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store