Daily roundup: Sharon Yang and Michael Miu, co-stars in The Legend of the Condor Heroes, reunite — and other top stories today, World News
Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.
1. Sharon Yang and Michael Miu, co-stars in 1983 cult hit The Legend of the Condor Heroes, reunite
Nostalgia is a powerful ingredient in making the heart feel fond, and this might stir up some fuzzy feelings... » READ MORE
2. 'We've been promoted': Zhu Houren and wife welcome first grandchild
Congratulations are in order for veteran actor Zhu Houren.
The Zhu household has just welcomed a new addition to the family, and his name is Isaac... » READ MORE
3. ICA to conduct safety review after Woodlands Checkpoint accident
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Saturday (May 24) that it will be conducting a review of safety measures following an accident at Woodlands Checkpoint earlier in the morning... » READ MORE
4. NDP 2025 marks SG60 with expanded celebrations from Padang to Marina Bay
More Singaporeans will be able to partake in this year's National Day Parade (NDP) festivities as the NDP live show will extend from the Padang to Marina Bay for the first time, on National Day (Aug 9)... » READ MORE
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AsiaOne
10 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Ruby Lin strikes touristy Merlion pose in Singapore at Vivian Hsu's 'recommendation', Entertainment News
When in Singapore, do as the tourists do. That seems to be the cue taken by Ruby Lin when the actress was in town recently. The 49-year-old may be a star in Taiwan and beyond, but a recent Instagram post showed how in Singapore, she can be just like any other merry holidaymaker. But unlike other regular tourists, however, Ruby had the privilege of having fellow celeb Vivian Hsu, 50, as her "tour guide". Vivian, who split from her Singaporean husband Sean Lee in 2023, reportedly lives in Singapore with her only son, but travels to Taiwan frequently for work. In a post published on Saturday (June 7), Ruby wrote about taking the series of "tourist photos" at the encouragement of her "dear sister", Vivian. "Under the strong recommendation of my tour guide, companion cum photographer and dear sister, I've taken this photo which she said I'll thank her for in 10 years' time," wrote Ruby, referring to a picture of herself striking the iconic 'Merlion pose'. "I've therefore taken this series of touristy photos," she joked, alongside a laughing emoji. She also wrote in a series of hashtags, "As long as you're not embarrassed, others will be the ones who are embarrassed" as well as another hashtag stating that the 'photographer' was very responsible and took such photos for the entire group. [embed] For those unacquainted with said pose, it involves people tilting their heads backward, mouths agape, to "catch" the stream of water from the Merlion's mouth. Other photos taken by a third person showed Vivian snapping a photo of Ruby in said pose, though it's not clear if Ruby's actor husband Wallace Huo had joined her on the trip. In an Instagram Story on June 7, Vivian too, reposted the photo, stating: "It's a photo worth remembering", calling herself "the best photographer". On another day, Ruby and Vivian, both wearing masks, stopped for a photo-op outside the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands. However, Ruby's little sojourn to our sunny island might not have been all that recent. Her post a week ago showed both her and Vivian posing against the backdrop of a visual installation, which the latter indicated in a comment to be the teamLab Future World exhibit at the ArtScience Museum. [embed] In the caption, Ruby expressed her well-wishes to followers for the Dragon Boat Festival. [[nid:708783]] candicecai@
AsiaOne
15 hours ago
- AsiaOne
40 S'poreans going on 'Single's Inferno' trips to Japan to find love, minus the cameras, Singapore News
SINGAPORE - In a few weeks' time, five women and five men will be flying to a villa in Japan on a trip inspired by South Korean reality television series Single's Inferno. The participants will not have met before going on the four-day, three-night trip, and will share a room with those of the same gender, as in the show. They are paying $1,111 each for a yacht trip, an Osaka day trip and an activity of their choice such as Universal Studios Japan and tea ceremony in Nara, among other things. Around 40 Singaporeans have signed up for three such trips, planned by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts design practice student Leo Ching Ling, 24, and business owner Ric Ang, 50. The pair, who met while Ms Leo was interning at a company Mr Ang was working in, have held around 10 social mixers around the numerology theme since August 2024 under their events brand Until 1111. Their parties offer compatibility readings, tarot card readings and purpose-infused crystal-making. Numerology is a practice that assigns a number to individuals based on their birthdate and name. The belief is that these numbers hold insights into personality, life path and potential. The parties are some of the latest initiatives to help sparks fly among singles, offering an alternative to dating apps. Others include singles pitch nights and dating mixers bringing games seen on platforms like YouTube and TikTok to the public. These events tend to be small-scale, with guests vetted for a more intimate setting. The idea for the trip came when Mr Ang's friend, who owns a villa in Japan, reached out to him to collaborate. Ms Leo said that they shared the idea on TikTok, and many expressed interest. "A trip together would be a good chance to create a core memory with each other, as well as a potentially long-lasting relationship." Participants asked to see photos of one another before the trip, but Ms Leo refused, wanting to keep the "surprise element" and not have them judge one another based on physical looks before meeting. Held every month, their mixers are attended by 20 to more than 40 guests bonding over speed dating, tarot readings and other activities. For some singles, signing up for such mixers is a way to expand their social circle and boost their odds of finding a partner after leaving school. Ms Lim Yun Qian and Ms Lynette Kee started a series of Plus One dating mixers in February as an answer to dating app fatigue, under their Footnotes initiative, which offers hosted experiences. "I think the idea of a 'meet cute' or meeting in a real life situation is something that everyone wants," said Ms Lim. "We want to make people comfortable," she added, likening their role to hosting a house party. Nearly 1,000 signed up for the three mixers, but each session was capped at 48 participants. Participants were chosen based on a form outlining their goals for the event, with online profiles reviewed to curate a more compatible group, said Ms Kee. Participants, who were aged 24 to 35, came with a friend as their "plus one" to put them at ease. Ms Lim and Ms Kee, who are both 29, tapped their expertise as full-time creative producers to create experiences usually seen on dating shows on TV and YouTube. The mixers' activities included doing a pitch for the single friend, helping to pass on messages to someone their friend was eyeing, or going around doing challenges on a Bingo card. The prize for the winning pitch was a 10-minute speed date with someone of the winner's choice, set up by the organisers. Proving that Singaporeans are not boring: Meet the people making dating fun again Falling out of love with dating apps? Young singles switch to events, other algorithms, old tricks The meticulous curation of guests paid off for one attendee, who said: "The selection of people was quite well put together. Everyone was friendly and willing to meet people. The activities made things a little less awkward." Added the 30-year-old content strategist, who declined to be named: "App interactions are fleeting, so an in-person event feels like you get to know people a bit more before you cast judgment." Although he is not dating anyone from the two Plus One mixers he attended, he has made friends who he has gone bouldering with. Ms Joell Tee, who founded Dinner with Strangers in 2022, started co-hosting singles pitch nights called Fishbowl, inspired by American reality TV show Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs make business pitches to investors. "The premise feels quite low stakes, friendly and safe. Signing up with your friends kind of takes the edge off a dating event, because even if nothing comes out of it, it's still something that you were able to do with your friends, and it's still fun," said the 28-year-old, who works as a project manager in a bank. Around 160 people in their early 20s to late 30s have attended the three pitch nights held since August 2024. Attendee Denise Ong, 27, said going through the motions on dating apps has turned into "a numbers game where everyone starts to treat each other as disposable". "While the main objective (of going to Fishbowl) is to find a partner, I think it was nice to be reminded of everyone's humanity and individuality," said the marketing executive. It was her first time being pitched to a crowd. "I was a bit nervous, naturally. But I saw the deck beforehand, plus she's my best friend and knows me inside out, so overall I was enjoying it, even though I was a little 'paiseh'." Still, some singles have reservations about attending newfangled dating events, which may not meet expectations. Ms Ong went for a social mixer by Never Strangers, run by entertainment company Unfiltered, where she was drawn to a participant but later found out that he was not looking to date. She added: "There were even people who signed up together, and just didn't talk to anyone the entire night." "I think the more 'mass' these events are, the more superficial and unlikely it is to have good conversations, and I really do feel like that's what it's all about." Another participant Khor Kai Xiang, 29, who went for the same event, said he was matched with a man due to male participants outnumbering females. One Fishbowl participant, 29-year-old Nick, said he and his friend put together more "haphazard" presentations than the other participants who took the pitch more seriously. Nick, who works in finance and declined to give his full name, said: "We were slightly taken aback that some participants went straight to listing their expectations or requirements. The subjects ranged from marriage, number of children, to the infamous BTO (Build-To-Order flats)." Less crowd, more chemistry Meanwhile, Mr Lim, a 26-year-old financial adviser who did not give his full name, said his friends questioned why he was going to an Until 1111 mixer, pointing to a stigma attached to dating events. Little did he know he would meet a girl at the party's speed dating segment - though their brief conversation went "terribly". She was not interested in him at first, as he was a year younger than her and shared the same name as her former boyfriend. But he slipped her a note to say he enjoyed talking to her and hoped to keep in touch. They went out with a group of friends from the event a few weeks later, and he succeeded in asking her out after. "I was really lucky. These things are really hit or miss," said Mr Lim, adding that both his girlfriend and himself are introverts. "She's funny in her own way. She's a bit weird, but I'm also weird, and I just feel like she just complements me, and I can talk to her about anything. She's sort of like my safe place." Yet others have found love in interest group communities. Mr Luqman Rahamat, 33, met his girlfriend Elise Tan, 28, at non-fiction book club, The Saturday Book Club. Mr Luqman, a maths tutor, and Ms Tan, a pre-school teacher, first chatted about decluttering, and Ms Tan lent him a book on minimalism called Love People, Use Things. They then went to check out the social enterprise bookshop Books Beyond Borders. She was intrigued by his blog posts detailing his travels and analysing dating apps and other topics using mathematical concepts. The couple made it official over a year ago. "It feels like the universe planned it for me. I was in a phase of self-improvement and didn't have any expectations on finding a long-term partner," said Mr Luqman. "She made me feel like I am enough and also taught me how to love myself more and accept my flaws." To romantic hopefuls, he has this advice: "If dating apps don't work, move to communities where you can meet people, be yourself and find someone who can appreciate and accept you for who you are." This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- AsiaOne
'You worried about us too much': Tay Ying has heart-to-heart talk with mum Hong Huifang before marriage
In an Instagram Reel uploaded yesterday (June 5), local actresses Hong Huifang and Tay Ying sat down together to have a heartfelt talk about their relationship as mother and daughter. It's just in time before Tay Ying's wedding to celebrity chef Wu Sihan, which will be happening this month. Using a mini gacha machine to draw out questions, Huifang, 64, asked Tay Ying, 29: "What is one thing I didn't do well as a mother?" After a moment of contemplation, Tay Ying replied: "You don't love yourself enough. When we were younger, you worried about us too much — and then you forget about yourself. So I think in this season of life, it's time to love yourself more." "I think I will, because I left not too long anymore," Huifang joked, drawing a loud "Aiyoh" from Tay Ying. Huifang and her actor husband Zheng Geping, 61, also have son Calvert, 25, who's a singer-actor. When asked to share their proudest moments of one another, Tay Ying talked about her mother starring in Singaporean-South Korean film Ajoomma (2022). It was when Huifang attended a gala screening and many people in the showbiz industry gathered around her in applause. "In that moment I also felt so proud of myself," Huifang reminisced. Her proudest moment of Tay Ying is knowing that she's about to get married. She said fondly: "I'm so happy you finally found the man of your dreams." This left Tay Ying sighing: "Done so many good things in my life as a daughter but this is the only one." Huifang added: "This is your happiness. It's most important. I spent the first half of my life taking care of you and now someone else is taking care of you in my second half." Thereafter, Tay Ying asked Huifang: "Is there ever a moment where you wanted to leave your relationship?" Huifang incredulously said: "No." Advising the soon-to-be wife on maintaining a relationship, she said: "Both parties grew up in different environments — his and your habits are bound to be different, and so will your tempers. If you plant a tree, you must water it. You can't leave it there. Otherwise, it'll die. So you have to manage [your relationship] for it to last long." She also revealed when she found that she and Geping's spark has gone out, she suggested they go "find some spark", such as going on vacation together. Tay Ying also asked Huifang on what her biggest fight with Geping was, which happened to revolve around teenage Tay Ying. Mum explained: "Papa spoiled you a lot, and I wanted to beat you because you did something wrong. I didn't in the end, even though I wanted to — I couldn't bear to do it." Huifang is starring in the upcoming film A Good Child, which stars Richie Koh and Cheryl Chou. Tay Ying has been nominated for Star Awards 2025 in two categories: Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes and BYD Favourite Female Character. [[nid:718802]]
